No-Bake Christmas Cookie Recipe

5 from 3 votes

These are the easiest no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies with a hint of peanut butter...a perfect Christmas cookie recipe to add to your repertoire!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Cool Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: medium cookies

3 cups quick-cooking oats not regular old-fashioned or instant
1 ½ cups light brown sugar packed
1 cup chocolate chips bittersweet or semisweet
½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
½ cup smooth peanut butter
⅓ cup milk nonfat or whole
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
Toppings of choice optional, like flake salt, coconut, nuts, or more chocolate chips

Measure all ingredients ahead of time. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Once melted, add the brown sugar, milk, and cocoa powder. Stir until smooth and well-combined.
Over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a boil. Once a boil is reached, set a timer for exactly 1 minute. Without stirring, let mixture boil for that 1 minute.
Remove from heat immediately, and stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and salt right away.
Then add the oats, 1 cup at a time. Mix until combined.
Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. They will mostly melt into the mixture.
Make ¼ cup-sized cookies on the parchment paper, at least an inch apart. Flatten the cookies slightly if preferred, with the back of a spoon. If they crumbly slightly, push together the stray pieces.
Add toppings if desired, by pushing the toppings slightly into each cookie. Let cookies stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes before enjoying!

Measure ingredients before beginning the recipe. This is crucial especially for step #5 when you need to add the PB, vanilla, and salt right away to stop the cooking process of the chocolate mixture.
Don’t use natural peanut butter that separates! Use regular smooth peanut butter like Jif or Skippy.
The chocolate chips are necessary and will mostly melt into the cookie, adding chocolatey richness and helping to hold the cookies together. If you want more distinct chocolate chips in your cookies, I recommend pushing a few into the tops of the cookies once they’re formed in addition to the ones mixed into the “dough”.