Ah, no-bake cookies! The perfect go-to weeknight craving-crusher. The dessert appropriate for any season. The one treat I can make and say to myself, "Hey, they're healthy because they have oatmeal and peanut butter in them." I've made this recipe since college, and I eat them for breakfast- without shame- until they are gone.
Photo: Amazon
So last week, one of my students handed me The Nightingale with the assurance that it was "the best book ever." She didn't lie. It was incredible in so many ways. Once I crawled inside the pages, I didn't come up for air for days. I was in a book stupor. I thought about the book constantly, wondering what would happen next in the 400+ pages. I couldn't sleep, but when I did I dreamed of the characters and their dramatic lives. Seriously! Finally, after 3 days of this madness I was an emotional trainwreck and knew I had to get back to reality. With only 50 pages to go I looked up the ending on CliffsNotes to have some closure (gasp! I know...), gave the book back to the student with my heartfelt thanks and instructions to (jokingly) NEVER recommend a book to me again, and came home in a fog.
I know you think I'm a crazy person. You're probably right. But this usually happens to me once or twice a year. I think my last time was with The Girl on the Train. Has anyone else experienced this? And now I just keep thinking I need to read the ending for myself. Sigh.
Anyway... determined to reconnect with my real life, I decided to make a huge batch of no-bakes with Reed. Toddlers and chocolate. It was the only logical solution.
Yep, that's right. #ReedCooks is back! Y'all ready for this?!
I know you think I'm a crazy person. You're probably right. But this usually happens to me once or twice a year. I think my last time was with The Girl on the Train. Has anyone else experienced this? And now I just keep thinking I need to read the ending for myself. Sigh.
Anyway... determined to reconnect with my real life, I decided to make a huge batch of no-bakes with Reed. Toddlers and chocolate. It was the only logical solution.
Yep, that's right. #ReedCooks is back! Y'all ready for this?!
Reed was pumped to be back in the kitchen! This recipe is perfect for weeknight book-induced baking frenzies. 5 minutes of prep, 10 minutes of cooking, a little cleanup, and you'll have fudgy chocolate cookies just in time for a bubble bath before bed. No books allowed.
Start out by melting a stick of margarine on medium-low heat. (The "eat healthy" part of my brain ignores this step.)
As the butter melts, add in two cups of granulated sugar and a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
(Also ignored. It gets easier the more you do it.)
(Also ignored. It gets easier the more you do it.)
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Add 1/2 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter. See, I told ya it was healthy!
Crank the heat up to medium high and stir often until all the ingredients melt together and eventually come to a boil. It smells so good!
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"Get... out... of that peanut butter jar!!!"
I love how he thinks he's getting away with something. Mr. Rebellious, right there.
I love how he thinks he's getting away with something. Mr. Rebellious, right there.
Stir constantly and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and pour the chocolate mixture into the oats. Stir it together quickly. Lay out some wax paper on the countertop or in a tupperware container. Spoon the mixture onto the wax paper, moving quickly. They will firm up fast!
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I like to put my cookies in the refrigerator so they get cold quickly, which means I get to eat them quickly. Other, more practical folks like to let them sit on the counter to dry and firm up at room temperature. Keep in mind that these no-bakes are quite gooey, so I think eating them cold makes for an extra-fudgy treat.
And that's all there is to it! So easy and so delicious!
Now that the cares of The Nightingale are past, I have moved on to Wonder by R. J. Polacio. It is a delight! Please feel free to leave any book rec's in the the comments along with thoughts on the recipe!
Now that the cares of The Nightingale are past, I have moved on to Wonder by R. J. Polacio. It is a delight! Please feel free to leave any book rec's in the the comments along with thoughts on the recipe!
Gooey Chocolate No-bake Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 stick margarine
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
Instructions:
1. Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. As it melts, add cocoa, milk, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter, stirring well.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the oatmeal into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour immediately into the bowl of oatmeal. Mix well.
4. Drop the dough by spoonfuls on wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating.
Ingredients:
- 1 stick margarine
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
Instructions:
1. Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. As it melts, add cocoa, milk, sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter, stirring well.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the oatmeal into a large bowl and set aside.
3. Allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour immediately into the bowl of oatmeal. Mix well.
4. Drop the dough by spoonfuls on wax paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating.
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