Chocolate No Bake Cookies – Mama Guest Blogs!
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Hello, from Christy’s Mama. I thought I would give Christy a chance to enjoy her time left in New York by doing a guest post. I hope that you enjoy my post as much as I enjoyed eating the results! School is finally out again and that means trying to come up with snacks for the children. I know that most of you can use a quick, very easy and relatively cheap cookie recipe. All my kids loved these cookies growing up and it is still counted among their favorites. It was a go to recipe mainly because it was so quick, with little clean up and I usually had all the ingredients on hand. I made these cookies today while looking after four of my grandchildren. That is how easy they are!
Before I show you how to make these cookies, let me give you a little background 
on some of the ways we enjoy these cookies. When we were young, my sister and I made these cookies and ate them with a spoon right out of the pot. We didn’t have a candy thermometer, didn’t know how to use one anyway and didn’t care if they turned out or not. We loved them best hot, before they had time to set up. My son loves them with peanut butter stirred in so that they become a sort of chocolate peanut butter cup.
If you decide to make them, make sure that you taste them after you stir the dry ingredients in just to make sure they are okay for the kids to eat. In fact, you may need to try a couple of spoonfuls. I sure wouldn’t want my grand kids to eat something unfit for their consumption ~grins~. After you spoon them out onto the wax paper, make sure you scrape the remainder out of the pot and take another taste, just to be sure that it is okay for everyone to eat once they cool. After all, we all know that some foods taste different after they cool. Always remember, quality control begins with the cook. 😉
Since I am new to cooking for you, I think I’d better taste another one just to be sure they are still good. After all, they’ve been sitting out most of the day and I want to be sure before I hit the send button. Yep, they’re still okay so here goes! I hope you and your kids enjoy them!
You’ll need: Quick Oats, Cocoa Powder, Vanilla, Sugar, Margarine, and Milk
Place your margarine, milk, and white sugar in a pot.
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Insert candy thermometer and boil until mixture reaches soft ball stage.
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Mama’s directions for using a candy thermometer:
I never had good luck with candy. My mother had always used a glass of water to test for soft ball stage so it was just a guess. I discovered a candy thermometer while watching Julia Child (that tells you how long ago it was!). To use a candy thermometer, attach it to the side of your saucepan. Push the edge of your spoon underneath it to make sure it is not touching the bottom of the saucepan. Now just cook your mixture until it reaches the correct temperature on the thermometer. Remove the candy thermometer and set it aside on a saucer to cool. Do not put it in your dishwater. It will break! I don’t let it soak in the dishwater either. I have had problems with the water getting into the thermometer. Just use a wet dish cloth (we call it a dishrag) and wipe it until it is clean. Then dry well and store for your next use. You will be an accomplished candy maker!
Remove from heat and stir in the oats, cocoa
and vanilla.
Spoon onto waxed paper and allow to cool.
Here are my taste testers for today: Lane, Austin, and Jake.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:99]
Optional add ins:
1/2 Cup Peanut butter- We like extra crunchy peanut butter so that we have little nuts in the cookies but you can add any type of peanut butter. Just add the peanut butter immediately after it reaches soft ball stage and stir until it melts into the mixture. Then add the oats, vanilla and cocoa and proceed as directed.
1/2 Coconut-Add cup coconut when you add the oats, vanilla and cocoa.
I’m sure there are other add ins that would be delicious. Experiment and let us know what you come up with. Who knows, we may just invent a new cookie! Thanks for visiting with me today, I sure did enjoy it.
Sincerely, Mama
Being a mother is one of the highest salaried jobs in my
field, since the payment is pure love.
~Mildred B. Vermont
My sister has made these since she was a little ‘brownie’. She always used powdered sugar and used both cocoa and peanutbutter. We call them Ting-A-Lings. I even named my dog after these small, sweet treats.
Mama always called this Chocolate Oatmeal Candy. When I started making them for my daughters one of the always turned things around and called (and still does at age 32) Meal-O Candy.
We also add the cocoa to the sugar, butter and milk then bring it all to a boil.
So good!
I’ve never heard of these before (must be cause I’m a Yankee), these sound pretty good to me. I’m heading to walmart in a few, I may just have to pick up some cocoa powder, coconut & a candy thermometer & give these a try. Kristy’s mum did an awesome job posting & taking pictures!!
What am I doing wrong???? I’ve tried to make these cookies twice and both times the came out waaayyy too dry. Wouldn’t even stick together. Made a great ice cream topping though!! Any suggestions?
Hi Terri, I think you are cooking them too long. I make these when ever my kids come home and say they have to bring a treat and we don’t have time for baking. If I cook them too long or the mixture gets too hot too fast, they sometimes become dry. I use the 3 minute method because that is how I learned from my mother. We used to drop them on a buttered plate but I found that parchment paper works best.
Love this site and these cookies! I have to confess, though, that my kids and I call them “cow piles” ! 🙂
~giggles~ That is too cute!
Have always loved these cookies. We always called them chocolate haystacks. No matter what they are called, I love them! Great post. =)
Hi Christy,
I am a big fan of you and your wonderful recipes! I really enjoyed this article and recipe from Mama. I have been struggling for the past 6 years my husband and I have been married to make these cookies 2 times in a row and have them turn out just the same!!!!! Guess what it worked!!!!!! Mine normally are either just right, never stick together or waaayyyyyyy to dry!!!! My husband gives Mama a thumbs up too!