No Bake Cookies {aka Preacher Cookies or Cow Pies}

My mom used to make these every Christmas, usually for pot lucks and holiday parties because they are soooo easy and everyone loves them.

But, as an adult I had to wonder, why Christmas??? I mean, don't get me wrong, share a plate of these cookies with me anytime during the holiday season and I will love you forever.

But, the time I really want to make a no bake cookie is in July when it's hot as !@*# and I absolutely do NOT want to turn on the oven.

OR, when you find yourself living on a 37 foot sailboat. 🙄

True story friends: My husband and I traveled to Michigan this summer (2025) to learn how to sail. We took classes with the intention of maybe, possibly purchasing a sailboat in the next 3-5 years. Two weeks later, we had not only purchased a sailboat, we were moving ourselves onboard so we could live on the boat for the rest of the summer.

I wrote about it in my Substack newsletter if you'd like to hear more of that story, but the main point is that I suddenly found myself in a hot, cramped boat cabin with no oven and you know what I thought about?

My mom's no bake cookies.

I know my mom didn't invent these cookies, and I was curious about their origin. Legend has it that chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies originated in the south because busy, overworked housewives needed something they could produce lickity split when they were presented with unexpected visitors, such as the local preacher. As such, they are often called Preacher Cookies.

(I'm guessing in many cases there was a keep-their-mouths-stuffed-with-chocolate strategy to this plan, but who knows?)

These cookies are also sometimes called Haystack Cookies (which is very confusing because there's another kind of no bake cookie called haystack cookies that includes chow mein noodles and butterscotch chips) or, get this: Cow Pie or Cow Patty Cookies.

I find this both disgusting and hilarious in equal measure.

Call them whatever you wish, just call them delicious because that's exactly what they are. Here's what you'll need and how to make them...

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

• Unsalted butter: I added the extra step of browning the butter to this recipe which is not at all traditional. But, browning butter only takes a few minutes and adds a layer of toasty, nutty complexity to their flavor, so I feel it's 100% worth it. It's best to use unsalted butter to make brown butter, but you can also skip this step and use either salted or unsalted butter.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar: These cookies were originally made with white sugar but I like to add some brown sugar in there as well. Like brown butter, brown sugar has more flavor than white sugar and gives these cookies a little something extra.
• Whole milk: The key to the fudgiest no bake cookies is to push the limits on how much milk they can hold without falling apart. After testing different ratios, I settled on 5 ounces (½ cup + 2 tablespoons), which will give you maximum fudge and cookies that hold their shape.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use dutch process or natural cocoa interchangeably in this recipe.
• Salt: Always and forever. Cookies need salt. Everything needs salt.
• Quick-cooking oats or old-fashioned whole oats: Old fashioned oats will give your cookies a bit more texture and chew than quick cooking, but I like them both equally, so use whichever you wish.
• Chunky peanut butter: Yes, you can use creamy peanut butter if you like but the little bits of chopped peanuts in these cookies are a real bonus.
• Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla is similar to salt in that it brings out the flavor of other ingredients. In this recipe, I've added an entire tablespoon which really brings out the flavor of the chocolate.

Additions and substitutions

Unlike with most baked cookies, this is one of those recipes you can really play around with. Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. Use only granulated or only brown sugar. Feel free to opt for the more traditional all white sugar or go all in on the brown sugar. The key is to measure correctly. White sugar can be scooped into a measuring cup (or use a scale and measure by weight) but brown sugar should be packed into the measuring cup.
2. Make them vegan and dairy free. These are one of the easiest cookies to make vegan and dairy free. Simply use vegan butter and non-dairy milk. I think oat milk works best, but almond milk and coconut milk are also good choices.
3. Use a different kind of nut butter. Swap the peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, or hazelnut butter. Most of these will be creamy in consistency, so if you want to replace the chopped peanuts in chunky peanut butter, finely chop a couple tablespoons of nuts and toss those in as well.
4. Make them nut free. If you're baking for someone with nut allergies, swap out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter!
5. Fancy them up with a drizzle of melted creamy peanut butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt!

Step-by-step photos and instructions

Cut the butter into chunks and put it in a light-colored saucepan. (Dark pans make it difficult to tell when the butter is browned.)

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and begins to boil.

As you stir, pay attention to the color of the butter underneath the foam. When it's done, the butter beneath the foam will be golden brown with dark brown specks on the bottom of the pan and will smell nutty.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add both sugars, the milk milk, cocoa powder, and salt. Set the pan back over medium heat and, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, stirring, for about 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. 

Let the mixture cool in the pan for 5 minutes then use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the mixture into little mounds on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper.

Use a spatula or a spoon to shape the mounds into balls and let sit until cooled to room temperature.

Once cool, use your hands to shape the cookies, packing them into tight balls. Place on a parchment covered plate or tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

How to store no bake cookies

No bake cookies do not have to be stored in the refrigerator, but I think their flavor and texture is better if you do. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

No bake cookies will also keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container.

Small batch no bake cookies

This is the kind of recipe that's just as easy to make as a small batch as it is for a crowd. To make a smaller batch, simply cut the recipe in half to make 8 cookies instead of 16. Here are the amounts:

• 4 tablespoons butter - brown
• ¾ cup sugar (just granulated sugar, just brown sugar, or a mix of both)
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats or old-fashioned whole oats 
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

No bake cookies for a crowd

If you want to make a lot of no bake cookies for a crowd, simply double or triple the recipe. Be sure to use a large enough pot to hold the extra cookie dough! I don't suggest making a larger batch than 3 times the recipe because it can be difficult to shape the cookies before the mixture cools.

Here are the ingredient amounts for a double or a triple batch, respectively:

Important tips

This is a very forgiving recipe, but most problems stem from either under boiling the sugar, butter, and chocolate, or over boiling it.

• Under boiling may result in cookies that don't stick together well
• Over boiling may result in dry, crumbly cookies

Neither issue is a catastrophe. If your cookies aren't holding together well, allow the mixture to cool completely, then see if you can use your hands to press the mixture together. If they still aren't sticking together well, try breaking them into smaller pieces and making bite-size cookies.

You can also reheat the mixture and add additional oats. This should help encourage the mixture to thicken and hold together.

If your cookies are dry and crumbly, it's likely that you've over cooked the mixture. In this case, I suggest repurposing the mixture into a delicious yogurt or ice cream topping. Just because your cookies are dry and crumbly, doesn't mean they won't be delicious. It just means you might want to adjust the way you serve them.

More no bake recipes

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.

Happy baking!