How To Make The Best Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Who doesn't like good, moist, homemade Chocolate No Bake Cookies? The cookies from this recipe turn out delicious. They are not dry or crumbly like many chocolate no bake cookies tend to be. I double the recipe every time I make these so everyone gets some of them!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter (I use margarine)
- 3 cups quick cooking oats (uncooked)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (I use creamy peanut butter)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
You can use chunky peanut butter and have cookies with peanuts in them.
I start by measuring the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. I use a large bowl because I usually double the recipe. (I did not double the recipe for these pictures!) If you are not doubling the recipe you will only need a medium bowl. I don't mix them together at this point. Set aside. This is also when I set out the wax paper. I wipe the table or counter with a wet cloth before setting the wax paper down, it keeps the wax paper in place. I get all this done first so I can keep a close eye on the next part!
Measure the cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter (or margarine) in a medium size cooking pot. I start the heat under the pot then add the margarine so it can start melting, then I add the rest of the ingredients. I do it this way so the margarine is all melted by the time the mix is boiling. Heat to a full rolling boil over medium heat. Bringing this mix to a boil slowly makes the cookies turn out better, I'm not sure how or why it does, but it does! When the mixture starts boiling, let it boil for no less than one and a half minutes and no more than two minutes. I let it boil for one minute and fourty-five seconds. I also stir the mix the whole time it is boiling. Boiling the mix longer leaves you with crumbly cookies and boiling for a shorter time leaves you with gooey cookies.
Pour the boiling mix over the oatmeal mix and stir thoroughly. This will take a few minutes to make sure the peanut butter gets mixed in thoroughly! Drop by spoonfuls onto the wax paper. What size spoon you use will depend on how large or small you want the cookies to be. I use a tablespoon and make mine on the larger size. Also, if you let the mix slide off the point of the spoon the cookies end up more of a circle shape. I let the mix slide off the side of the spoon and get an oblong shape.
After the cookies have set for five to ten minutes they are ready to eat. Before storing let them set for about an hour. They will have a shine to them after they are dropped onto the wax paper, which gets duller as they set. They can set out in the room air for a few hours but need to be stored in an airtight container or they will dry out.
You can get a little creative with these cookies by adding flaked coconut, walnuts, pecans, or raisins. Do not add until after you have mixed all the ingredients together and are getting ready to spoon the mix onto the waxed paper.
I make these cookies, and other cookies and foods, every year for christmas gifts. They are delicate cookies and will break apart, so they don't make very good cookies to mail. I like to find containers that are not holiday themed so the container can be used all year long.
I hope you enjoy these delicious cookies as much as my family and I do!
For those that might not know a full rolling boil is a boil when you stir the mix and the bubbles do not go away, it keeps bubbling.
