When Life Gives You Quick Cooking Oats Make No-Bake Cookies

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. –John Wooden

The other day I mentioned that, must to my distaste, I'd mistakenly bought a box of quick cooking oats and didn't know what I was going to do with it because I certainly wasn't going to eat the oatmeal for breakfast. I got lots and lots of replies suggesting I make cookies. I also got several recipes. I haven't had a chance to make any of these yet, but plan to {because YUM!} and wanted to share the recipes with you and to thank you all for your comments!

This first recipe is from a very wonderful friend, Jenna.

Oatmeal Clusters
¼ cup butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup milk
1 pinch of salt
1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup peanut butter
3 to 3½ cups quick cooking oats

• In a 4-quart pot, melt butter then add sugar, milk, salt and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute exactly. Remove from heat.
• Add vanilla and peanut butter and blend well. Then add oats.
• Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper or cookie sheet to cool.

Notes:
• Cocoa can be omitted to make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Clusters
• For dairy free, use Butter Substitute instead of butter and substitute almond milk for the milk.

Jenna also sent this next recipe, which is a favorite in her husband's family. Freda sent me a link to her Mrs. McKenzie's Chocolate No-Bake Cookies, which her family has been using for the last 50 years. The ingredients are identical in both recipes, although the quantities and directions vary slightly. I'm sharing Jenna's recipe here, but check out Freda's for a slightly chocolatier version.

Oatmeal No-Bakes
½ cup butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup condensed milk
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoons vanilla
3 to 3½ cups quick cooking oats
Chopped walnuts

• In a 4-quart pot, melt butter then add sugar, milk, salt and cocoa powder. Bring to a boil; boil for 1 minute exactly. Remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla and then add oats.
• Drop by spoonfuls on wax paper or cookie sheet to cool.

Notes:
• Butter Substitute can be used instead of butter for dairy-free cookies.
• For a dairy-free substitute for the condensed milk, simmer 1¼ cups soy, rice or almond milk in a pan until it is reduced by 60% to ½ cup. Be careful not to scald it. {For sweetened condensed milk, stir in ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, and stir in over low heat until it is completely dissolved.} It will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
• Another alternative for evaporated milk is to substitute coconut milk 1:1 in the recipe. This will impart a coconut flavor to the recipe.

This final recipe is from my friend, Sparkle Girl, who is as vivacious in real life as her screen name suggests.

Energy Balls
1 cup oatmeal
½ cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup ground flaxseed
⅓ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

• Mix ingredients together in a large bowl. Roll into bite size balls. Refrigerate to set.

Thank you Jenna, Freda and Sparkle for the recipes! And now, if you'll excuse me I suddenly have a craving for something chocolatey.