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Family favorite easy Monster Cookies with oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and m&m candies! This no chill soft monster cookie recipe includes directions on how to freeze the cookie dough and how to make gluten free monster cookies.
Here’s my take on why monster cookies are SO good.
First, I like oatmeal in my cookies. I like the chewy texture it adds!
Second, you can pretty much substitute any add-ins you want!
Ingredients
- all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure in cookies
- baking soda: helps to leaven and lift the dough
- unsalted butter: adds flavor and and tender texture
- brown sugar: adds sweetness & flavor, keeps the cookies moist and adds chewiness
- granulated sugar: adds sweetness, flavor and encourages browning
- creamy peanut butter: gives flavor and structure
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- egg: binds the cookies together by providing structure
- quick cooking oats: adds a chewy texture. You can also use old fashioned oats for a chewier texture because they aren’t processed as much as quick cooking oats.
- add-ins: traditional monster cookie add ins are m&ms and chocolate chips!
The Ultimate List of Monster Cookie Add ins
Our recipe calls for 1/2 cup m&ms and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. But you could use:
- reese’s pieces
- peanut m&ms
- crispy m&ms
- shredded coconut
- pecans
- peanut butter chips
- butterscotch chips
- chopped pretzel pieces
- white chocolate chips
- pistachios
- dried fruit
- macadamia nuts
- toffee bits
- reese’s peanut butter cup pieces
- raisins
- chocolate covered raisins
- mini marshmallows
Just think of all of the combinations! Plus you don’t have to stick to 1/2 cup of one thing and 1/2 cup of another – however you want to divvy up the 1 cup of add-ins is up to you!
How to Make Monster Cookies
- Combine the all purpose flour and baking soda in a separate bowl.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together with a mixer.
- Add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and egg, beat again until smooth.
- Gently add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand just until combined.
- Stir in the oats, m&ms and chocolate chips.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Bake and Cool.
How to Make Soft Monster Cookies
To make soft monster cookies, you’ll want to slightly under bake the cookies because the cookies will continue to bake once they are removed from the oven.
To make soft and chewy monster cookies, I recommend baking these cookies for 13-15 minutes.
How to tell when monster cookies are done: the outside edge of the cookies will look golden in color. The cookie will begin to look puffy instead of doughy in texture.
Total Time Required
- 10 minutes to make the cookie dough
- 13-17 minutes to bake the cookies
- 15 minutes to cool the cookies
How to Freeze Monster Cookie Dough
- Drop cookie dough balls onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Bake for 14-17 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer.
How to Make Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Be sure to use certified gluten free flour and certified gluten free oats. I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.
Tips
- Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming of the butter and sugar.
- I recommend using processed (not natural) creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy.
- Press extra m&ms and chocolate chips on the outside of the dough balls before baking for a wow loaded monster cookie presentation!
More Cookie Recipes
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Black Forest Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
- Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Monster Cookies
Family favorite easy Monster Cookies with oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and m&m candies! This no chill soft monster cookie recipe includes directions on how to freeze the cookie dough and how to make gluten free monster cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 stick
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- ½ cup m&ms, plus additional for pressing on outside of cookie – optional
- ½ cup chocolate chips, plus additional for pressing on outside of cookie – optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer, for 1-2 minutes. Add in the creamy peanut butter, vanilla and egg, beat again.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low or by hand just until combined. Add in the oats, M&Ms and chocolate chips, mix by hand.
- Use a cookie scoop to form large dough balls (my cookie scoop is 1.5 tablespoons) and place them on a silicone mat lined baking sheet. Press additional m&ms and chocolate chips onto the outside of the balls if desired.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges begin to just turn golden. Allow the cookies to cool for 5-7 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. For softer baked cookies, pull the cookies out of the oven at 12-13 minutes. They will look slightly undercooked, but will continue cooking once removed from the oven.
Video
Notes
How to Freeze Monster Cookie Dough
- Drop cookie dough balls onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet. You can place the dough balls close together since you won’t be baking them.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the cookies are frozen solid, about 1 hour.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a ziplock freezer bag. Label the bag with baking directions.
- Freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months.
- To bake: remove the dough from the freezer. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Bake for 14-17 minutes. Frozen cookies may need to bake for 1-2 minutes longer.
How to Make Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Be sure to use certified gluten free flour and certified gluten free oats. I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.Nutrition
Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Can I make this s with without peanut butter?
You could use almond butter, but this particular recipe will need some kind of nut butter.
This recipe yields picture perfect delicious cookies every time and has all the good stuff! Our go-to family recipe. We usually make raisin-craisin-chocolate chip Monster Cookies.
Hi Laura! I’m so glad your family loves these! That raisin-craisin-chocolate chip combo sounds delicious!
I made these super tasty but I found my batter was a bit flaky is that normal?Â
Hi Amie! You felt like the cookie dough batter was flaky before you baked it? Like too dry? Did you measure the flour properly by spooning it into the measuring cup?
First recipe for Monster Cookies that use flour and quick oats. Usually doesn’t have flour and uses old fashioned oats. May have to try this.