Chocolate No Bakes… my most often made cookie recipe

You’ll have to be satisfied with a recipe today. I never made it into my sewing room, but think this post will be just as sweet as some of my doll dresses… for as long as I’ve been married; almost 36 years, I’ve been making these cookies. Wonder how many dozens of them I have made over the years? I can’t even begin to imagine. My hubby’s student workers, got at least one batch of them a week, for 18 years! That’s a lot of cookies!

I made them this year for Easter, except I added Jelly Beans to the middle of them, making them look like little birds nests.

Kathie, one of my readers, asked if I’d share the recipe. Yes, Kathie, so here we go!

It might be the most common cookie recipe out there and I’ve seen it called Mini Cow Pies, Fudgy No Bakes, Fudge cookies, and probably other names. I’ll give you the recipe and then give you a few tips for when you make them.

1 stick butter
2 cups sugar (You could probably use less if they are too sweet for you)
3 TBSP cocoa
1/2 cup evaporated milk (if you don’t have evaporated milk, you can just use regular milk)
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup peanut butter (they don’t set up right if you use an all natural peanut butter, it has to be a regular peanut butter, like Jif, or Skippy, or even Great Value)
1 tsp vanilla

They are made completely in a sauce pan and only take about 10 minutes to put together.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, add sugar, cocoa and the milk. (just use a medium heat) Stir it every few minutes.

It will melt and when it does bring it to a boil for 1 minute, stirring it every 15 seconds or so.

Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until it’s all melted.

Pour the oatmeal into the pan along with the vanilla. Stir until it’s well mixed.

Spread a piece of wax paper on your counter and drop spoonfuls of the cookie mix in rows. I like to use a medium size cookie scoop so my cookies are somewhat the same size… not that it really matters…

They start to harden fairly quickly and will get flat on the bottom side like this…You can put them in the frig if you need them to hurry up!!!

Let the cookies set until cool… YEAH…right…not at my house!

Kristoffer was the cookie thief and he got CAUGHT!

I told you there were popular at my house! :o) (Actually, some of them were put in a baggie for Kristoffer to take home!)

I hope you’ll give them a try.

See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne

19 thoughts on “Chocolate No Bakes… my most often made cookie recipe”

  1. Oh Jeanne, those cookies are SO good, and I know firsthand! I only learned of them by accident a year ago, since my granddaughter’s Girl Scout troop was selling Christmas cookies to raise money for a trip. So I bought a couple of plates of cookies, and these were by far the best of the bunch! I asked for the “chocolate coconut” cookie recipe and was stunned to find they had NO coconut! Now, the recipe Maggie gave me is a teensy bit different than yours. Instead of 3 TBS of cocoa, it says 1/2cup of cocoa. Maybe that is the same? Math is not my strong point!! And I used Reese’s Peanut Butter, which you did not mention, but just thought I would add that! I’m sure the result is identical: DELICIOUS!

    1. Oh, forgot to mention that when I received the recipe from Maggie, the name of them was “Mom’s No-Bake Cookies”! Another name for them, I guess, and I just now saw that Becky called them “Mississippi Mud Cookies”, which rings a bell for me, since I live close to the Mississippi River, and can attest to the fact that it IS muddy!

      1. Hi again Linda,
        Most of the time at our house, we just call them No Bakes…
        Oh I’m hungry for about 2 of them…and it’s not even 10:00!
        blessings, Jeanne

    2. Hi Linda,
      They do look like they have coconut in them, don’t they?
      I’ll have to try the Reeses peanut butter next time I make them.
      On George’s 40th birthday, George’s niece made him one big cookie and called it a cow pattie. She put it on that a shredded Easter grass in a box. He was the herder foreman for all of SIU’s cattle, so it was quite fitting!!
      Glad you like them too.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. What a wonderful cooking tutorial! Your photos are great. These cookies were one of my Mom’s favorites and then my daughter starting making them when she is was college. I’ve never made them! Maybe now I will try. Thanks!
    Hope you have a good day!
    Take care.

    1. Oh Charlotte,
      You’ll have to give them a try…I’ve put them in the freezer before and they do freeze well. They are so addicting…for one person, a freezer or the frig works for the extras. Extras at our house is pretty uncommon though. :o)
      Rhsnks,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Your cookies look very edible, Jeanne and certainly festive with the colorful jelly beans. They go quickly at our house too.

    Another name I’ve heard for them is Mississippi Mud.

    Blessings on your day.

    1. Hi Becky,
      I’ve never heard them called Mississippi Mud…but they look like it. Oh, that reminds me of the Mississippi Mud cake…OH YUM!
      THanks Becky
      Blessings, Jeanne

  4. Oh no! Now I’ll be craving those cookies all day. I’m having trouble with my shoulder and it’s difficult for me to do menial things, but maybe I can get my niece to make some for me. They are one of my favorites. My all time favorite cookie is the Gingersnap. I have an old recipe and it is the best. My niece makes those for me at Christmas.
    I hear there may be some bad weather headed through Illinois. Hope it passes through quickly.

    1. Hi Paula.
      Well, that makes 2 of us craving these yummies!
      I hope you can get some made for you soon!
      Someone was just telling me the other day, that Gingersnaps were their favorites…I might have to get your recipe sometime….now if I could just remember who I was talking to…

      I did see we are getting some bad weather, but I think it’s coming later…maybe it will split and go around us!
      Thanks Paula,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. Looks like a great recipe. I’ll file it. I’m not much of a baker, but I made a box of Trader Joe’s Truffle Brownie mix the other day, and the result was fabulous. (Has chocolate chips too.) Very easy and no mess.
    I like Gingersnaps too, Paula.
    Hope the day goes well. We’re having sprinkles, so I won’t have to water. πŸ™‚

    1. Hi Joy,
      My hubby brought the chicken books and articles you sent him, to the Cancer place today. He’s reading and enjoying them. Thanks again.
      We don’t have a Trader Joes store near us, but if we did, I’d go buy a box of those brownies and give them a try.
      Thanks Joy,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. I’m like Becky — I like the jelly bean addition. They looked so pretty and festive in the box. Nothing is handier than a fast cookie recipe. I’m glad they freeze.

    1. Hi Marilyn,
      Putting the jelly beans on them was a first for me, but I’m wondering what else you could add to the middle of them? A half pecan, a mini bites Reeses cup, m & m’s, I guess just about any candy topping.
      I’m all about fast recipes too!
      Thanks,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  7. I somehow missed commenting yesterday on your wonderful day together. You are both so loving and thoughtful of each other. Thanks for sharing such a happy day with us. I hope you and Linda can get together someday for a Happy Chat and she can be a proxy for all of us who wish we could be there. Now I’ve found I posted this on yesterday instead of today, so I’m repeating it.

    The cookies sound great. Great finds at the fabric stores, especially the tiny prints. Aren’t the silks beautiful. Some of the pieces look like drapery and upholstery samples. It’s like M&L Fabrics here in Orange County. The pictures of antique stores always have something that bring back memories and take some close inspection. Another great post; thanks again.

    1. Hi Susette,
      We know what makes each other happy so he gives in to my hobbies and I give in to his hobbies. It works well that way.
      I think the majority of the fabrics wold definitely be designated as home decorator fabrics, but the silk dupioni was certainly a great find!
      I’m glad you enjoyed the post…yesterday and today!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  8. My mom and I used to make these cookies all the time. I love them! There is only 2 differences. We didn’t use peanut butter, her recipe called for coconut instead.

    1. Hi Christine,
      Like I said there are probably a zillion different variations of this recipe. It must have been around for a really long time.
      Thanks Christine,
      Blessings, Jeanne

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