Chocolate and Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

Bringing you another recipe this Monday morning! This past Friday I developed a no-bake recipe that was to die for. I felt like baking Friday afternoon after work, but didn't feel like turning on the oven, babysitting what's in it, waiting for whatever I baked to cool... so I cheated and took the easy way out. Except it's not really cheating, because this recipe is completely from scratch and turned out perfect!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies

These cookies are perfect to make ahead of time and if you're also short on time! You probably have the main ingredients right now sitting in your pantry. The steps are simple, and the hardest part is waiting for the cookies to firm up in the fridge before devouring them.

Usually, cookies that are no-bake and contain chocolate and peanut butter are called "cow-piles" because of how they look (dark, not pretty, and, essentially... like a cow pile). Not these. For me, making whatever I cook or bake look good is just as important as making sure it tastes good! It's true when they say "you eat with your eyes first." I know I do. If something looks good, I'll go for it.

If it looks like a "cow-pile"... I'll probably stay away. But a simple dusting of powdered sugar and some white chocolate chips turned these cookies into everything except what they're normally called!

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER NO BAKE COOKIES
Yields: 30-40 cookies, depending on size

INGREDIENTS:
- 1.5 cup of quick oats
- 1.5 cups of crushed graham crackers
- 1/2 a stick of butter
- 1.5 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup of almond milk
- 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
2/3 cup of peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1.5 cups of chocolate chips

OPTIONAL FOR DECORATING THE COOKIES:
- powdered sugar (sprinkled over)
- white chocolate chips to top each cookie

TO MAKE:
1. Place the oats and crushed graham crackers in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. In a big saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, almond milk, and cocoa powder together. Whisk until the butter is melted.
3. Bring everything to a boil. Allow the mixture to boil for one minute without whisking. Keep your eye on the mixture the entire time.
4. After one minute, turn off the heat and remove the saucepan. Add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk just until the peanut butter is completed melted into the mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into the bowl filled with the oats and graham crackers. Using a rubber spatula, mix everything well together, making sure all of the oats and graham crackers are coated with the chocolate-peanut butter mixture.
6. Allow the whole mixture to sit for 10 minutes. This allows for the oats and crackers to "drink up" the moistness from the mixture.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips, half a cup at a time. Let stand for another 5 minutes.

8. In the meantime, line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop 1 tablespoon of the cookie mixture onto your baking sheet. I like to flatten the tops out and form each cookie into a nice, pretty, and round circle using clean hands.

9. Once your baking sheet is filled, refrigerate the cookies for at least 45 minutes.

10. Right before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar over each cookie and add a chocolate chip in the center of each one, slightly pushing down to ensure the chocolate chip stays put. 

11. Allow cookies to sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!