A soft, chewy peanut butter cookie made in 1-bowl with just 5-ingredients?
And you don’t even have to pull out your food processor; these babies come together entirely by hand.
Yes, really.
Dreams do come true, my peanut butter loving friends!
These quick and easy no-bake cookies were inspired by my love for snacking on dates dipped in peanut butter AND my love for cookie dough.
In fact, they’re not entirely unlike my beloved peanut butter balls, except the ingredient list has been significantly downsized to maximize that salted peanut butter flavor that I crave so often.
Since they’re no-bake, it’s essentially like eating a little disc of cookie dough for a snack, and I just can’t get enough!
To make these salty-sweet little treats, you’re going to first need some dates. Soft, sticky medjool dates, to be exact. I buy them in bulk on amazon (<– affiliate link), though if you don’t think you’ll make use of a 3-pound bag of dates in this lifetime, just be sure to get the ones sold in the produce department of your local grocery store, since those are typically the best. The more plump, sticky, and juicy, the better.
The dates get pitted and tossed into a microwave-safe bowl with some coconut oil, and they both take a quick trip into the microwave to melt the oil and soften the dates (don’t have a microwave? I’ve got you covered in the notes on the recipe, don’t worry!)
Then, all that’s left to do is grab a fork and mash until a thick, sticky paste is formed. To this caramel-sweet date paste you’re going to add the final three ingredients: peanut butter (creamy or chunky, your choice!), oats, and salt.
That’s it!
Somehow the combination of these 5 simple ingredients yields a salty peanut butter cookie dough that’s perfect for forming into snack-sized cookies and chilling to yield a grab-and-go cookie anytime the craving strikes.
If you’re as crazy about that salty-sweet peanut butter combo as I am, an additional pinch of flaky salt on top is welcome here, too, and ensures that every single bite of these no-bake cookies has a little crunch of salt.
I’ve been eating these cookies as an afternoon snack, though they’d be great for packing into lunchboxes, taking out on a hike, or even grabbing for a quick and easy breakfast on busy mornings. And, it goes without saying that they’re the perfect addition to any weeknight dessert spread. Maybe with a few extra special bars of chocolate for everyone to break off and enjoy with their salty peanut butter cookies?
Yes, let’s do that.
I hope you love these crazy-easy peanut butter cookies as I do. They’re so incredibly simple, and yet so satisfying. If you try them out, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram! And don’t forget to check out the video below, to see just how quick + easy these little snacks are!
Happy no-baking, friends!
5-Ingredient Salted Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup of medjool dates about 10 large dates*
- 2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 3/4 cup all-natural peanut butter creamy or crunchy both work- you choose!
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats**
- a few pinches of flaky salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Remove the pits from your dates and put them in a microwave-safe mixing bowl with the coconut oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until coconut oil is just barely melted and dates are warm.
- 2. Use a fork to mash the dates and coconut oil into a thick paste (some small lumps of dates are fine), then add all remaining ingredients and continue to mash/mix with a fork until fully combined. If needed, switch to a study wooden spoon or your hands to get everything. fully combined.
- 3. Portion dough into 8-10 cookies (approx. 2-Tablespoon each), flattening into discs with your hands. If desired, add a tiny pinch of flaky salt on top of each cookie.
- 4. Eat immediately for a soft, warm, cookie dough-like experience, or transfer to a container and chill for 30 minutes, or up to 7 days, for a cold, firm, baked cookie-like texture.
Notes
**Old-fashioned oats work too, but add a little more texture to these cookies. If that's all you have, you can either use them as is, or toss them into a blender or food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times to break them down a bit into a more 'quick oat' texture.
No microwave? The dates and coconut oil can be gently heated in a pot on the stove over low, just until the coconut oil is melted. Transfer them into a bowl and proceed with the directions as written.