Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are a classic, childhood treat made with oatmeal, peanut butter, and Reese’s candy!
Love easy cookie recipes? Be sure to try our 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies next! Our no bake Cheerio Bars are perfect as a treat or breakfast!
Why these Cookies are Best
I love the simplicity of a no-bake cookie.
As the weather gets warmer, no bake desserts are awesome to have on hand for summer. You know, when you need something sweet but don’t feel like turning on your oven!
These peanut butter no bake cookies are just the thing. Unlike traditional no bake cookies, there is no chocolate in this recipe.
I have a family of peanut butter cookie lovers and we needed full peanut butter flavor. Plus, should I remind you they have oatmeal? Peanut butter + Oatmeal = health food. Breakfast. Yeah, I know it’s a stretch, but go with it.
Ingredient Notes
Scroll all the way down for complete no bake cookie recipe.
- Granulated Sugar
- Milk
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Quick Cook Oatmeal
- Reese’s Pieces Candy
How to make Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
STEP 1: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for one full minute.
STEP 2: Remove from heat. Add vanilla, salt and creamy peanut butter. Stir until smooth.
STEP 3: Fold in quick oats, stirring until completely combined. Add in Reese’s Pieces candy.
STEP 4: Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on counter. Using two spoons, drop cookie dough by large tablespoon onto paper. Allow to set (about 20 minutes). Store in a covered, airtight container. ENJOY!
Substitutions
Milk: I always have fat free milk in our refrigerator, so that is what I use. You can use other varieties of milk as well, 1%, 2%, and whole milk all provide similar results! You can also use almond milk in this no bake cookie recipe!
Butter: Typically I use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt in a recipe. If you opt for salted butter, remove the extra pinch of salt from the cookies.
Peanut Butter: Can you make peanut butter no bake cookies without peanut butter? Actually you can! Try our biscoff no bake cookies next.
Oatmeal: I always opt for quick oats in my no bake cookies. It results in great texture and flavor. While you can use old-fashioned oats, you’ll get a chewier texture, if you’re okay with that!
Reese’s Pieces Candy: The sky is the limit (or maybe it’s your pantry is the limit). Chocolate Chips, peanut butter morsels, M&M’s, you decide. Or leave it all out and keep them as plain no bake oatmeal cookies!
No Bake Cookie Dilemmas
You either have the dilemma of cookies being too gooey? Or your cookies are hard rocks. Wondering where you went wrong and why your cookies won’t set?
For Dry Cookies:
- When you bring your mixture to a boil for one full minute, you have likely overheated your sugar. Overcooking the sugar can result in a crumbly mess.
- If this is something you struggle with, try using a different saucepan or turn your stove top heat source down!
For Gooey Cookies:
- Most common cause of gooey no bake cookies is not boiling your mixture long enough (see? it’s the opposite of dry cookies).
- Rain and humidity! The moisture in the air can keep your cookies from setting. If it’s an exceptionally humid day, add a little time to your boiling mixture. Or avoid making these cookies on humid days!
- Also, I have found that natural peanut butters can result in gooey cookies. Be sure to stir your peanut butter really well before using, and you may need to add more boiling time.
Recipe FAQs
You do not need to refrigerate no bake cookies. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. However, they are delicious when chilled, so feel free to store them in the fridge.
You CAN freeze no bake cookies! Slide cookies into a freezer safe ziploc bag (or airtight container). Freeze cookies for up to two months.
More No Bake Recipes
- Healthy No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Oatmeal Scotchies
- Bunny Chow
- No Bake Cookies without Peanut Butter
- Avalanche Cookies
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Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 ½ cups quick cook oatmeal
- 1 ½ cups Reese’s Pieces candy
Instructions
- In a large pot, add sugar, milk and butter. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for one full minute. Remove from heat.
- Add vanilla, salt and peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Fold in oats, stirring until completely combined. Fold in candy.
- Lay out a large piece of parchment paper on counter. Using two spoons, drop cookie dough by large tablespoon onto paper.
- Allow to set (about 20 minutes). Store in a covered, airtight container. ENJOY!
Notes
- When you bring your mixture to a boil for one full minute, you have likely overheated your sugar. Overcooking the sugar can result in a crumbly mess.
- If this is something you struggle with, try using a different saucepan or turn your stove top heat source down!
- Most common cause of gooey no bake cookies is not boiling your mixture long enough (see? it’s the opposite of dry cookies).
- Rain and humidity! The moisture in the air can keep your cookies from setting. If it’s an exceptionally humid day, add a little time to your boiling mixture. Or avoid making these cookies on humid days!
- Also, I have found that natural peanut butters can result in gooey cookies. Be sure to stir your peanut butter really well before using, and you may need to add more boiling time.
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Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are the quick and easy dessert everyone loves!
I LOVE no-bake cookies. Especially when the hot weather rolls in… which is hopefully soon!
Love no-bake recipes, and you can never go wrong with peanut butter ones!
I love no bake cookies during the summer time!
Love how easy these are! Pure peanut butter is never a bad thing either!
Oh..stop temtping me..I just got a new jar of PB,don’t want to finish it at once :))
These are definitely health food. Oats make everything healthier! I’ll be making tons of no bake in summer here to avoid the A/C!
I can not believe that I some how missed all of those amazing no-bake cookies! Peanut butter sounds good. Biscoff sounds amazing (I am seriously addicted!)! The Double Espresso is breakfast tomorrow!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! And as much as I am a chocoholic I love that these are no bake without chocolate 🙂
Pure peanut butter goodness and I don’t even need to turn on the oven? Don’t mind if I do! 😉
I do love my Reese cups, but I’m in full support of bringing back Reese pieces. I love no bake cookies, especially in the dead of summer when I avoid the oven at all costs. This pb variety sounds delish 🙂
These cookies are rockin’, Amy! The temps are raising in Sacramento already, so I’m already making faces at my oven when it’s on.. too hot! Love these 🙂
Gotta love a no bake cookies! I adore how peanut buttery these ones are!
Yum! I have the mini Reese’s pieces that would be perfect for these
Love the no-bake idea and PB is perfect for an afternoon treat! Sound delish! 🙂
Love how simple these look. Haven’t had Reese’s pieces in awhile. This looks like a great treat to try soon!
Im a pb fanatic! These sound delicious! I love no bake, it makes things so quick, and is perfect for instant gratification! 😉
Please tell me that you did not just post this. This is my ultimate weakness PB + Reese’s Pieces. This could be bad…very bad…for my waistline!
I did not just post this. Did it work???
Ummm you totally made me giggle with this one so if nothing else thanks for the laugh 🙂
Anytime 🙂
What a great recipe for the upcoming summer. Although I love to bake, it’s wonderful having an arsenal of no-bake desserts so you don’t have to heat up the oven in the warmer months. 🙂
Mmmmm I heart Reese’s Pieces…there is a bag in my cupboard just waiting for me to bake with them again. I love that you made no bakes completely peanut buttery! Sounds awesome to me…there is a package in the mail right???
Nope, gone gone gone. Walk ins are welcome though 🙂
With a house full of kids, no bake cookies are always the way to go! Reese Pieces are the absolute best!
Agreed! Sometimes you need quick and no messing with the oven!