Easy No Bake Cookies

I freakin’ love these cookies. Truly. Madly. Deeply. …Yes, I’m channeling my inner Savage Garden… ANYWAY. These are my go to treat when I need a quick sweet fix (and, let’s be honest, that’s often). I know, I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but there is something wildly delicious about the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Combined with oats, it’s *basically* a power bar, right? Right? I’m here to tell you that these cookies aren’t really cookies, they’re a health food (just ignore the massive amount of sugar, okay?). The best thing about these cookies is that you probably have all of the ingredients tucked away in your pantry. Yay! So let’s get baking! Erm…not baking…these easy no bake cookies!

Mouth-watering Memories…

When I was a kid, there were two sweet treats I would beg my mom to make at any given moment during a busy week. It was always a toss up between no bake cookies and ooey-gooey chocolate fudge brownies made from scratch. It didn’t matter how busy or weary my mom was feeling when I would make my request. She would quietly finish whatever she was doing and head into the kitchen.

I feel like I need to tell you a little bit about my saint of a mother. Before “retiring” (I use that word loosely because there is nothing “retired” about this woman), my mom was an elementary math teacher. She was always working for the betterment of those around her – no matter the task. I remember that she would get up early everyday to make us a hot breakfast, pack us up and head to school, teach all day, head home to make dinner (sometimes for a slew of kids at our local youth group), and end her day thumbing through several piles stacked high with papers to grade.

Obviously, she juggled all of this while ensuring my sister and I were keeping to the straight and narrow (along with a few zig zags) — always encouraging us in anything we set out to accomplish. She had to have been bone tired. But if I asked her for a batch of her no bake cookies, she would take whatever morsel of energy she had left to whip them up.

All this to say, these home made goodies are a comfort for me. Now that I’m an adult (most days) I still gravitate towards these delicious morsels that take me back to my days as a kid with a mom who did (and still does) it all. I try to remember all of those moments when I’m feeling knackered from the daily grind. There is something about these cookies that makes any day just a little bit better.

Easy No Bake Cookies: You Will Need

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1/2 cup milk
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 Tsp. vanilla
Wax paper
Sauce pan

Let’s Whip ‘Em Up!

First, combine the sugar, margarine, cocoa, and milk into the sauce pan and stir over medium heat.
Next, bring to a boil and boil for one minute
Then, remove from heat
After removing from heat, add in the oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla and stir until well combined
Then, drop mix by spoonfuls on to wax paper
Now, allow to set
Finally, enjoy!

I’ve been fortunate to have a mom that gives it all every day – from homemade meals to a helping hand – I’ve learned a lot about how to be “me” from her example. When my little monsters come to me pleading for a homemade treat and I feel like I’m at the end of my rope for the day, I try to live in that moment to give them that time that is precious as heck and is gone too soon. While many days leave me feeling depleted as a mama of five, these moments fill my cup in a way that we all crave, I think.

So, take ten minutes to create something delicious and special. Eat by the spoonful from the mixing bowl. Enjoy the warmth of fresh, non-baked goodness and share the love. Oh, and always add a little extra peanut butter than the recipe suggests. You won’t be sorry. Peace, love, & light!