Single Serve No Bake Cookie

Need a sweet treat but don’t want a ton of cookies hanging around your house tempting you to eat the entire batch? This single serve no bake cookie recipe makes one perfect dessert in less than two minutes. And all you need is a bowl, spoon, and your microwave. And if you want more than just one cookie, I promise that you can double the recipe and make two…your secret is safe with me!

Chocolate peanut butter no bake cookies were the first cookie I ever learned to make as a kid…even if they are technically a candy, not a cookie 🙂 My neighbor and I would often make them on Sunday afternoons together and to this day, they are still one of my favorite cookies. Simple ingredients and completely addictive!

I have passed along that love of no bake cookies to my children and have taught all six of them how to make a full recipe of the classic no bake oatmeal cookies. They love them as much as I do.

The problem is now that I only have two kiddos left at home, we rarely need 40 cookies anymore so I came up with this ultra small batch version of my original recipe that can be done in 2 minutes or less….and completely in the microwave so ditch the large saucepan, candy thermometer, and prepared baking sheets lined with wax paper or parchment paper.

All you need for this recipe is a small bowl and a spoon 🙂

No Bake Cookies Recipe FAQs

Can I make more than one cookie at a time?

Absolutely my friend! If you look at the recipe card below, you can scale the recipe up to 3x the original amount right here on this page. If you want more than that, I suggest making multiple small batches since the cook times will be too far off. If you do increase the number of cookies you want to make, you will need to add a bit more time to the second microwave cook time. Try an extra 10 -15 seconds and look for just a handful of bubbles on top to know it is done. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

Can I use quick oats?

While I use old-fashioned oats in the video and the photography, feel free to exchange those out for quick cooking oats instead. The only difference between each of those oats is that quick oats are cut up smaller before being packaged so the taste will be the same. Only the finished texture will be a bit different. The cookie will be a bit smoother with quick oats.

Are these gluten free?

If you use certified gluten-free oats in this recipe, then yes they are! All oats are naturally gluten free but it depends on how and where they are processed for them to be certified gluten-free so be sure you use those if that is a health concern for you.

My cookie turned out crumbly. What did I do wrong?

Simply, you cooked the sugar mixture too long in the microwave. Since microwaves come with differing power levels, your high could be very different than mine. It’s going to take a trial run or two to figure out what time length works best for your microwave.

A good visual is that after the second cook time in the microwave, you want just a few bubbles on top of your sugar mixture. Not a rolling boil….or your cookies will be dry and crumbly. Try cutting 10 seconds off your time and see if that helps. If not, reduce your power level to 80% before both times in the microwave.

My cookie didn’t set. What did I do wrong?

Similar to the question above, it comes down to getting the sugar liquid mixture hot enough so it becomes a candy. It sounds like yours needs an extra 10-15 seconds in the microwave next time to get your mixture hotter than just a medium heat.

Also, once it is finished, be sure your single serve no bake cookie comes to room temperature so the candy can set. It will be soft until it sets. You can stick the finished cookie in the fridge to speed this up a bit.

Recipe Variations

If you have been here at MKE long enough, you know I always encourage my readers to try variations of recipes to make it personalized for them. Here are some suggestions for this simple cookie:

• Try using crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy peanut butter for a bit more texture.
• Substitute almond butter for the peanut butter
• Add a few mini chocolate chips when mixing in the oats
• Use coconut oil instead of butter
• Use almond milk instead of whole milk
• Substitute a bit of the oats for shredded coconut
• Add a dash of maple syrup to the sugar mixture
• Use brown sugar instead of white

Taking a tried and tested recipe and putting your own spin on them is how you create your own delicious recipes so don’t be afraid to experiment!

Single Serve No Bake Cookie VIDEO

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Single Serve No Bake Cookie

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Ready in two minutes and the perfect size to satisfy that craving!

• Total Time: 2 minutes
• Yield: 1 cookies 1x

Ingredients

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1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon milk

1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salted butter

1 teaspoon smooth peanut butter

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

2 rounded tablespoons oats

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Instructions

1. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the sugar, milk, cocoa, and butter on high for 30 seconds. Stir well and microwave on high another 10-15 seconds.
2. Add the peanut butter and vanilla then stir while the mixture is still hot.
3. Add the oats and stir to coat. Scoop it into one cookie and place it on a plate to cool. You can put it in the fridge to speed up the cooling process.

• Author: Carole Jones
• Prep Time: 1 minute
• Cook Time: 1 minute
• Category: Cookies
• Method: No Bake
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 158
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 32 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 10 mg