Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Best No-Bake Cookie Recipe EVER

I've gotten a lot of requests for this: Amy's No-Bakes are the best: 


Melt one stick butter (1/2 cup) in a heavy saucepan. Then add 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons raw, unsweetened cocoa (I usually do heaping). Combine in saucepan over medium high heat. Here's the tricky part that has taken a lot of practice for me. When the mixture starts to boil in the middle of the pot but hasn't come to a full rolling boil, I set my timer for 3 minutes since I can't do seconds on my oven timer. Stir constantly and let it reach a full rolling boil. Remove from heat when the timer gets down to 30 seconds (2 min. 30 sec. boiling time total). Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup peanut butter (I usually just scoop out a huge spoonful's worth). Stir 'til combined then add 3 cups raw oatmeal. Quick cooking or old-fashioned both work just fine. Drop by spoonful onto foil or parchment paper and let cookies set.   The boiling time is the trickiest part. Too short and you will end up with goopy, tar-like cookies that you have to eat with a spoon. Too long and they will be hard, dry and crumbly. Don't be surprised if it takes a few batches to get the consistency just right. Once you get the hang of it, they really are very quick and easy to make and I almost always have the ingredients on hand. ~Amy Hunt