no bake cookies.

I have trouble calling these cookies "cookies". There are a couple other "cookies" that my family has always made for Christmas that don't require baking. But at least they don't try to pretend that they're cookies by having "cookie" in the title. They're called nutclusters and haystacks. I just feel like cookies should be baked!

But hey, these cookie impostors taste darn good and require zero to little effort. I'll let them slide- this time. 

These cookies are D's absolute favorite. I actually already had a recipe for no bake's that I got from my sister a while back, but I decided to get D's mom's recipe since he loves them so much. 

Last week my other sister sent me a picture of no bake cookies that she had just made. They made me really, really want to make them. And to be honest, I was never the biggest fan. I know, I know. Chocolate, butter, peanut butter, vanilla, sugar.....what's not to like? Well, I don't know. I guess I was crazy. 

Because since I made them last night, I can't stop thinking about them! You know those pieces of oatmeal that break off the cookie when you're putting them into the container? I snatched those up like I was the grinch stealing every last crumb from all those poor little Whos.

Make.Them.Now. You'll be happy you did. 

No Bake Cookies  

(D's Mom's Recipe)

1/4 lb (1 stick) margarine

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

3 cups rolled or old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, combine oats, salt, peanut butter, and vanilla. Set aside. 

Bring the margarine, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk in a pot to a boil. As soon as you see bubbles around the edges, boil for one minute. Pour over the oat mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. You can make them as big or as small as you want!