Adapted from Recipes and their Cooks, from the Berks-Lehigh Farmer Magazine (1967) // Submitted by Mrs. Curtis Roth
From the Farmhouse Kitchen
Some of the best recipes come from vintage sources. This one comes from a 1967 cookbook called Recipes and Their Cooks, a collection compiled by the Berks-Lehigh Farmer Magazine — a bi-weekly publication serving the Pennsylvania Dutch community. What makes the cookbook especially charming is that it features recipes submitted by readers, many accompanied by photos of the contributors themselves. Flipping through its pages feels like a genuine connection with the women who cooked from these kitchens decades ago.
Not Quite a Cookie, Not Quite a Candy
This particular recipe was submitted by a reader named Mrs. Curtis Roth, who called them Peanut Oatmeal (Candy) Cookies. They’re not quite a candy and not quite a cookie — they’re something better: a soft, lightly chewy, chocolate-peanut butter treat that comes together on the stovetop with no oven required. I shaped mine into balls for easier handling, and rolled some in shredded coconut for a little extra flair.
The Method
Making them is straightforward. You start by stirring together oats and shredded coconut in a large bowl, setting that aside. Then in a saucepan, you whisk together melted butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and evaporated milk — whisking really does help the cocoa incorporate smoothly — and cook the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a full boil, stirring frequently with a spoon or spatula so the mixture does not burn. After one minute of boiling, stir in the peanut butter, take the pan off the heat, and mix until the peanut butter is well incorporated.
Stir the chocolate mixture into the oat and coconut mixture. Then refrigerate the whole thing for 30–40 minutes until it firms up enough to work with.
Once the dough is set, drop it in rough 2″ rounds onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and return it to the refrigerator for about an hour. When firm, roll them into balls — and if you want a decorative touch, a roll in shredded coconut makes them prettier and easier to handle.
A Few Extra Tips
They keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week, though they tend to disappear well before that. They’re great for a crowd, easy to make ahead, and — fair warning — a little addictive.
Mrs. Roth’s No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
Ingredients
- 3 cups quick cooking oats (or rolled oats for a chewier texture)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, based on your liking)
- 12 tablespoons salted butter, melted (6 ounces)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ¾ cup evaporated milk (6 ounces which is half a standard 12-oz can)
- ½ cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- Optional: Extra coconut for rolling
Instructions
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, sugar, and coconut and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk or stir together the melted butter, sugar, cocoa, and evaporated milk. I find that whisking helps incorporate the cocoa powder better.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a boil.
- Boil for 1 minute, stirring often to avoid burning, then add the peanut butter.
- Turn off the heat and stir until the peanut butter is fully incorporated.
- Stir the chocolate mixture into the oat and coconut mixture.
- Place in the refrigerator until the dough is cool and fully set, about 30-40 minutes. This will make the dough easier to handle.
- Remove from the refrigerator and drop the dough in approximately 2” rounds on the lined cookie sheet.
- Place back into the refrigerator to set again for about an hour.
- Once firm and set, you can shape them into balls. Roll in coconut if you desire, for a decorative touch.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, though best within the first few days.
