Do you ever have problems getting your chocolate no-bake cookies to set right? In the last year, my mom has had a really difficult time getting her usual recipe to harden correctly. Either they don't harden at all and are a sloppy mess, or they become too crunchy. She used to make them all of the time with consistent results, but something changed and she can't figure it out.
Knowing that her issue can stem from just about anything, from letting the mixture get too hot, to over-boiling, to humidity levels, and beyond, I have always been leery about making no-bake cookies myself. So, yeah, I have never made them except for one time before I even started this blog. And, no, they did not turn out well.
A while back, I bookmarked this Nutella no-bake recipe from Becky at The Vintage Mixer. Just from her brilliant photos and a quick skimming of the ingredients, I knew these would definitely turn out. I didn't have to melt chocolate chips, and I didn't have to wait for a boil. Rock on! Seemed pretty no-fail to me, and they turned out perfectly!
You do not have to make these as small as I made them, but I wanted to test them at this size so I could whip them up again and serve them at our Super Bowl party this Sunday. These two-bite sized cookies are perfect for parties. If you're going to make them and serve just to your family or at a dinner party, then larger ones are probably better. Because, let's be honest, two bites of Nutella and peanut butter goodness just isn't enough!
(Please don't ask how many of these I ate during and after the photo shoot.) 🙂
Nutella No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella or Jif)
- 2 cups rolled oats
Instructions
- Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the sugar, milk and cocoa powder until well incorporated. Continue to stir and heat on medium-low until sugar is dissolved, then add the peanut butter and chocolate-hazelnut spread. Heat and stir until melted and fully combined. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the oats.
- Use a small or large cookie scoop, depending on the size cookie you want, to drop dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. (After 20 minutes, you can use your hands to reshape the dough into more perfectly round shapes, if desired.) Store at room temperature in a resealable bag or air-tight container.
- Source: Adapted from The Vintage Mixer
