No Bake Cookies

This year we had three incredible exchange students. They were here for less than a year, but they were so involved and easy to get along with that it felt like they have been a part of our school forever. Roxy (Poland) and Alona (Russia) became members of our track team this spring. It took quite a bit of convincing to keep them out. That first week, none of them could even make it completely around the track. By the end of the season, we had them running competitively in the 1600m and 800m. With smiles! I am so proud of those girls and am going to miss them now that they are back home. 

At one of our track meets, we had a series of unfortunate events that left us missing one leg of our 4x400 relay. Roxy was our last hope. It took a little bit, but somewhere in the convincing, the idea of no bake cookies came up. So I promised Roxy that I would make a batch if she would run the relay. 

There are a lot of ways you can make no bake cookies, but this is always what I think of when I hear the name. This version comes out of a 4-H cookbook that my home county printed in 2000. These always seem to be the best recipes, don't they?

Combine 1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup cocoa, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup peanut butter and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan. 

Cook and stir until the mixture melts together and starts to boil.

Boil hard for 1 minute. This is important! If you don't boil for at least one minute, the cookies won't set up and you will be left with soup. Not bad, but not a cookie, either.

Stir in 3 cups quick oats and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Stir this all together.

Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper.

I have tried several versions of this cookie, but this is by far my favorite. I think it's the peanut butter. I probably make these once a month and never seem to get tired of them.

Click here for Printable Recipe

No Bake Cookies
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Cocoa
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Milk
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Cups Quick Cooking Oats
Combine butter, cocoa, sugar, milk, peanut butter and salt. Cook until the mixture reaches a full boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Take off stove and add oats and vanilla. Stir together and then drop by spoonful on waxed paper. Cool.