Monster Cookies are the perfect cookie recipe to make when you need a sweet treat! They’re soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies studded with M&Ms. Homemade cookies don’t get any better than these!
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**I originally shared this recipe in 2015, but I’m re-sharing it today with some updated photos!
Right after our first daughter was born, some friends brought us a wonderful meal and a very, very big batch of monster cookies.
I don’t know if it was the lack of sleep I was experiencing for the first time or all those breastfeeding hormones, but my husband and I had absolutely no problem pounding back the entire giant batch of cookies in about 3 days. I immediately requested the monster cookies recipe and I’ve been making them ever since. Thankfully I’ve developed a little more self-control since then, too!!
They’re the perfect monster cookie: soft and chewy with a strong peanut butter taste, and the sweet crunch of M&Ms…it just doesn’t get any better.
Why are monster cookies called Monster Cookies?
I was curious myself to know the answer to this popular question, so I did a bit of Googling. Here’s what I learned: According to the original authors of the recipe, they are called monster cookies because they are the Frankenstein’s monster of the cookie world – a mashup of different components.
Makes perfect sense to me!
Ingredients in Monster Cookies
- 2 cookie sheets
- 1/2 cup butter (just slightly cooler than room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup all natural peanut butter (unsweetened and unsalted)
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 4 cups large flake oats
- 1 1/2 cups M&Ms (Or other candy-coated chocolate of your choice. You could also use chocolate chips in a pinch.)
To make:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
To the bowl of your stand mixer add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar and beat on medium speed until they’re combined and smooth, and the butter is completely integrated.
Beat in the peanut butter, eggs, vanilla and molasses on medium speed until everything is incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, the oats, the salt and the baking soda. whisk these ingredients together just to make sure the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer with the other mixture and mix on low speed just until everything is combined.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and dump in the M&Ms. It’s a good idea to mix these in by hand with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon…I have ruined a few batches of these by letting the stand mixer crunch up all those delicate M&Ms.
Try to resist eating it by the spoonful at this point…
Using a tablespoon and your hands (the dough will be very sticky), drop the dough on the prepared baking sheet about 2 tablespoons at a time (12 to a sheet). Trying to form the dough into tight balls will seem futile…the dough is so sticky and falls apart easily so scooping the dough with the tablespoon and forming it in the spoon with your hands is your best bet.
Bake the cookies in your preheated oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 8-9 minutes or until the tops of the cookies just lose their shine.
This Monster Cookies recipe makes a big batch (about 36-40 cookies) so you’ll have to repeat this forming/baking process a few times.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you try to move the monster cookies right after removing them from the oven, they’ll probably fall apart.
Looking for more easy cookie recipes? Make some Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtle Cookies or a batch of delicious Double Chocolate S’mores Cookies!
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Monster Cookies Serving Suggestions
These cookies are great to serve to a crowd, take to a potluck or a party or give to friends as a gift, just as our friends did for us. I made this batch to take along on a family camping trip! I hope you enjoy this Monster Cookies recipe!
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Monster Cookies
Recipe: Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter just slightly cooler than room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup all natural peanut butter unsweetened and unsalted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 4 cups large flake oats
- 1 1/2 cups M&Ms Or other candy-coated chocolate of your choice. You could also use chocolate chips in a pinch.
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar and beat on medium speed until they're combined and smooth, and the butter is completely incorporated. Next, beat in the peanut butter, eggs, vanilla and molasses on medium speed until everything is incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, the oats, the salt and the baking soda. whisk these ingredients together just to make sure the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer with the other mixture and mix on low speed just until everything is combined.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and dump in the M&Ms. Mix these in by hand with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.
- Using a tablespoon and your hands (the dough will be very sticky), drop the dough on the prepared baking sheet about 2 tablespoons at a time (12 to a sheet). Trying to form the dough into tight balls will seem futile...the dough is sticky and falls apart easily, so scooping the dough with the tablespoon and forming it in the spoon with your hands is your best bet.
- Bake the cookies in preheated oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 8-9 minutes or until the tops of the cookies just lose their shine.
- Remove pan from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you try to move the cookies right after removing them from the oven, they'll probably fall apart.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This was always my favorite kind of cookie growing up!! I've added this to my recipe list for later! 🙂
That's great! It's a good one 🙂
I haven't had those cookies in AGES! Now I really NEED a few of them.
Well it's a good thing you have the recipe then 😉 Thanks!
I have never had these cookies, and since I love cookies I will definitely give these a try.
Hope you enjoyed them! 🙂
Me want cookie! You are making me drool!
Thanks for the comment. 🙂
These would be very dangerous sitting in my kitchen. My husband doesn't care for peanut butter, so guess who'd have to enjoy every single one of them 🙂
Glad you like them! 🙂
Cookies are my weakness. THESE cookies would not make it overnight. NOT kidding! So I'll make these when I have a lot of people around(read grandkids) to help gobble them up. They will still be gone in record time. But not all in my tummy. They looks so good! m and ms and peanut butter is a heavenly combination
Thanks so much!! I hope you enjoy them 🙂
How much fun do these look, love the idea of the peanut butter and the oats, sounds like a great combination 😀
They are delicious too!! Thanks! 🙂
I love COOKIES!!! I wish you would show the original recipe along with your changes. Thankyou
Just wondered if you have to use natural peanut butter? I have some Jif to use up, & don’t usually buy the natural type. Thank you!
No, you don’t. Jif would work just as well. Happy baking!
Mine taste amazing but they flattened a lot. What can I do differently to make them stay thick?
Hmm it sounds like the dough was a little too wet – you could try adding a few extra tablespoons of flour. Although these cookies are flatter cookies (because of the low flour content).