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These are the best no bake oatmeal cookies made 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.
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
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 included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at 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.
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 classic protein 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
You can bake these cookies in the oven at 180C/350F for 10-12 minutes or until firm around the edges.
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 Oatmeal Cookies (3 Ingredients!)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats Can use quick oats
- 1 cup peanut butter * See notes
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips of choice optional
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
Nutrition
Originally published January 2016, updated April 2023, and republished April 2024
Best use of leftover peanut butter ever! I couldn’t stop snacking on it!
Haha, I love that Petra!
I really loved this simple recipe, you can add on things that are not on the recipe and it will still taste good. I was kinda craving a cookie, but I didn’t want to cook or bake, and when I found this I knew it was the one to do. (: It’s really nice that just mix everything together all at once and serve, I did adjust the recipe a bit for less because I would have found it too sweet. Great Recipe over all 😀
These are so lushoius
Can I use powdered peanut butter, after I add the water?
I haven’t tried personally, but several readers have successfully!
Delicious! Perfect 4:00 pm in the afternoon treat
I cant wait to try these. Made some with butter and WOW! next is this one!!
Love this simple recipe.
I tend not to keep syrup in the house, can I use a local honey instead of maple syrup?
Absolutely!
Made these last night and they are delicious! Super easy, super fast, and super tasty! Thank you for sharing this with us!
These are really good and filling!
Great recipe!
Thank you for sharing all of your great tasting creations.
This old dawg is having fun learning your new tricks.
Have another exciting, safe, successful year.
Cheers!
Wow I was surprised. They were good and best of all, filling. One was enough for me instead of three. I’ve been looking for a healthy after dinner treat and this is it. Keeps well in the fridge and quick and easy to make. Thanks!
I also added Cacao & I made mine into tiny balls! Cocoa Puffs!! 350° 10 mins on parchment paper.
These cookies are absolutely simple to make. They taste amazing without the guilt! Thank you for this recipe!!
Can I use Karo syrup instead of maple syrup
Yes!
I like crispy cookies. Is it possible to bake these? Don’t get me wrong … I’m still going to make the no bake version.