No bake cookies are those that don’t need the oven but they usually require heat from the stove or the microwave for melting. Most no bake treats have much of the same basic ingredients including those to help bond the cookies together as they cool such as oats (or oatmeal), peanut butter, marshmallows, coconut and chocolate.
Here’s one version of a simple no bake recipe which has several variations to try throughout the holidays.
The Basic Chocolate Oatmeal
Yields: 40 servings
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 stick of butter
- In medium saucepan combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk.
- Stir over medium heat until sugars are dissolved and all ingredients are well blended.
- Add vanilla and heat to boiling. Remove from heat.
- Stir in oats and add peanut butter to mixture.
- Drop on to wax paper by teaspoon for drop style cookies or by tablespoon and shape (to look more like cookies).
- Cool to room temperature (about 45 minutes)
For a different twist on these oatmeal cookies, nix the peanut butter and add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or raisins (your classic oatmeal raisin cookies) or both. Try experimenting with your favorite taste to add to the basic oatmeal cookies. Ideas for other additions are pecans, coconuts and craisins.
In addition, the basic recipe (no peanut butter) can also be made by exchanging the cocoa powder for chocolate instant pudding. To update this version to your personal tastes, try different flavors of instant pudding and adjusting the amount of sugar and oats (for less sweet or more bonded cookies).
Holiday Inspired Cookies
For more festive no bake cookies, try the cornflake wreath cookies. Rice Crispies is an acceptable substitute for cornflakes. Here’s a favorite recipe also found on Christmas-Cookies , a good reference site for holiday cookies of all sorts. If you like this cookie, go to the recipe site and give it a review.
Cornflake Wreath Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp green food color
- 4 cups corn flakes
- sprinkles
- Melt butter and add marshmallows over medium heat, stirring until all marshmallows are melted.
- Add extracts and food coloring; stir until it is a uniform green color.
- When mixture is smooth, add corn flakes; mix well but gently so as not to crush the cornflakes.
- Form into wreath shapes on sheets of waxed paper, decorate with holiday inspired sprinkles (or other edible baking decorations).
- Let cool.
Another easy recipe to try is for Brown Sugar Drop Cookies.
Craft idea Christmas Wreath Pins
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