I am working on baking this month. Christmas for several of my family members is going to equal cookie plates. They have told me already how much they are looking forward to the cookies.

I am adding one cookie that does not require any baking. These chocolate cookies are always popular at potlucks and cookie exchanges! I always get comments: I love these! and These are my favorites! but people do not generally make these cookies for themselves. I am not sure why that is.

Using simple pantry ingredients, and a quick stove top boil, these cookies biggest effort is the waiting for them to cool. We usually end up with a burnt tongue or two since we are not patient enough to let them completely cool before digging in!

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

3 cups oats
½ cup cocoa
½ pound butter
½ cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla

Place sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add vanilla, peanut butter and stir until mixed. Add oats and mix to coat. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Allow to cool.

Approximate Nutritional Information: Servings Per Recipe:36, Amount Per Serving: Calories:139, Total Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 20mg, Total Carbs: 17g, Protein: 2g.

Make It A Meal: Serve with milk for an afternoon snack. These are cookies. They are not really intended to be a meal, no matter how hard you try.

Variations: replace the dark cocoa with milk chocolate for a lighter flavor. Leave out the cocoa and make peanut butter cookies.

I try to make this recipe several times a year. My family enjoys nibbling on the oatmeal cookies for breakfast when they are in a hurry to get out the door. I know the cookies are not as nutritious as a real breakfast, but have to admit they are better than nothing!

One tip I have learned, it is best to follow the recipe instruction to drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper to cool. I have tried to short cut by scraping all the cookie mixture into a 9×13 pan and cutting into squares later. The squares end up crumbly and a mess all over. The spoon drops seem to cool nicely and are able to be eaten neatly.

In fact, I have gotten so that I drop only about half a teaspoon at a time on the waxed paper. I have found the bite sized pieces are easier for folks to eat when they can pop an entire cookie in their mouth at one time. This will make a difference on the number of cookies you end up with, also. Smaller cookies yield a larger quantity. The good news about that, smaller cookies have fewer calories!

If you have a seasonal potluck or cookie exchange coming up, why not give these cookies a try? You will be the hit of the party, I promise. Or, at least your cookies will be.

Noel Lizotte is breaking free of corporate stress with convenience cooking! This recipe is similar to ones printed in her cookbook Apron Free Cooking which is available on the website www.apronfreecooking.com. 

Interested in one of the books pictured above? You can purchase on Amazon here.