3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

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byArman Liew

published on Apr 10, 2024

92comments

5from 1134 votes

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These are the bestno bake oatmeal cookiesmade with just three ingredients! No butter, no milk, and no sugar needed, this healthy dessert take less than FIVE minutes to make.

Love no bake cookie recipes? Try my unicorn cookies and chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies.

3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (2)

As someone with a raging sweet tooth, I often make no-bake desserts.

They require minimal preparation and usually few ingredients. While I have a handful of favorites on rotation, nothing beats my famous 3 ingredient no bake oatmeal cookies.

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make no bake oatmeal cookies
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. More no bake desserts to try
  8. No Bake Oatmeal Cookies (3 Ingredients!) (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • Wholesome ingredients. Traditional no bake cookies typically contain butter, sugar, and milk, but not these… they taste just as good!
  • 3 Ingredients only. All you need are oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup.
  • Easy to customize. These cookies act like a blank canvas, so you can fold through your favorite mix-ins, like chocolate chips, coconut flakes, raisins, and more.
  • Perfect texture. Thick, chewy, and stable at room temperature. They are naturally sweetened and satisfy the sweet tooth!

Ingredients needed

  • Rolled oats. Also called old-fashioned oats, they provide the chewy texture we love in a good oatmeal cookie! You can use quick oats if you like, but it will have a softer texture.
  • Peanut butter. Smooth and drippy peanut butter works best, as it is the easiest to mix into the dough. Try to avoid peanut butter with added sugar or ones with a crunchy texture.
  • Maple syrup. A refined sugar free sweetener that not only adds sweetness but helps bind the cookies together. You can also use agave nectar or honey.

How to make no bake oatmeal cookies

I’ve includedstep-by-step photosbelow to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to therecipe cardat the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Make the batter. Start by adding your oats into a large mixing bowl. Add the peanut butter and syrup and mix well until combined. Fold through your mix-ins of choice using a rubber spatula.

Step 2- Shape. Next, lightly wet your hands. Form small balls of the cookie mixture and place them on a lined plate. Press down to form a cookie shape and refrigerate them for 20 minutes to firm up.

3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (3)

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Use quick cooking oats. Most no bake oatmeal cookie recipes call for these oats as they are softer and smoother in texture.
  • Boil the mixture. Sometimes peanut butter can be a little firm, so I like to combine that and the maple syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the oats, mix, and shape into drop cookies.
  • Add mix-ins. Like any good no bake cookie, be creative by adding in nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, coconut flakes, or even candy buttons.

Dietary swaps and substitutions

This recipe is very forgiving and easy to adapt to fit most diets out there. Here are some suggestions:

  • Keep it vegan. While the original recipe is naturally vegan, if you opt to use honey as the sweetener, some consider that not to be vegan-friendly.
  • Keep it gluten-free. I used certified gluten-free oats. If you use other brands or makes of it, this is often not the case.
  • Swap out the peanut butter. If you have a peanut allergy or don’t like the taste of peanut butter, you can use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini.
  • Add protein. Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to make these cookies even more satisfying (just like in classicprotein cookies).

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to two weeks.

To freeze: Either wrap cookies individually in parchment paper and place them in a ziplock bag, or place them all together in one ziplock bag (no parchment paper needed). They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.

3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (4)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my no-bake cookies turn out gooey?

If your no-bake cookies are gooey, it means your oats are too fine in texture and/or you added too much maple syrup. To rectify this, simply add more oats to the mixture.

Why do my no bake oatmeal cookies not harden up?

You need to refrigerate your cookies for at least 30 minutes to allow them to firm up properly. Enjoying them straight from the bowl will yield softer cookies.

Can I bake these cookies?

You can bake these cookies in the oven at 180C/350F for 10-12 minutes or until firm around the edges.

Can I substitute margarine or butter for the nut butter?

No, these cookies need a nut or seed butter to bind everything together. Using butter or margarine will yield a greasy cookie that will fall apart. It also isn’t the healthiest option.

More no bake desserts to try

  • No bake brownie bites
  • No bake brownies
  • Cookie dough bites
  • Cookie dough bars
  • Vegan edible cookie dough

3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (5)

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies (3 Ingredients!)

5 from 1134 votes

These are the bestno bake oatmeal cookiesmade with just three ingredients! No butter, no milk, and no sugar needed, this healthy dessert take less than FIVE minutes to make.Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen.

Servings: 12 cookies

Prep: 1 minute min

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 6 minutes mins

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Video

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Line a large plate with parpchment paper and set aside.

  • In a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients and mix well, until combined. Fold through your mix-ins of choice.

  • Using your hands, form into 12 small balls and place on the lined plate. Press each ball into a cookie shape.

  • Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, before enjoying.

Notes

* Can substitute this for smooth almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or tahini.

TO STORE: Leftover no bake cookies should be stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to two weeks.

TO FREEZE: Either wrap cookies individually in parchment paper and place in a ziplock bag, or place them all together in one ziplock bag (no parchment paper needed). They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSodium: 100mgPotassium: 190mgFiber: 3gCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 14g

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Arman Liew

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally published January 2016, updated April 2023, and republished April 2024

3-Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Cookies - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

FAQs

Why are my no bake oatmeal cookies dry? ›

Boiling too long will cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly. However, if you don't boil long enough the cookies will not set and will be runny. Some folks say bring the mixture to a rolling boil and then count to 60, while others swear by counting to 90.

Why did my oatmeal cookies turn out hard? ›

If your oatmeal cookies turn out too hard or dry, here are a few possible reasons: Overbaking: Overbaking is a common culprit for dry cookies. Make sure you follow the recommended baking time and temperature in your recipe. Typically, oatmeal cookies should bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-12 minutes.

What is the purpose of baking soda in oatmeal cookies? ›

BAKING SODA: When baking soda is combined with an acid, like the cocoa powder, baking powder, and brown sugar in this recipe, it produces carbon dioxide, which helps the cookie dough rise and eventually spread. It also helps the cookies caramelize, raising the pH level in the dough for peak browning.

Why can't you use instant oats for oatmeal cookies? ›

Old fashioned oats provide a chewy, nutty texture and flavor to oatmeal cookies. They are thicker and heartier than quick oats (instant oats). I don't recommend using quick oats because the cookies won't have as much texture and you want a nice and chewy oatmeal cookie that is hearty with lots of texture going on.

What to do when no-bake cookies won't harden? ›

Why Didn't My No-Bake Cookies Set? Likely, you didn't boil the mixture long enough. You want the butter, milk, sugar, and cocoa mixture to boil for 2-3 full minutes and reach between 190°F-200°F. If you don't boil them for long enough, they will turn out gooey and will not set.

How do you moisten oatmeal cookie dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What happens if you use baking powder instead of baking soda in cookies? ›

Baking powder: Baking powder can be used to replace baking soda, though not at a 1-to-1 ratio. Because the former is not as strong as the latter, it's important to use three times the amount of baking powder as baking soda. Be aware, a slightly bitter, off-putting taste might result from using that much baking powder.

What is a substitute for baking soda in oatmeal cookies? ›

To replace baking soda in baked goods like cookies and muffins, add three times the amount of baking powder to produce the same leavening effect. However, be aware that larger amounts of baking powder may leave your baked goods tasting saltier, so you may need to adjust your recipe's salt content.

What does brown sugar do in cookies? ›

Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more. With less moisture escaping via steam, they also stay moist and chewy.

What is in cowboy cookies? ›

They really are fantastic. Basically, for Laura Bush's Famous Cowboy Cookes you take traditional chocolate chip cookie dough and stuff it with oats, coconut, pecans and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Resulting in these oh-so-chewy, flavorful and delicious cookies!

Can I use Quaker oats instead of rolled oats? ›

A: Absolutely! As I said, the benefits really don't differ between the three types of oats. Also, we know that there are health benefits to eating breakfast, especially when it comes to diet quality and weight management.

What does oatmeal cookies do to your body? ›

Oatmeal raisin cookies contain whole grain oats with complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. These carbohydrates provide long-lasting energy keeping you full for long periods of time. This slow-burning type of energy in oatmeal raisin cookies prevents spikes in blood sugar which is important for diabetics.

How do you keep oatmeal cookies from drying out? ›

Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out. We recommend white bread so that no flavor is transferred to the cookies.

Why do my oatmeal cookies taste dry? ›

Why are my oatmeal raisin cookies so dry? Using quick oats will result in a dry oatmeal raisin cookie or measuring the ingredients incorrectly. Make sure you are using proper measuring techniques. It's also important to bake these cookies immediately after mixing.

Why did my cookies turn out so dry? ›

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

How do you add moisture to dry cookies? ›

Another way to soften cookies is by placing the cookies in an airtight container with a damp paper towel. The paper towel will release moisture and help to soften the cookies without making them too soft or mushy. Another way is to place the cookies in a plastic bag with a slice of apple or a damp tea towel.

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