I also put in some mint chocolate....Yummy!

Loved all the comments! First sweet thing my son learned to make, he taught his wife. They make them in a wok, says the texture is great! I add 1/2 coconut and 1/2 quick oats, more like candy. Add more of each if they don't set up quickly.

We made them in school, that was a long time ago. These cookies are the best. I haven't made them in years, I have no will power and will eat the whole batch. I looked the recipe up so I can make them for my children. Everyone gains a few pounds on the holidays that's what new years resolutions are for.

These are the greatest -- when my kids were young (son now 40) the daycare where they stayed had these every Friday for their afternoon snack so they always called them Friday cookies. And yes Mama Allen the sweet lady who made them cooked for 3 minutes. Great memories and most all big & little kids love them.

I have been making this recipe for years. It's become a family tradition. It's so easy & tastes sooooo good. My boyfriedn recently told me his grandmother used to make it for him, too. Even bakeries now sell it.

When I was in junior high, the cafeteria served these cookies still warm. Thus, we called them Cow patties and washed them down with a pint of ice cold milk. Great memories.

Lots of good tips.I use real butter too. My recipe calls for 3 tbsp. of cocoa, and 1/3 cup. milk. Also we make ours 2 different ways,one is the chocolate one, like this one, the other is a caramel one. Leave out the cocoa, and use brown sugar in place of the white. Every thing else is the same. Boy are they good too! Try it. 2 colors.

i just made the cookies and they wont harden all the way and i just saw a comment about hardening if rainey and it is. is there anything i can do to harden them now?

I just made these and they will not harden at all. Theyve been sitting on the cookie sheet for hours now. Any ideas as to what I did wrong?

You may call these cookies any name you like, but I just call them good.

I have made these every Christmas for 48 years and they are a family tradition now. My younger brothers and my own kids dont think it is Christmas until they are made!

This recipe came from World War II when rations, especially sugar and cocoa were hard to find. Oats made it go a long way and Diane was right, on the Oatmeal box since that time. We make it every Christmas just because Mamaw did. Yum and lots of memories are comments we hear this time of year. Good cookin to all !!!

Butter is now $3.50 a pound, can I use butter flavored Crisco instead? On the can it said to use it in place of butter, and I'm sure in cookies etc, no problem, but with these cookies/candy recipe, it's temperamental, I'm hoping it works. Anybody ever used butter flavored Crisco in these? If so, did they turn out fine, and set up good? Thanks

Ya, for all you having runny cookies, make sure you boil the cocoa mix for a full 3 minutes (after it begins boiling) on med heat. And don't add the vanilla, or peanut butter till that part is done. Then stir in the peanut butter, then the vanilla, then last add the oats and stir really well. On the batches you've already made, scoop them into a microwave pan or dish, and microwave them till it melts again, and then a minute or two at a time, then it should start to set up, 3 minutes or until it's really hot again, then if need be, put in some more oats. It then should set up. That's what I would do anyway. Or, you could even add some powdered sugar to help it dry out better.

@Bonita I've noticed at my local Walmart Supercenter, they sell good quality "Cabot" butter everyday for $2.49. If your local supermarket is trying to get $3.50, $4.00 or $4.99 for a pound of butter from you, I'd walk!