No-Bake Cookies…a.k.a. Haystacks

Sometimes I forget how much I love these chocolate haystacks. When I mentally flip through desserts I want to make, somehow I never think of these.

Maybe it’s because the first couple times I made them, they never set up. I had this delicious, totally liquid, gooey mess, but no actual cookies. I finally figured out that I wasn’t boiling the mixture for long enough, which meant it would never set up.

ANYHOO…

Gooey cookie mess is all in the past, and these chocolate no-bake cookies are glorious and delicious and chocolate-y and peanut buttery and awesome.

I made them last weekend because some friends had just bought a house and were moving, so I wanted to contribute to the “moving day lunch” but couldn’t actually help them move due to my bum hip.

It was gross and humid this weekend, so turning the oven on didn’t sound fun, and a few of the people were gluten-intolerant, so I needed something gluten-free.

After thumbing through and discarding a bunch of recipes, I all of the sudden thought of these. They were perfect for the occasion, and a great blast from the past as well.

In a large saucepan, combine the butter, milk, cocoa powder, and sugar on medium-high heat.

Make sure the butter is totally melted and then let the mixture come to a boil.

Let it boil for a little over one and a half minutes, but not longer than two minutes. Then remove from the heat immediately.

Add the peanut butter, oats, and vanilla, and stir everything together.

Mmmm!  The only thing keeping me from devouring this RIGHT NOW is that it’s boiling hot and will scald your taste buds into nothingness.

Before it starts to harden, lay out wax paper on your counters.  Dip out cookies onto the wax paper and let harden.

Once set up and cool, serve or store in an airtight container or ziploc. Or eat several yourself, just to make sure they’re good…

Other super easy desserts you’ll love:

• Almond Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
• Dark Chocolate Puppy Chow with Sea Salt
• Perfect Black Bean Brownies (gluten-free)
• Triple Dark Chocolate Cookies
• Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding

Chocolate No-Bake Cookies...a.k.a. Haystacks

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

These chocolate no-bake cookies are the easiest dessert to make for any party (especially when you don't want to turn your oven on!). They're simple, delicious, naturally gluten-free, and a total piece of nostalgia!

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Ingredients

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
• 2 cups of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 3 cups of quick oats (not old-fashioned)
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter (I like a little more)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• Wax paper (NOT the same as parchment paper)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter, cocoa powder, sugar, and milk in a large saucepan until the butter is melted.
2. Bring to a boil for between one and a half and two minutes (but not more than two minutes).
3. Remove from the heat, then add the peanut butter, oats, and vanilla, and stir everything.
4. Lay out wax paper on your counter and dip the cookie dough out onto the wax paper. The cookies will harden, generally within half an hour or so. Remove when set and cooled.

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