Peanut butter oatmeal cookies are a simple homemade treat made with just six pantry ingredients. They’re soft and wonderfully chewy because you can feel the rolled oats as you bite into them, but the centre stays creamy with peanut butter. They’re thick, full of oat texture and gently sweetened with honey. No flour, eggs or white sugar are needed for the recipe we tested.
We wanted an easy cookie to make for our family using familiar ingredients instead of a long shopping list. Natural peanut butter, organic rolled oats and honey were already in the cupboard, so we put them together and baked a small batch. The result was so good that the cookies earned a place in our Canadian Budget Binder recipe collection.
Why We Love These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Six simple ingredients: peanut butter, rolled oats, honey, vanilla, baking soda and salt.
- Soft and chewy with creamy centres: the rolled oats give you plenty to chew, while the peanut butter keeps the middle rich and creamy.
- Rustic oatmeal texture: large-flake oats give these cookies plenty of bite.
- Small batch: this recipe makes 12 small cookies.
- No flour or eggs: the oats and peanut butter help hold the cookies together.
What Makes the Main Ingredients Worth Using?
Natural Peanut Butter
Natural peanut butter brings rich peanut flavour, plant-based protein and unsaturated fats. We used creamy Kirkland natural peanut butter without added sugar. Stir it thoroughly before measuring because the natural oils can separate. Peanut butter is calorie-dense, so these are still treats to enjoy in sensible portions.
Organic Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are a whole grain that contributes fibre and texture. We tested these cookies with One Degree Organic sprouted rolled oats from Costco. The visible flakes give the baked cookies their chunky, rustic appearance. We haven’t tested quick oats in this recipe yet. You can read more about the fibre and nutritional value of whole grains in Health Canada’s Food Guide: Eat Whole Grain Foods.
Honey
Honey gives the cookies their beautiful sweetness and helps bind the mixture together. We used raw honey from Snider Acres. Although honey is a familiar pantry sweetener, it is still an added sugar, so these cookies are not sugar-free. Honey can also make the cookie bottoms brown quickly, so keep a close eye on the oven.
Six-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Yield: 12 small cookies
Oven temperature: 350°F (175°C)
Active preparation: about 10 minutes
Dough rest: 10 minutes
Refrigeration: 20 minutes
Baking: 5–6 minutes in our test oven
Cooling: 15–20 minutes
Ingredients we used for our successful test: Kirkland Signature natural creamy peanut butter (no added sugar or salt), One Degree Organic gluten-free sprouted rolled oats from Costco Canada, and Snider Acres raw, unpasteurized honey. Other brands may behave a little differently, particularly natural peanut butter if the oil has separated.
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter, well stirred
- ¾ cup large-flake rolled oats
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Want to Make the Full Pinterest Recipe? Double the Batch
The original Pinterest pin shows a larger version of these same six ingredients. We made the small batch above to test the cookies first; it yielded 12 small cookies. To match the ingredient amounts pictured on that Pinterest pin, use the following double-batch measurements:
- 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1½ cups large-flake rolled oats
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Expected yield: approximately 24 small cookies, depending on how large you scoop them. Please note: we personally tested the 12-cookie batch, not the doubled batch. These are exactly double the tested ingredient quantities. Follow the same resting, chilling and shaping directions below; bake in batches as needed and begin checking around 5 minutes at 350°F, since the honey makes the bottoms brown quickly. Baking time can vary by oven, cookie size and baking sheet.
Step-by-Step Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Photo Guide
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the natural peanut butter, honey and vanilla until combined.
- Mix in the rolled oats, baking soda and salt until the oats are evenly coated and a sticky dough forms.
- Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so the oats begin to absorb moisture.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes to make it easier to portion and help the cookies hold their shape.
- Divide the mixture into 12 small portions on the prepared baking sheet. Shape into rounded mounds and gently flatten to approximately ½ inch thick. You can use a fork or a clean potato masher to make a crisscross or grid pattern.
- Bake on the middle rack. Begin checking at 5 minutes. Our small cookies were ready between 5 and 6 minutes at 350°F. Remove them when the edges look set and the bottoms begin to brown. Exact timing may vary significantly with oven temperature, cookie thickness and baking sheet; add time in short increments only if needed.
- Leave the cookies on the tray for 15–20 minutes to cool and firm up before transferring or breaking one open.
Tips for Thick, Soft Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Chill the dough. Don’t skip the 20-minute refrigeration step from our successful test.
- Keep the cookies thick. Press them gently rather than flattening them into thin discs.
- Watch the bottoms. Honey browns quickly. The bottoms of our cookies became quite dark without tasting burnt.
- Let them cool. The cookies firm as they sit, while the middles remain soft and creamy.
- Use the same oats for the closest result. Large-flake rolled oats gave us the texture shown in our photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are peanut butter oatmeal cookies crunchy?
They’re not crisp or crunchy. Our tested cookies were soft and noticeably chewy because of the rolled oats, with a creamy peanut butter centre and a sweet honey flavour. You can chew the oat flakes without the cookie being hard. The undersides browned more than the tops.
Can I use quick oats?
Possibly, but we have only tested large-flake rolled oats. Quick oats absorb moisture differently and may change the texture and shape.
Are these cookies gluten-free?
There is no wheat flour in the ingredient list. To make them suitable for a gluten-free diet, use certified gluten-free oats and verify that the other ingredients meet your needs. Avoid cross-contact during preparation.
Are these cookies high in protein?
Peanut butter and oats contribute some protein, but we do not describe these as high-protein cookies. These are naturally sweetened homemade treats, not protein supplements.
How should I store them?
Once completely cool, place the cookies in an airtight container. Because this is a new, soft cookie recipe, we recommend refrigerating leftovers for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months as a practical starting guideline; thaw before serving. These storage times are conservative recommendations and have not yet been tested on a stored batch.
More Peanut Butter Recipes From Canadian Budget Binder
If you enjoy these, try our Healthy Peanut Butter and Jam Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies for a different variation with a jam filling. For a no-bake option, see our Peanut Butter Protein Balls.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Nutrition (Estimated)
For the tested batch of 12 small cookies, the approximate nutrition per cookie is shown below. These values were calculated using the published Canadian nutrition information for Kirkland Signature natural peanut butter and One Degree sprouted rolled oats, plus standard values for honey and vanilla; they are not laboratory-tested.
| Nutrient | Per small cookie |
|---|---|
| Calories | 107 kcal |
| Protein | 3.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.7 g |
| Total sugars | 6.4 g |
| Fibre | 1.4 g |
| Total fat | 5.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
Whole tested batch: approximately 1,280 calories. Nutrition values vary with brands, how tightly ingredients are measured and cookie sizes. Honey contributes sugar, and these cookies contain peanuts.
Print the Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (6 Ingredients, Soft & Chewy)
Thick, soft and chewy flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies made with six ingredients and honey. This personally tested small batch makes 12 little cookies, with a creamy middle and lots of visible oats.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (Kirkland Signature used for testing)
- 3/4 cup One Degree Organic sprouted rolled oats
- 1/4 cup honey (Snider Acres raw honey used for testing)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir natural peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract together in a mixing bowl.
- Add rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Stir until all oats are coated and a thick, sticky dough forms.
- Rest the dough at room temperature for 10 minutes to let the oats begin absorbing moisture.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Scoop into 12 small portions on the lined tray and flatten each to about 1/2 inch thick with a fork or clean potato masher. Leave space between cookies.
- Bake on the middle rack at 350°F, checking the bottoms at 5 minutes. In our oven the small cookies were done in 5–6 minutes; use their appearance rather than a fixed time because ovens and cookie sizes vary.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15–20 minutes to firm up before moving or breaking them open.
Notes
Tested with 1/2 cup Kirkland Signature natural creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup One Degree Organic sprouted rolled oats, and 1/4 cup Snider Acres raw unpasteurized honey. Stir natural peanut butter well before measuring. Honey browns the bottoms quickly: begin checking at 5 minutes, and remember ovens and cookie thickness vary. Rest dough 10 minutes and chill 20 minutes before baking. For the full-size Pinterest batch, double all ingredient quantities to make approximately 24 small cookies; the doubled batch has not been separately tested. Contains peanuts. Oats must be labelled gluten-free if avoiding gluten. Nutritional information is approximate and depends on brands and portion sizes.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1 small cookieAmount Per Serving Calories 107Total Fat 5.1gSaturated Fat 0.7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4.4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 55mgCarbohydrates 12.7gNet Carbohydrates 11.3gFiber 1.4gSugar 6.4gProtein 3.5g
Enjoy! — Mrs. CBB