Chocolate No Bake Cookies

This cookie is delicious, super easy and takes only a few minutes to make.  No Bake Cookies - as we call them are pretty much a staple around our house and in our family.  It's the "old stand-by" treat when you don't know what else to make.  I assumed this was the case everywhere.  I figured everyone knew about the great tasting chocolate oatmeal no bake cookies, but I was wrong. 

A few weeks ago my youngest son had one of his friends up for a sleepover and as a treat I had made No-Bakes.  Late in the evening I offered them to the boys as a snack with a glass of milk and to my surprise his friend had no idea what kind of cookie I was talking about.  He told me that he had not only never tasted a No-Bake Cookie but he had never even heard of them.  I was stunned.  So I decided right then and there that this was a recipe I needed to share with others.  I hope you like them as much as we do. 

Ingredients:

1 stick of vegetable oil spread (butter will make your cookies dry and crumbly)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (I use a heaping 1/2 cup)
3 cups of quick oats

I must point out that you need to follow the cooking instructions very carefully.  Your cookies will do one of 2 things if you do not (both of which I have done, more than once).  You will either end up with a cookie that is soft and doesn't hold it's shape - it will still taste great but you probably wouldn't want to take it to a get together or your cookies will look washed out and be very dry and crumbly.

Here is how I make mine, step by step. 

In a large thick pot (I use a pressure cooker pot) put your stick of vegetable oil spread, vanilla and milk.  Turn the heat on low and allow the butter to melt. 

While the vegetable oil spread is melting I measure out my sugar and cocoa in a bowl and using a fork I mix them together well.

Then I add the sugar mixture to the pot with the vegetable oil spread/milk mixture, stir and turn up the heat to high.

If you are not using a thick pot you will probably want to keep the heat turned down slightly because you don't want to scorch your ingredients.

While stirring bring the mixture to a boil.  Very Important:  When your mixture begins to boil to the point that you can't stir it down start your timer and cook while stirring for 2 minutes EXACTLY.

When the timer goes off remove from the heat and add in the peanut butter then the oats and stir until all is mixed well.

Next, I simply use a tablespoon to scoop out the cookie mixture and place it on aluminum foil or waxed paper and allow it to cool.  As they cool they will firm up into a delicious chocolate cookie.

Finally, my favorite part is getting to eat whats left in the pot and on the spoon while waiting on the others to be ready.  Yummy.

What about you, have you ever heard of these cookies before?  Do you like them?