Black Cocoa No Bake Cookies are delicious, really tasty, and a wholesome black cocoa cookie that are made with old school oatmeal, black unsweetened cocoa, milk, vanilla, and creamy peanut butter. Make in 15 minutes and it’s a no-bake dessert, no oven needed!
A simple no-bake cookie that will be devoured within 15 minutes! These black chocolate no-bake cookies are my absolute favorite!
If you are looking for an easy black cookie recipe, then you will want to try this one. These oatmeal cookies are an excellent alternative to the regular baked cookies!
It’s such an irresistible recipe that everyone wants it. This no bake cookie is also an amazing cookie recipe that’s rich, chocolatey, and packed with peanut butter flavor.
This tasty treat will be the hit of any party and is perfect for Halloween time!! My black cocoa no-bake cookies are my first black cocoa recipe but keep on the lookout for many more to come.
This no bake cookie recipe is adapted from my Aunt Bonnies famous recipe. It takes just one pot and about 15 minutes to make. This is an amazing dessert that everybody loves!
My No Bake Cookie is an ideal dessert for a busy day or potluck gathering. This chocolate and peanut butter flavored cookie is absolutely delicious!
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Griddle Cooking with Chef Sherry Ronning
Different Cocoa Powders
Regular Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened – You will find this cocoa powder at all grocery stores in the baking aisle. It has a light brown powder color to it. Also known as unsweetened baking cocoa or natural cocoa has the most chocolatey flavor of all the cocoa powders. It has an intense flavor with fruity tendencies and an acidic – pH around 5.
Dark Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened – This cocoa powder has a unique taste and can be found readily at the grocery store in the baking aisle. Known as Dutched or Dutch-process cocoa powder, it has a darker brown powder color than the regular cocoa powder. You can make Dark Chocolate No Bake Cookies using this dark cocoa powder. It has a pH between 7 and 8.
Black Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened – This black colored cocoa powder has a mild flavor and is commonly used for making chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreo’s. A cocoa powder that is highly processed into a very fine powder and dark black color. This black cocoa powder is very hard to find in grocery stores, so the best place is to purchase this product online. Click here to get Black Cocoa Powder.
To learn more about cocoa powders, check out “Everything you need to know about cocoa powder.”
Do not use Hot Cocoa Powder mix!! Hot cocoa powder mix has several ingredients in it such as milk powder, sweeteners as well as natural cocoa powder. This is used for making hot cocoa and is not for baking with.
Ingredients to Make No-Bake Cookies
- Granulated Sugar – not powdered sugar, white granulated sugar is used.
- Black Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – substitute regular cocoa powder if desired.
- Margarine – It is not recommended to use butter in this recipe
- Milk – Almond Milk can be substituted
- Peanut Butter – Do not skimp on cheap peanut butter! Use creamy peanut butter and not crunchy peanut butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Quick Cooking Oats – Old fashioned rolled oats can be substituted.
Oats for No Bake Cookies Recipe
Picking the right oats for your cookie recipe is important. My first oats choice is using quick oats or also known as quick cooking oats.
I have used old fashioned rolled oats or rolled oats in this chocolate cookies recipe, but it will change the texture of the cookie. When making this recipe, it is recommended to use quick oats.
Can You Change Up Ingredients?
You might feel inspired to experiment and add a spin to the ingredients. It is not recommended to change up the ingredients in this Black Cocoa cookie recipe.
This helps the cookie get the right texture. No need to add flaky sea salt, chocolate chips, or coconut oil.
Make sure to follow this recipe using the step-by-step instructions to help produce the best cookies ever!! This dessert cuisine is a classic American dessert that is loved by many!
How to Make Black Cocoa No Bake Cookies
Gather all the ingredients to make your Black Cocoa No Bake Cookies. Set up your cookie scooping station by getting a large piece of foil onto a large flat surface such as a countertop.
You can also use waxed paper or parchment paper if desired. Place a hot pad and two spoons or a #40 portion scooper onto one side of the foil.
In a 4-quart large saucepan, add the margarine, sugar, black cocoa powder, and milk. Turn the burner on medium heat.
Stir all the ingredients together as the margarine melts in the pan. Continue stirring and bring the black cocoa cookie mixture to a rolling boil.
Adjust the burner temperature if needed to make sure it does not boil over. When it reaches a rolling boil (the whole pot of liquid is boiling as you are stirring it), set a timer for 2 minutes.
Keep stirring as the liquid is boiling. Take care when cooking this food as not to burn yourself with the very hot sweet mixture as it is boiling.
If needed, turn down the burner so that the chocolate mixture is still at a low rolling boil and is not splashing all over the place. Make sure to work quickly with each of the following steps.
How to Mix No Bake Cookies
After boiling for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and add the peanut butter to the chocolate mixture. Stir to help the peanut butter melt and combine with the hot cookie liquid.
Once combined, add the oatmeal to the chocolate mixture. Combine all together, add the vanilla and stir to incorporate.
Move the saucepan to your cookie scooping station. For best results use a cookie scoop. Quickly scoop each cookie using the spoons or the #40 portion scooper onto the sheet of foil, parchment paper, or wax paper.
Each cookie should be about two inches and you should get about 24 cookies. You will want to work very quickly before the black cocoa no bake cookie mixture starts to set up. After all the cookies are portioned out, let them set on the sheet of foil until they are completely set.
How to Store No Bake Cookies
Store black cocoa cookies in an airtight container for up to 6 days. As each day passes, the cookies will become dryer and dryer in texture. These black cookies are best eaten within a day or two. Eat in moderation.
Black Cocoa No Bake Cookie Tips
- Before starting your cookie recipe, fill a clear glass with cold water and add a few ice cubes to the water. Right before the two-minute boiling time is up remove all the ice from the glass. When the chocolate mixture has boiled in the saucepan for two minutes, carefully drop a small amount chocolate mixture into a clear glass of very cold water to see if the liquid will form a “soft ball”. If it does not, continue boiling and retest until tiny soft balls form in the very cold water.
- This no bake cookie recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. but extend the boiling time as well. For instance, if making a double batch, boil the chocolate mixture for 4 minutes and if you triple the recipe, boil the mixture for 6 minutes. I like to test the boiling liquid in the cold water to see if it has reached the “soft ball” stage of cooking. Otherwise, you may end up with no bake cookies that will not set up properly.
Other Cookie Recipes to Try!
This No Bake Cookie will definitely delight all of your sweet tooth friends! I have several bake desserts cookie recipes that you should try!
Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Dipped Butter Cookies
Black Cocoa Cookies – FAQ
Yes, you can use dark cocoa powder in this no bake cookie recipe! You can use all three different unsweetened cocoa powders successfully in the cookie recipe.
No, you cannot use hot cocoa mix when making no bake cookies. Hot cocoa mix has milk powders and added sweeteners in the mix that you do not want in your cookie recipe.
Make sure that you boil the no bake cookie mixture for as close to two minutes as possible to help create a shiny texture. Overcooking the liquid mixture will result in a dull cookie texture.
No, you do not need to refrigerate these no bake cookies. Refrigerating no bake cookies will result in condensation on the cookies.
No bake cookies do not solidify unless the sugar, cocoa, margarine, and milk have been bought to a rolling boil and cooked for a couple of minutes. Some like them soft, while some don’t.
Be patient after you have cooked the cookies and combined all the ingredients. Sometimes, just letting the cookies cool down for a couple of minutes in the pan before scooping them will fix your runny cookie problem. It’s possible to add more oatmeal to runny no bake cookies to keep them from getting worse, but I do not recommend this. Be patient!!
Black Cocoa No Bake Cookie Recipe
Get the full recipe card and nutrition calories as well as nutrition information below!
No Bake Cookies with Black Cocoa
Black Cocoa No Bake Cookies are delicious, really tasty, and a wholesome black cocoa cookie that are made with old school oatmeal, black unsweetened cocoa, milk, vanilla, and creamy peanut butter.
Ingredients
- Margarine 1/2 cup
- Sugar, Granulated 2 cups
- Black Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened 1/4 cup
- Milk 1/2 cup
- Peanut Butter, Creamy 1/2 cup
- Oatmeal, Quick Oats 2 1/2 cups
- Vanilla 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients to make your no bake cookies. Set up your cookie scooping station by placing a large piece of aluminum foil onto a large flat surface such as a countertop. You can also use wax paper or parchment paper. Place a hot pad and two spoons or a portion #40 scooper onto one side of the foil.
- In a large 6-quart saucepan, add the margarine, granulated sugar, black unsweetened cocoa powder, and milk. Turn the stove burner on medium heat. Stir all the cookie recipe ingredients together as the margarine melts in the pan. Continue stirring and bring the black cocoa no bake cookie mixture to a rolling boil. Adjust the burner temperature if needed to make sure the chocolate mixture does not boil over. When it reaches a rolling boil (the liquid is boiling as you are stirring it), set a timer for 2 minutes. Keep stirring as the chocolate mixture is boiling. Take care when cooking these cookies as not to burn yourself with the very hot sweet mixture as it is boiling. If needed, turn down the burner so that the mixture is still at a low rolling boil and is not splashing all over the place.
- Make sure to work quickly with each of the following recipe steps. After boiling for 2 minutes, remove from the burner and add the creamy peanut butter to the chocolate mixture. Stir to help the peanut butter combine with the hot cookie liquid. Once combined, add the quick oats to the chocolate mixture. Combine all together, add the vanilla and just stir to incorporate. Do not over mix.
- Move the hot pan to your cookie scooping station. For best results use a #40 cookie scoop. Quickly scoop each no bake cookie using the spoons or the portion scooper onto the sheet of foil, parchment paper, or waxed paper. Each no bake cookie should be about two inches and you should get about 24 cookies. You will want to work very quickly before the black cocoa cookies mixture starts to set up. After all the black cocoa no bake cookies are portioned out, let them set on the sheet of foil until they are completely set.
Notes
Black Cocoa - No Bake Cookie Tips
- Before starting your no bake cookie recipe, fill a clear glass with cold water and add a several ice cubes to the water. Right before the two-minute boiling time is up, remove all the ice cubes from the glass. When the chocolate cookie mixture has boiled in the saucepan for two minutes, carefully drop a small amount chocolate mixture into a clear glass of very cold water to see if the liquid will form a “soft ball”. If the chocolate mixture is stringy and not a ball shape, continue boiling and retest until tiny soft balls form in the very cold water.
- This black cocoa no bake cookie recipe can be doubled, tripled, and so on, but extend the boiling time as well. For instance, if making a double batch of cookies, boil the chocolate mixture for 4 minutes and if you triple the recipe, boil the mixture for 6 minutes. I like to test the hot boiling liquid in the cold water to see if it has reached the “softball” stage of cooking. Otherwise, you may end up with black cocoa no bake cookies that will not set up properly.
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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 148Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 0mgSodium 32mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 17gProtein 2g
Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.
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These black cocoa cookies are so intriguing! I love that I didn’t have to bake them and they tasted amazing.
Thanks for the ice cube tip – it worked a treat! I loved using black cocoa and these no bake cookies are now one of my family’s favorite cookies!
I’ve never had theses until today. I love the peanut butter and the great flavor these cookies create. happy that they are so easy make!
These were something very new to me, but I am a convert! I love the bitterness of unsweetened cocoa, and the sugar here evened the whole recipe out perfectly! Loved that I didn’t have to bake them as well!
So great to have a cookie that we can make when the temperature is s high!!! The kids just loved them! And they can make them themselves 🙂
These are great for a kids potluck event also. I always go home with an empty plate!!
These cookies were so delicious, and I loved that there was no baking required. It was nice to try such an interesting recipe- a good change from the usual ingredients!
These were so fun to make and absolutely satisfied our chocolate cravings. Will make again! 🙂
These are great for cookie cravings!
We loved these no bake cookies. They are so easy to make and tastes so so good. Love the addition of peanut butter.
You had me at no-bake hehe but really, I had never tried black cocoa and it was kind of fun to make something new! these cookies turned out great and now I have another chocolate option!
These were delicious. The peanut butter is my favorite part! Will definitely make again.
Black cocoa powder is such an amazing product! My family loves these No-Bake cookies with Black cocoa.
This is exactly what we needed since it has been so hot! They are tasty and look cool too.
I love that I didn’t have to heat up the kitchen to get amazing cookies! What a great recipe, and the chocolate flavor was amazing!