Chewy Monster Cookies with Peanut Butter and M&M’s
Can’t decide between a peanut butter cookie, an oatmeal cookie and a chocolate chip cookie? These chewy monster cookies are all three in one, with chunky peanut butter and oats loaded up with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and mini M&M’s. They’re flourless, they mix up in one bowl and they bake in about 10 minutes.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Monster Cookies
- Serves: 4
- Main Ingredients: + 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter, dark brown sugar, white sugar, softened butter, eggs, vanilla, oats quick, baking soda
- Why You'll Love It: These are The Monster Cookies Everyone Loves because they have just the right ingredient for each and every person yet they are also easy to make!
They’re called the monster cookies everyone loves in our house because there’s a little something for every person in each bite. Swap in orange and brown M&M’s and they’re right at home on a Halloween party platter next to big chewy Halloween candy cookies.
Why These Monster Cookies Are So Chewy
Oats stand in for flour here, so the cookies bake up thick and chewy, and a full cup and a half of chunky peanut butter adds richness plus a little crunch. Using both dark brown and white sugar gives them crisp edges and soft centers, and letting them rest on the pan for 5 minutes lets the middles finish setting.
Ingredients for Monster Cookies
Chunky peanut butter: It adds texture, but creamy works if that’s what you have.
Quick oats: They hold the dough together in place of flour and keep the cookies chewy.
Mix-ins: Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and mini M&M’s are the classic trio. Nuts, butterscotch chips or chopped candy bars work too.
You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
- Use a cookie scoop or roll golf ball-size portions so the cookies bake evenly.
- Press a few extra M&M’s on top of each dough ball before baking so they look bakery-pretty.
- Grease your cookie sheets well. If yours are worn out, I love these Caraway baking sheets.
- Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them, since they’re soft when they first come out.
How to Make Monster Cookies
1Mix the Dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the peanut butter, sugars, butter, eggs, oats, baking soda, vanilla and salt to a large bowl.
2Add the Mix-Ins
Mix well with an electric mixer, then add the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and M&M’s and mix until blended.
3Scoop the Cookies
Roll the dough into golf ball-size rounds and set them 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.
4Top with M&M’s
Press a few extra M&M’s on top of each cookie.
5Bake and Cool
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack.
Serving and Storing
Pack them in lunchboxes, take a plate to a bake sale, or set them out for a Halloween party with white chocolate candy corn cookies and ghost meringue cookies. You’ll find more ideas in our list of easy Halloween treats and desserts, and a glass of cold milk is all you need on the side.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.
Monster Cookies FAQs
Are monster cookies gluten-free?
There’s no flour in them, so they can be, as long as you use oats labeled gluten-free and check your candy and chips.
Can I use old-fashioned oats?
Quick oats give the softest, most even texture. Old-fashioned oats work but make the cookies a little chunkier.
Why are they called monster cookies?
They’re loaded with a little bit of everything, from peanut butter and oats to chocolate chips and candy, which makes them big, hearty “monster” cookies.
Chewy Monster Cookies with Peanut Butter and M&M’s
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups quick oats
- 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi sweet or milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup mini M&M’s plus extra for topping
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine peanut butter, sugars, butter, eggs, oats, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Mix well with an electric mixer.
- Add in all other ingredients and mix again until well blended.
- Form dough into golfball size cookies and place two inches apart on greased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy!
Monster Cookies have been in our family long before I ever joined my husband’s family 25 years ago. My husband’s Aunt Mary would make them using an ice cream scoop and take them to the horse shows they participated in. Our tradition now is to make a half batch around Thanksgiving (our 1/2 batch recipe uses 9 cups of Oatmeal, 6 eggs, etc) and bake as needed (tablespoon size) until Christmas. Once in awhile, we have to do another 1/2 batch but most times it’ll get us through. They are the best and best if they are undercooked just a little bit. Also best them up when you plan to eat them. I’ve seen other sites posting their version of this recipe but yours is closest to ours! A true family and friend favorite!
LOVE Monster cookies, thanks for sharing the fun in making them:)
You brought back memories. My mother used to make cookies just about every week too. Money was scarce, so that was our snack in our lunch boxes. Many a summer afternoon my sisters and I had a “picnic” with homemade cookies and Koolaid. It is the little things like this that makes childhood memories. I’m looking forward to trying your cookies!
I haven’t made these cookies in years. Thanks for the reminder. I love your stories.
Christy, I love all your stories and childhood memories. You inspire me to make some for my children and grandchildren.
I have been thinking of these cookies for a couple of weeks now!! The snowstorms put me into baking mode, and these have been calling my name!!! It looks like I am supposed to bake them!! 😉 Thank you for putting the recipe right before my very eyes!!! 😀 Have a Cookie Monster kind of day, with the joy of your Monster Cookies front and center!!! 😉 <3
I made these cookies yesterday! I don’t put in vanilla or salt and 1/2 tsp less of soda otherwise the exact same recipe. The scoop you use for meatballs works well for cookies. I use a small or medium scoop depending on how many cookies I need. I like to freeze half of them for the next week but usually find an empty container in the freezer no matter how well I try to hide them!!! My three boys are onto me. We consider these a healthier cookie with the peanut butter and oatmeal and no flour. These are the best cookies and only ones we make!!!
Found you yesterday on Pinterest…love your site!!
Delicious! One of my favorite cookie recipes. Thanks for all your fun, happy morning posts! They make the morning bright!! 🙂