by HL Borden

Created on: September 22, 2008   Last Updated: August 30, 2009

The air is sticky with the summer's heat. The kids come careening into the house, sweating and looking for a sweet treat. "Cookies! Cookies!" they chant in unison. Suffocating the kitchen with the heavy oven air is out of the question. The next best thing to a fresh-from-the-oven homemade chocolate chip cookie? A fresh-from-the-chiller no bake cookie. It's the perfect, refreshing way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding unnecessary heat to your already warm house on a hot summer's day.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

WHAT YOU WILL NEED (INGREDIENTS)

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

- 1/4 cup milk (can be substituted with water)

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy works best, but you can use crunchy)

- 1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Pinch of salt

WHAT YOU WILL NEED (UTENSILS)

- Stove top saucepan

- Wooden spoon

- Aluminum or wax paper.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

- Bring the butter, sugar, cocoa, and milk/water to a boil, then remove from heat.

- Add the peanut butter, oatmeal, vanilla, and salt to the hot chocolate mixture.

- Stir until everything is combined, but work quickly as the cookies start to set almost immediately.

- Drop the mixture by the teaspoonful onto aluminum or wax paper.

- Allow the cookies to set for about 30 minutes before transferring them to a plate or other container.

- For an added zip, serve chilled.

- Enjoy!

These cookies travel very well. My grandmother used to send them to my father overseas when he was in the Army. The way he tells the story, he was never very popular with his fellow troops until the package of Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal No Bakes would arrive in the mail. After a taste of this homemade goodness made the rounds, he was the most popular guy on base.

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