Classic no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with DOUBLE the cocoa and studded with chocolate chips for three times the chocolate goodness!
JUMP TO RECIPEA few weeks ago I shared my No-Bake Monster Cookies where I took the classic ingredients of traditional Monster Cookies (peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&Ms) and made them into a quick and easy no-bake recipe.
The kids have been asking for more ever since so I decided to whip up a batch this weekend. When I realized one of the little rats had finished off the M&Ms, I decided to go a different route.
OK, side note before I get into the recipe… I make my regular no-bakes a little differently that most folks. Almost all traditional recipes call for 1/4 cup cocoa but I’ve always doubled that and used 1/2 cup.
Well, since I had no M&Ms to make the No-Bake Monster Cookies but I did have half a bag of chocolate chips (only because I hid them behind a big Tupperware thing of rice), I decided to make something somewhere in between.
I made my regular no-bakes (with double cocoa) then added chocolate chips on top for TRIPLE the chocolate flavor of traditional peanut butter oatmeal no-bake cookies. And they were glorious! I think these are my favorite version yet!
With all this talk about “no-bakes”, I guess I shouldn’t assume everyone necessarily knows what that means exactly.
WHAT ARE TRADITIONAL NO-BAKE COOKIES?
The term “no-bakes” refers to a type of cookie made by cooking butter, sugar, milk and traditionally, cocoa in a saucepan until the mixture boils then stirring in peanut butter and rolled-oats to make a “dough” that is then scooped out into cookie-sized portions. Boiling the butter, sugar and milk together makes a soft-ball* confection that holds the oats together when the cookies set up. Traditional "no-bakes" are made with cocoa powder but many new varieties exclude the cocoa.
*Soft-ball stage refers to a specific temperature range in candy making. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of the hot sugar mixture into a bowl of very cold water. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the mixture can be easily formed into a ball with your fingertips while in the cold water but flattens once removed from the water. This consistency of a "soft-ball" is where the term originated.
TIPS FOR MAKING NO-BAKE COOKIES
- No-bake cookies can be persnickety. If you don’t boil the mixture long enough, they won’t set up. If you boil it too long, they will be crumbly. Boil the mixture exactly one minute for perfect, tender cookies.
- Only use REAL butter.
- Old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats can be used but quick-cooking oats make for softer cookies and are usually preferred.
- Line a work surface with parchment paper and have the oats measured and ready in your mixing bowl before starting the recipe. You need to be able to move to each step of the recipe without delay to ensure your cookie dough sets up properly.
NOTES ABOUT TRIPLE CHOCOLATE NO-BAKE COOKIES
- If you add the chocolate chips too soon, they will melt. Scoop out all the cookies then, starting with the first cookie you scooped (the coolest) and working through to the last, place the chips onto the cookies, pressing down just slightly. The cookies will still be soft enough to work with but not so hot that everything melts. Make a test cookie – if the chocolate chips start to melt and lose their shape, wait a minute then try again.
- If you don’t have parchment paper, a clean, dry counter will work as well but you may need a spatula to move the cookies.
- No-bake cookies can be persnickety. If you don’t boil the mixture long enough, they won’t set up. If you boil it too long, they will be crumbly. This recipe is exactly how I make all my no-bake cookies. Follow it and you should be A-OK.
- Only use real butter.
Recipe for Triple Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Triple Chocolate No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 stick REAL butter (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a work surface with parchment paper. Add the quick-cooking oats to a large mixing bowl then set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa and milk then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once bubbling, boil mixture for 1 full minute. Remove from heat immediately. Do not let mixture boil longer than 1 minute.
- Add peanut butter and vanilla to the saucepan then stir until peanut butter is melted. Pour mixture into the mixing bowl with oats then gently stir until well combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or two tablespoons (I use a 1½ inch cookie scoop), scoop portions of dough onto parchment paper. Flatten each cookie portion slightly to resemble the shape of a traditional baked cookie.
- Once all the dough has been portioned out, starting with the first cookie and working through to the last (coolest to warmest), place chocolate chips onto each cookie (see notes for tips).
- Allow cookies to completely cool and set-up then move to an air-tight container to store.
Notes
- If you add the chocolate chips too soon, they will melt. Scoop out all the cookies then, starting with the first cookie you scooped (the coolest) and working through to the last, place the chips onto the cookies, pressing down just slightly. The cookies will still be soft enough to work with but not so hot that everything melts. Make a test cookie – if the chocolate chips start to melt and lose their shape, wait a minute then try again.
- If you don’t have parchment paper, a clean, dry counter will work as well but you may need a spatula to move the cookies.
- No-bake cookies can be persnickety. If you don’t boil the mixture long enough, they won’t set up. If you boil it too long, they will be crumbly. This recipe is exactly how I make all my no-bake cookies. Follow it and you should be A-OK.
- Only use real butter.
Wow! Never thought to add choc chips. In place of parchment paper you can use waxed paper.
ReplyDeleteMy mom always made these when I was a kid. When I was about 11 years old she let me make them myself. I LOVE THESE cookies and will try both of your varieties soon.
ReplyDeleteCan you use coconut milk over milk
ReplyDelete