No Bake Cookies — Something Sweet for the Ones Who Haven’t Eaten

The dogwoods bare. The kitchen the warmest room in the house, the way it should be. Tuesday feeding was hard this week. We ran short on cornbread because I underestimated the crowd. I will not underestimate again. The crowd ate. Nobody left without a plate, baby.

Calvin preached Sunday on the woman at the well. The church said amen. I talked to Mama at the stove. I told her the recipe was right. I told her the kitchen was holding. The cast iron skillet hummed.

Cornbread in the cast iron. Buttermilk. Real cornmeal, not the bag with the sugar in it. Crisp edge. Soft middle. Cornbread is not negotiable, baby.

Destiny came for Sunday dinner. She talked about her work. The work is hard. She is good at hard work.

Calvin in the recliner. Me at the stove. The week held.

Calvin Jr. called Tuesday night. He was tired. He had been at work twelve hours. I told him, baby, eat something. He said, Mama, I will. I said, what did you eat last. He said, a granola bar. I said, baby, that is not eating. He laughed.

Sister Beulah came by Tuesday afternoon to drop off the bulletins. She stayed for coffee. We talked about the church, about her grandbaby, about the heat. The visit was the visit.

I have been thinking about heaven a lot lately. I do not know what I think. I know what Calvin preaches. I know what the AME doctrine says. I know what my Mama believed. I am at the age, sugar, where heaven is more than a Sunday school answer. I am working on it.

I drove to the grocery Saturday morning. Greens, three pounds. Onions, two big ones. Buttermilk, half gallon. Cornmeal, the good kind. Salt, because I always run out of salt.

Sunday after service Calvin and I drove past the new sanctuary site. The choir loft windows were going in. We sat in the car and looked. He did not speak. I did not speak. The watching was the prayer.

Bernice's Table Tuesday. The team was sharp. The food held. The room held.

I had a small cry Wednesday morning at the kitchen window. No reason in particular. The grief comes when it comes. I made coffee. I went on. That is how this works.

Mr. Henderson across the street brought me a bag of pecans Friday from his tree. I made a pecan pie with them. I took half of it back to him. He said, Loretta, this is wrong, you took my pecans and gave me back a pie. I said, that is exactly right. That is how it works.

I stood at the kitchen window with my coffee Tuesday morning. Six o'clock. The light just coming. The yard quiet. Talking to Mama about the day ahead. The talking is its own prayer, sugar.

The garden in the side yard, sugar. The tomatoes are coming on. The okra is up. The collards are getting big. I will be canning by August. I always say I am not going to can. I always end up canning.

I made coffee at five Tuesday morning. Strong, with cream, no sugar (the diabetes). I stood at the kitchen window. The yard was still in dark. The day ahead was the day ahead. I went into it.

The kitchen smelled like garlic and onion all afternoon Wednesday. Calvin came home from his Bible study and stood in the doorway and said, Loretta, what are we eating. I said, baby, you will see. He said, that is a yes from me. He has been saying that for fifty years.

Calvin Jr. called Tuesday night, twelve hours into a shift, and the best I could do from here was my voice and a prayer. But if he had been standing in this kitchen, I would have had something sweet ready before he finished his sentence — and these no bake cookies are exactly what I mean by that. No oven, no waiting, no occasion required. They are the kind of thing you make because somebody needs something right now, and love does not always have the luxury of time. I have been making these since before Destiny was born, and I will be making them long after, sugar.

No Bake Cookies

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 30 min (includes setting) | Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Prep your surface. Line two large baking sheets or your counter with wax paper or parchment. Set aside enough space for 36 drop cookies.
2. Boil the base. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, milk, and cocoa powder. Stir constantly until the butter melts, then bring to a rolling boil. Let it boil hard for exactly 1 minute — no more, no less — while stirring.
3. Remove and stir in remaining ingredients. Take the pan off the heat immediately. Working quickly, stir in the peanut butter until fully melted and smooth. Add the oats, vanilla, and salt, and stir until everything is evenly combined.
4. Drop onto prepared surface. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop rounded spoonfuls onto the wax paper. Work quickly, as the mixture sets fast. Flatten each mound slightly with the back of your spoon if you prefer a flatter cookie.
5. Let set at room temperature. Allow cookies to cool and firm up completely, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not refrigerate during setting — they will set up better at room temperature. Once firm, transfer to an airtight container.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 112 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 16g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 48mg