Five oven-free cookies, from classic chocolate oatmeal to Samoa copycats, with the catch for each.

No-bake cookies are the quickest cookies you can make. There is no oven, no creaming, and no chilling dough. Most batches go from pantry to tray in 15 minutes.

This guide picks five recipes from popular food blogs. Each one gets a short intro, the key amounts, and a “Watch out” line with the catch. We kept the numbers from the original recipes, so click through for the full steps.

Want more ideas? Browse our guides to no-bake peanut butter cookies, no-bake oatmeal bars, and easy no-bake desserts.

In this article

Quick Answer: What Are the Easiest No-Bake Cookies?

The easiest no-bake cookies cook on the stove for one minute and set on a tray. The chocolate oatmeal cookie boils butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa for 1 minute, then you stir in peanut butter and oats. The peanut butter kiss cookie uses corn syrup and brown sugar with crisp cereal.

Two cookies skip the stove. The avalanche cookies and the muddy buddy cookies melt coating or chocolate in the microwave and fold in cereal. The Samoa copycat needs a microwave, plus toasted coconut.

Most no-bake cookies depend on one timing step, so read the Watch out line under each recipe before you start. A boil that is too short or too long is the most common reason for a failed batch.

1. No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

This is the classic fudgy cookie that goes by many names. It uses pantry staples and sets in minutes.

The Sugar Apron recipe combines 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, and 4 tablespoons cocoa in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 3 to 3 1/2 cups quick oats. Drop spoonfuls onto parchment and let set 10 to 15 minutes.

Time: about 20 minutes total.

Watch out: the recipe card is partly obscured, so the yield of 32 may be inaccurate. One reader found 2 cups of sugar too sweet and used 1 cup. The page gives no storage advice. Readers had success with almond, coconut, oat, and cashew milk.

2. No-Bake Avalanche Cookies

Avalanche cookies are a crunchy, sweet candy-style cookie. Marshmallows and chocolate chips fold into a peanut butter coating over crisp rice cereal.

The Slow Roasted Italian recipe melts 16 ounces of vanilla almond bark in the microwave at 50% power, then stirs in 15 ounces of creamy peanut butter. Pour it over 2 cups Rice Krispies. When barely warm, fold in 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup frozen mini chocolate chips. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions and let them firm up.

Yield: 18 cookies.

Storage: refrigerate covered up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months with parchment between layers.

Watch out: use mini marshmallows and mini chips, since larger pieces can make the cookies fall apart. Freeze the chips first so they do not melt. Do not add so many extras that the coating cannot hold them.

3. No Bake Muddy Buddy Crack Cookies

These cookies taste like the party snack mix. A chocolate peanut butter coating covers crisp cereal, and a powdered sugar toss finishes them.

The Back for Seconds recipe melts 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter in the microwave. Fold in 5 cups Rice Krispies, drop heaping spoonfuls onto parchment, and chill until firm. Shake the cookies in a zip-top bag with 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

Yield: the recipe lists 36, but one reader got about 25 with a large scoop.

Storage: about a week in the fridge. The author says not to freeze them, since the texture changes.

Watch out: crunchy peanut butter may need extra to hold the cookies together. The author says Chex cereal can replace Rice Krispies. The prep time listed leaves out the chilling.

4. No Bake Samoa Cookies (Girl Scout Copycat)

These cookies copy a favorite Girl Scout treat: shortbread, caramel, toasted coconut, and a chocolate drizzle. No dough, only assembly.

The Domestic Rebel recipe starts with a package of fudge-striped shortbread cookies (about 20 to 24). Microwave an 11-ounce package of caramel bits with 3 tablespoons heavy cream, then fold in 2 cups toasted coconut. Spread on each cookie, drizzle with melted chocolate coating, and let set 15 to 20 minutes.

Time: about 30 minutes.

Watch out: the coconut is toasted in a 300°F oven, so the recipe is not fully oven-free. Work quickly, since the caramel stiffens. Overheating the caramel can make the topping dry. The page gives no nutrition information.

5. No Bake Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

These cookies look like a holiday classic. A peanut butter and cereal cookie holds a chocolate kiss in the center.

The Six Sisters’ Stuff recipe heats 1 cup corn syrup and 1 cup packed brown sugar until it reaches a full boil. Stir in 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then pour it over 4 cups Rice Krispies. Drop 1 1/2-inch balls onto parchment, press a chocolate kiss into each, and let them set. It makes about 26 cookies.

Storage: airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Watch out: the syrup must reach a full boil, or the cookies may not hold together. That was the most common problem in reviews. Too much cereal makes them dry, and overcooking makes them tough.

Conclusion

No-bake cookies are the fastest sweet you can make. Choose the chocolate oatmeal cookie for a classic, the avalanche cookie for a crunchy treat, or the Samoa copycat for a gift plate.

Mind the timing steps, and use parchment for easy release. Keep cookies cool and covered so they stay firm. For more ideas, read our guide to no-bake peanut butter cookies.

FAQ

Why won’t my no-bake cookies set?

The syrup usually did not boil long enough, or it boiled too long. The peanut butter kiss recipe says a full boil is needed, and the chocolate oatmeal recipe boils for 1 minute.

Can I use old-fashioned oats instead of quick oats?

One reader used old-fashioned oats in the chocolate oatmeal cookies and said they turned out well. The author calls for quick oats, so results may differ.

How long do no-bake cookies last?

It depends on the recipe. The avalanche cookies keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge, the muddy buddy cookies about a week, and the kiss cookies up to 4 days at room temperature.