Linda, I tried to make your no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal all that stuff cookies and they didn't work.  WAAAA! What did I do wrong?  The "cookies" (you can't really call mine that) are gooey, chewey, like a raw dough would be. 

In addition to your recipe for these, coincidently, I saw several similar versions.  One said to let it boil for one minute.  So I did that.  I stirred constantly and after the sugar butter mixture started to boil, I timed exactly one minute, continuing to stir.  I had all the remaining ingredients pre-measured out, so I was able to add them swiftly after removing the pot from the stove. 

So what texture are these cookies supposed to have? Do you know what I did wrong? Other than the one minute boiling, I did everything else exactly as you specified.

 

 

Sonia,

I am so sorry they didn't turn out for you.  I am wandering if they really did though.  When you do to drop them onto wax paper they are a gooey mess.  They have to sit for an hour or so until they start to get firm.  Once I can remove them from the wax paper I put them in the fridge. 

 

My recipe is slightly different.  I add 1/2 cup of cocoa, 1/2 stick of butter and no coconut.  That is the only difference.  They look the same as Linda's.  This recipe they harden quickly. 

I am a teacher now, but at one time I worked in a lunchroom in the public schools. We made these cookies quite often. I don't have the recipe right with me, but I think Linda's recipe is the same. Are you sure you used quick cooking oats. If you used the old fashoned oats I don't think they take the liquid as quickly as the quick cooking kind. Also, there is a difference in bringing the mixture to a boil and bringing it to a "rolling boil" (that is where you get those big bubbles) and it would take longer to bring it to a rolling boil. I don't remember what our recipe called for. Linda, is yours a "rolling boil" or just a gentle boil? Since we live in Florida, humidity playes a role in the success of certain things we cook and candy is one of them (these "cookies" are more like candy in that respect) We would make these cookies in big stock pots and everyone from all over the school (principal, secretary, teachers etc.) would follow the smell to the kitchen. It smelled like we were making fudge. Kids loved these cookies. Even if they were gooey, they had to taste good. What can taste bad about chocolate and peanutbutter ? Don't give up on the recipe, it will be a family favorite and it is easy.
Bonnie

Bonnie,

My grade school and high school made them also.  They have been my favorite for that long.  I would always find some kid that didn't like them and I would trade for theirs.

My recipe does not say rolling boil.  I just bring it to a boil and then remove it from the heat.  I have never had a problem with them.

Linda,

It has been a long time since I made them, I have been teaching for 20 years. so I can't remember if we let them come to a rolling boil or not. We made the cookies in big 5 gallon stock pots. We made enough to feed 400 children. It could be the oatmeal. I think if she used old fashoned oats instead of quick cooking that might make the difference. It is funny how certain cooking smells bring back old memories. The smell of those cookies always make me think of the lunchroom. That was a hard job. Those ladies work very hard!!!

Bonnie, thanks for trying to help. I did use the quick cooking oats.  The second day after spending the night in the fridge, the "cookies" became candy.  I had never had these things, so maybe they were OK on day 2; I didn't know what to expect.  I thought they would be like cookies, but they aren't.  They are candy.  I guess that's what they are supposed to be.

Yes, they are more like candy than cookies. Hay, anything covered in chocolate has to be good no matter what you call it It sounds like they turned out ok after all, it was just that you were expecting something different. Humidity will make a difference though, (just like it will with candy.) Hope you enjoyed them.
Bonnie