Chewy Monster Cookies are PACKED with delicious treats and some healthy ones too! The best part is… they’re gluten-free!
Cookies were my guilty baking pleasure – chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodle – really, any type of cookie. That was until I started making these Chewy Monster Cookies. Now these are the ONLY cookies I ever find myself baking up!
They have so many delicious elements to them, they’re so much more than just your average cookie with M&M’s. If you’re like me and you love a cookie packed with treats, then these are for you. (If you’re more of a tried-and-true simple cookie kinda person, you HAVE to check out these Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies. They’re a simple girl’s dream come true!)
CHEWY MONSTER COOKIES
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I haven’t ever gotten the hype around monster cookies until I made these Chewy Monster Cookies. I get it now, people. I totally get it. The texture alone in these cookies has me wrapped around their finger.
The oatmeal makes them super chewy and I love the pop of the crisp shell on the chocolate candies. Then you get a smooth chocolate feel from the chocolate chips and these things end up being a little taste of heaven. Bonus: these cookies turn out perfect every time!
These cookies are especially close to my heart because my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease last year. People with this disease aren’t supposed to have gluten. She has taken it in stride and has done really well with it all! My husband has a really big family, so when we all get together, food is usually a huge focus.
My mother-in-law has to take the backseat on a lot of foods. I was excited when I realized that this monster cookie recipe doesn’t have any flour and is totally free game for her to eat! We took them to our family reunion at Bear Lake, UT this last weekend and she loved them, right along with everyone else. I felt super proud of being able to let her enjoy something like cookies that she has missed so much!
Ingredients you’ll need to make Chewy Monster Cookies
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Creamy Peanut Butter (chunky peanut butter totally works too)
- Baking Soda
- Old Fashioned Oats or Quick Oats
- Multi-colored mini chocolate candies
- Chocolate chips
*Note: to make these TRULY gluten-free, you’ll need to make sure your oats are non-contaminated gluten-free oats – oats themselves are gluten-free, but are often processed in a plant containing gluten. Check your labels! We love Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats for these cookies!
How to Make Monster Cookies
Making these cookies really couldn’t be any easier – it’s one of those recipes that you can play with and make your own very easily. You like a TON of M&M’s in your cookies (ahem…me)? Add some extra!
You have your little ones helping out and they “accidentally” poured in WAY too many chocolate chips? No biggie, they’ll still come out chewy and amazing.
- As with any baking recipe, you’re going to want to get all your materials prepped and ready – preheat your oven to 350 degrees, line your baking sheet with parchment paper (or a non-stick mat, our favorite is linked below!), and pop a few M&M’s in your mouth to get you in the easy monster cookies mindset.
- Now comes the mixing part – here’s where I get the help of my sous-chefs… I mean kids. My no-fail way of making this recipe fun (and non-stressful) with kids is to assign roles: I am the measurer, one of my kids is the pourer, and the other is the mixer. This helps to ensure we don’t get an extra cup (or four) of sugar added or a full bottle of vanilla extract poured in.
- You’re going to mix together your eggs and sugars. After that, add in your other wet ingredients, and then mix in the rest of your dry ingredients.
- This next part is my kids’ absolute FAVORITE. It’s no surprise they love it because it involves them getting their hands dirty. You add in the chocolate chips and M&M’s and mix it all up by hand. It’s basically kid law that whoever’s hands get the messiest gets to try the first finished cookie – so watch out for some fierce competition!
- The last step is forming your cookies and baking. My one recommendation after perfecting this recipe is to use a cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop (linked below!). This helps to keep them uniform size and allows them to bake evenly! Scoop your cookies onto the prepared baking sheet leaving about 2-inches between the cookie dough balls.
- Let them bake for 8-10 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool. Then sit back and admire the beauty that is these amazing cookies.
Depending on how big you make your cookies, you’ll get around 30-36 cookies. What I CAN’T guarantee is that 30-36 cookies will make it to your cookie jar or platter you’re planning to keep them on. I swear these things fly off the cooling rack in the blink of an eye… they’re that good.
Why Do My Monster Cookies Go Flat?!
- There is nothing worse than being super excited to try out your cookies just to see that while they were baking they decided to go flat as a pancake. Yes, this can happen even with the easiest of recipes. Here are a few tips to help you make your chewy monster cookies they best they can be (and not at all resembling a pancake!)
- As mentioned before, try using a cookie scoop to form your dough. This helps to keep your cookies round and uniform (not to mention looking Pinterest worthy!).
- Use room-temperature butter, not “oops I just pulled it out of the fridge and microwaved it for a hot second butter.”
Use fresh baking soda (aka not that box you keep in your refrigerator to keep it smelling fresh…). - Refrigerate your dough – this isn’t a necessary step (and believe me, I skip it often because once I get the thought of Monster Cookies in my mind, I simply can’t wait any longer to eat them), however, some people swear by it. I do have to admit that the extra chilling time can help to solidify your dough a bit and therefore help your cookies keep their rounded shape.
Need some other cookie inspiration? Check out these other Real Housemoms favorites!
- Ranger Cookies (these are oatmeal cookies but AH-MA-ZING!)
- Salted Caramel & Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Slice and Bake Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- More DESSERT recipes…
Tools used to make Chewy Monster Cookies
Silicone Baking Mat: these things are amazing – they keep your cookies from sticking and you don’t have to waste parchment paper!
Cookie Scoop: these are a MUST for keeping your cookies a consistent size.
Mixing Bowls: every kitchen needs a great set of nesting mixing bowls. These are my absolute favorite!
*This post originally posted on 07/14/2016.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup mini multi-colored chocolate candies
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugars and eggs, mixing well.
- Add the salt, vanilla, butter, and peanut butter and mix well again.
- Next, add the baking soda and oatmeal and combine well.
- Stir in the chocolate candies and chocolate chips by hand, until fully incorporated.
- Drop by Tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cookie rack when cooled.
- Store in large resealable plastic bags.
Nutrition
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Berta says
I made these for the first time for my friends with gluten allergies. They were absolutely delicious. I’m sure they will enjoy them too. Thanks for sharing.
Tenessa says
My guilty pleasure in life is eating raw cookie dough (😬 I know I know lol) this is such a tasty cookie dough. But for the life of me I don’t know what I did wrong. I’ve been baking for years and followed this recipe to a T, yet I ended up with a sheet cookie.
Mary (justaposhgirl) says
Soooo good!!! The perfect soft and chewy monster cookie!! So glad I tried this recipe! Definitely a keeper! Also, I baked only 8 minutes and let them set on the pan a few minutes to finish baking!!
Aubrey Cota says
Yay so glad you liked them!! Thank you, Mary.
Crystal B says
Are these “gluten” free then if you can have oats?