A little addition to the timing debate--I still have my mother's recipe from 30 years ago and it stresses that you need to bring this recipe to a ROLLING BOIL and then time your minute. If you begin timing when the recipe "just boils" you won't get the same texture or set. Once you hit a full, rolling boil, time for one minute. It's never failed me. There are a few variations on this recipe, but this one is probably my favorite. I prefer the texture you get when you add the peanut butter after removing from heat as opposed to boiling it with the sugar, etc. I also prefer the cocoa added in the beginning, but other good recipes call for it at the end. Different strokes!

This is an old familiar favorite of mine since childhood. However, we called them Grandma's "Boiled Cookies," simply because she boiled them on the stovetop. My Grandmother used the exact same ingredients and exact same amounts. However, boiling time is crucial and essential. We add the Peanut Butter with the other ingredients to boil (milk, butter/oleo, sugar, cocoa, salt) and bring the mixture to a hard boil over a medium flame(roughly, 4 - 5 minutes from beginning to boil). We were too poor to afford a candy thermometer, I suppose. THIS IS WHERE GRANDMA TOLD ME THAT THE TEXTURE PROBLEM LIES - " ... Too little boiling time, runny/wet & unable to set properly (because the mix did not reach high enough temperature to become the confection); while too much time produced dry & crumbly cookies (result of too hot too long, burning off moisture)." Also, I choose to use Super Chunky peanut butter for more peanut texture and Grandma is probably rolling in her grave, but it defintely works for me! Then, after we remove the boiling mixture from the flame and stir in the vanilla and quick oats (one-minute), spooning out mixture onto wax-paper lined cookie sheets. Also, I've noticed that if I use baking/cooling racks, these tend to cool and set a little more rapidly. So, if you're like me and can't wait ... I've never had a soft batch. They're definitely one of my all-time favorites. Not to mention the favorites of any guests and all of my neices and nephews!

I have made these no-bakes many times successfully. I always boil for about 2 minutes (candy thermometer reads about 210-120 which is above jelly stage but below thread stage). I find that I have enough time to drop all the cookies without them getting hard, but they will start to jell near the end. Have ready a couple of cookie sheets lined with wax paper so that you can drop them all without any hardening. Another tip: make sure peanut butter and oats are measured and ready to go once your timer goes off at 2 minutes. The final product is shiny and chewy but no where near gooey. And yes, they are sweet, but they are so yummy!

I love these cookies, but I'm too lazy to use the stove so I microwave them instead. Put everything but the oats, pb and vanilla in a bowl and cook for 3 1/2 minutes, stir and then cook for 3 1/2 more minutes and stir in the oats and stuff. I've also done it once where I left out the cocoa and microwaved the rest but at the end I added oats and cut up peanut butter cups and they melted beautifully.

The 1 minute boiling time is not long enough for these cookies to harden. I tried this recipe a number of times following the directions exactly, but my cookies are always mush. I found many other recipes for these cookies that say to boil for 2 minutes. I tried this and my cookies turned out much better!

These cookies were a smashing success at a recent potluck. People inhaled them and I got several requests for the recipe and a mock proposal of marriage. Instead of using the full two cups of sugar, I followed others' suggestions and only used 1 1/2 cups. Also, I boiled the liquid mixture for 2 minutes instead of 1 and they turned out fine. I even used 1% milk and reduced fat peanut butter and still everyone loved them. A recipe I'll definitely use again.

LOVE THE QUICKNESS!! We opened a store 4 weeks ago & everyone has been asking for homemade cookies. I tried these thinking no one would really buy them because they are so easy to make anyone can make them. Guess Again!! I have been making 4 batches of these a day & am still running out!! The only thing I noticed about these cookies were the longer you stir the batter the duller looks wise they get. My first batch turned out somewhat shiny looking when set...the second set looked really dry (stirred alot)...dull in color. So don't stir alot! These are the easiest quickest HOT SELLING cookies I have ever made. Thanks!!

If you like sweet stuff, this is the perfect recipe! As others had suggested I used whole milk, cut sugar back to 1 1/2 cups, and boiled for at least 2 minutes. Unfortunately for my thighs they turned out perfectly!

This is a great version of these cookies. Make these a lot, but could not find such a good recipe. The only change I made, was that I cooked them for exactly 3 1/2 minutes once the mixture started boiling and they always turn out perfect.

Thanks everyone for suggesting 3 minutes--they turned out perfectly. For anyone who likes them a little less sweet like I do, I put 1 1/3 cups sugar and they were perfect! YUM!