Oh I agree with you--I will bake choc chip cookies any day! My dh loves no bake too, and HE makes them. I guess I am not a good wife.... oh well LOL

Couldn't you try mixing peanut butter, cocoa powder, butter, sugar and whatever in the microwave until it's nice and soupy, and then just stirring in instant oats until they make slightly sticky cookies, then let them dry (and the oats absorb the moisture)?

I could swear that I made lazy no-bakes once. Little bite-size guys, that were kind of crumbly but since you could just pop the whole thing in your mouth it didn't matter. But I don't remember. I didn't write anything down. (go figure!)

I should try it again and report back to you. My kids would probably thank me for trying that instead of experimenting with weird tomato-free chili... who knows why I'm obsessed with that, since we all like the regular stuff just fine?

;o)

Okay, let's make those no-bakes and make sure they come out great! They happen to be my all-time favorite cookies. Over ten years ago I was at a good friend's home and her husband who is an awesome cook, showed me step by step how to make these.

2½ C Sugar
3 TBS Cocoa
3 TBS Butter or Margarine
½ C Milk

Bring these ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a medium heat and stir continuously for 70 seconds. Yes, count them 1, 2, 3...70! After this turn off the burner and immediately remove from the heat onto a trivet or other heat-safe place where you can stir in the following ingredients quickly!

3 C of quick oats (I have found that the kind you get in little packets to microwave turn out the best, but quick oats also do work. Do not use other oats, they will not cook quickly enough)

½ Cup of Peanut Butter (If you use all natural it will not turn out as well, in my opinion. Use Peter Pan, Jiff or Skippy)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine those ingredients quickly! Then, spoon onto wax paper or foil. Wait 20 minutes to set.

YUM!

I found my recipe and it doesn't call for baking the oats. But you do have to melt the butter etc. in a pot.

1 stick margarine (I used 1/2 cup plus some peanut oil I had, plus unsweetened chocolate instead of cocoa)

1/4 c cocoa powder (I used two squares unsweetened chocolate)

2 cups sugar

1/2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 c peanut butter (I used the unsweetened kind)

3 c oats (I used old-fashioned oats)

1 c raisins, optional (I used them)

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mix margarine, cocoa, sugar and milk in saucepan. Boil one minute. Add rest of ingredients, stir until mixed. Drop on Saran Wrap or waxed paper. Store covered in refrigerator.

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we made them about 10 minutes ago and they are cool... and rather goopy. I'm letting them sit out in the dry air till supper and then I'll see how they are... seems like last time, like you said, I had crumbly chocolate granola.

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and when I was making them and looking for my cocoa, I saw... a jar of Nutella! Yum! Wouldn't Nutella no-bakes (in place of the peanut butter and some of the sugar; omit the raisins) be yummy? Mmmm...

oops, robin beat me to the punch! and I'll see if she's right about the quick oats! ;o)

Huh. Raisins. Uh uh.

Kelly, your recipe is very similar to mine, only mine only calls for 1/2 c. pb, and 5 minutes of boiling.

using oil instead of a solid fat might change the finished consistency of yours.

I thought about using nutella, too, but remember when I made the nutella fudge and it wasn't that nutella-eey?

ANYway, I've got ~2/3 of the pan of crumbles left (um, yes, we still managed to eat 1/3 LOL) -- I think what I'm going to do is melt 1 stick buttah, cocoa, sugar, as if I was making them AGAIN, then add the 1/2 cup pb, then drop the 2/3 of the pan in.

I actually thought it was *because* I used quick oats instead of regular oats that it messed up, since I usually use regular oats, but just stir them in at the end. My guess is that maybe I just cooked them too long somehow. I had them on low, too low to boil, for awhile while I put little boys to bed.

WHOA is my comment longer than my original post?

I'll go play with them now and report back.

Kimmi, if it makes you feel any better, my 13yo daughter has made them about 3 times in the past 2 weeks. Very yummy. LOL

Try using chow mein noodles (instead of oats), we used those last time. I'm doing a great job maintaining my weight. *shake*

Nicole

Yup. "Easy as Pie" is the one that cracks me up. I can't make pie crust to save my life. Really. Yeah, I've tried the ice water trick and everything.

I can't make no bake cookies either, and they're my hubby's favorite too. Shandy shared her recipe with us, and my oldest girl makes them. She must sprinkle them with pixie dust or something, because they come out perfect every time.

Oh, you hit my no-bake nerve! LOL My grandma made the BEST cookies and I have her recipe...but no instructions. :-(

Definitely no PB in them, though. ;-)

I always double the batch that we make. They're gone in no time. And yes, boiling time is the key. Too long and they are crumbly, to little and they don't set up (or "dry" as my kids say.) I always pre measure everything and have waxed paper or foil laid out in advance. I'm not usually that organized but I've found out that it's a must for good no bakes. I've always wondered if they would turn out if I poured them in a pan instead of making individual cookies.

I cannot make no-bake cookies.

I have tried and tried.

I can, however, make no-bake pudding using the very same recipe.

I figure the latter talent redeems the lack of the former.