Classic no-bake cookies turned into no-bake cookie bars!
It is summer in Oklahoma, which means it is hot outside. The kind of heat where I dread turning on the oven because it heats up the house so much.
Every summer I try to come up with some easy, no bake, summertime desserts that I can make without using my oven. No one wants to use their oven when it is crazy hot outside.
No bake cookie bars are a recipe I came up with years ago based on my no bake cookies. It is the same basic recipe, I just tweaked it a little bit and turned it into bars.
My family thinks they are even better this way. I love them because making them into bars makes them even easier to make.
These no-bake cookie bars are also an inexpensive dessert to make. I also usually have all the ingredients on hand, so they are easy to make whenever I need a quick dessert.
If you want to make these peanut butter free, use my peanut butter free no bake cookies and just spread them into a pan like the directions below.
Need more no bake recipes? Try one of our favorites.
- Peanut Butter Free No Bake Cookies
- Coconut No Bake Cookie Bars
- No Bake Butterscotch Cookie Bars
- Coconut Chocolate No Bake Cookies
No Bake Cookie Bars
A classic no bake cookie recipe made into bars. No bake cookie bars takes the original recipe and makes it even easier.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick oats ( Use gluten free quick oats to make them gluten free)
- ⅔ cup peanut butter ( You can use sunbutter to make them pb free)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Bring first four ingredients to a boil and cook 1 minute.
- Add vanilla, oatmeal, and peanut butter and stir until combined. Then stir in chocolate chips.
- Spread into a 9x13 pan or for a thinner bar spread into a jelly roll type pan.
- Refrigerate until firm.
- Cut into squares.
Notes
For gluten free version use gluten free oats and read labels to make sure that your ingredients are gluten free.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 161mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 5g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
Originally published August 13, 2009. Updated June 13, 2019 and June 2023.
like this idea I make this type as drop cookies but love the bar thinking
Perfect! I was planning to take brownies to a potluck tonight but I DON’T want the oven on. I considered no-bakes…but these sound like a FUN and unique thing to try. Thanks for the great idea!
Just made these, so simple w/ ingredients already on hand! Taking them to church as we are having a baptism service at the lake. Thanks!
Making these again tonight for the soccer team. Last time I made them they LOVED them!! Thanks for the great recipe!
those look so tasty and now that we’ve moved into a rental home temporarily with no air conditioning, I think these are going to be made quite often this summer.
What a great idea! I need to give these a try!
We are total no-bakes addicts and I am SO trying this!
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! I have a no bake chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe, I would like to share: 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup of butter, 4 tbsp. Nestle Quick chocolate, 1/2 cup of milk, and 3 cups of minute oats – Boil sugar, chocolate, peanut butter and milk for one minute. Add butter and oats. Drop on cookie sheet covered with waxed paper to cool.
Enjoy
Fabulous idea to make them as bars!!!! Thanks!
Hi Lynn,
So i was checking your recipe list for french toast; love the peach make ahead recipe but i was sure i saw one for strawberry fr. toast somewhere sometime on your site or blog? Any recollection of an idea or recipe u have.
Love your site as always.
thanks, jocelyn
@jocelyn swaan, I have a blueberry one, but not a strawberry one. Sorry.
These sound great, making them today
Thanks for reposting this for those of us who are newer to your site. Its the day before shopping day, and snacks are all gone. This manages to use the staples I have on hand, I think I’m going to mix up some for the afternoon snack and make my boys quite happy. 🙂
@Tina, Thank you. I hope you enjoy them. I love how quick and easy they are and you are right they contain basic everyday ingredients.
these are my absolute favorite ever! when I was a kid, my school served these as cookies at lunchtime and I loved them!
I love this idea. I rarely am able to get the last few cookies out without them being crumbly. I can’t wait to try it (your no peanut butter version too).
What size pan do you use?
I use an 11×14 inch pan, but really any jelly roll or cookie sheet with sides type pan would work, the bars will just be a little thicker or thinner.
Making these with hazelnut spread since I didn’t have cocoa. I hope regular rolled oats are fine too. Why do you use quick instead? Is it for less crunch? These look like a yummy sub for fudge for my family. Spreading as I type.
I hope you enjoyed them! Hazelnut spread would be wonderful in these. My family likes that texture of quick oats in them, but either ones should work fine.
I just wanted you to know… We have really enjoyed this recipe–a couple of times! We have cub scouts tonight, pack meeting, and this is what my son wanted to take to share. 🙂 🙂 Thanks for posting!
Can i used semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe? I’m going to make these tomorrow for my son-in-law but I already have the semi sweet chips and I will use gluten free rolled oats.
Yes semi sweet should work fine. I hope you enjoy them!
Thanks, we will.
I’ve Ben making these over 30 years. I add different things to it. My recipe is a tad different . I add nutella marshmellows, coconut. Each time is different
I love adding coconut to these! I have not tried nutella and marshmallows but that sound really good! Thanks for the idea.
Yum! Do you grease the pan before pouring the mixture in? I am looking forward to making these for a work event next week.
I don’t usually because I haven’t had an issue with them coming out, but you definitely could if you want to be sure they come out of the pan fine.
Awesome – thanks!
I like reading your recipes, but I don’t make them because they have to much sugar for me. I have diabetes.
when i was in grade school Mrs Sandoval made these every Friday for school lunch. they were the most coveted item. can’t wait to try them been looking for a similar recipe for decades
I hope that you enjoy them! No bake cookies are so good!
Hi there, I am not trying to change anything about your recipe. love them ❤️ I just wanted to share a trick my granny used and it really changes up the oats in the no bake taste – I know that it’s supposed to be no bake but if there’s anyway you can toast your oats first in the oven – spread oats on baking sheet, 325 or 350 fahrenheit for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on how toasty you like them, stirring them a couple times. This is especially good if you do not like raw oat taste. This works good in many recipes. Thanks for all your recipes ☺️
Thank you for sharning that! I had never thought to do that. That would be a great way to change up the taste of no bake cookies a little bit. I love tips from grandmas!