Monster Cookies

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!

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.

Which is okay, because you get to stare at these while you’re doing it…

Mmmmmm…

Aren’t they just so pretty and fun?? And the M&Ms just give such a nice pop of colour!

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.

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

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!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword easy cookie recipe, M&M cookies, monster cookies, peanut butter oatmeal cookies

Prep Time 12 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Calories 204kcal

Author Chrissie

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.

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg