Chewy Halloween monster cookies loaded with chunky peanut butter, quick oats, semisweet chocolate chips, and Halloween M&M's. Thick, soft in the center, crisp at the edges, and packed with color.
These are the cookies I make every October. No flour. Just oats, peanut butter, chocolate, and candy. The Halloween M&M's melt into bright little pockets of orange, purple, and green.
Why These Chewy Halloween Monster Cookies Work
Chunky peanut butter over creamy. The little peanut pieces add texture. Creamy peanut butter makes a softer, more uniform cookie. Chunky gives you something to chew.
No flour. Monster cookies do not need it. The peanut butter and oats hold everything together. The cookies stay chewy in the middle without getting cakey.
Quick oats, not old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats are thinner and absorb the peanut butter and egg faster. The dough comes together tighter and the cookies hold their shape.
One cup of each sugar, not more brown than white. Monster cookies already get deep richness from the peanut butter. Equal sugars keeps the flavor balanced and the edges crisp.
Do not overbake. Pull them when the edges are golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. They set up as they cool. One extra minute and the chew is gone.
Press the dough balls slightly flat before baking. Monster cookie dough does not spread much in the oven. Flattening the tops gives you a cookie instead of a ball.
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How to Make Chewy Halloween Monster Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the quick oats and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and well combined.
- Beat in the chunky peanut butter until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and mix until incorporated.
- Gradually add the oat mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until the oats are moistened. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the Halloween M&M's and semisweet chocolate chips.
- Using a number 40 cookie scoop or your hands, form one and a half tablespoons of dough into balls. Place them two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the tops to flatten them slightly.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Quick Tips
- Use chunky peanut butter. The peanut pieces add texture and chew.
- Flatten the dough balls before baking. The dough does not spread much on its own.
- Pull them when the centers look soft. They set up as they cool.
- One sheet at a time in the oven. Even heat makeeven cookies.
- Halloween M&M's are seasonal. Regular M&M's work the other eleven months.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store baked cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
The cookie dough freezes well. Scoop it into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen and add a minute or two.
More Halloween Recipes
For more Halloween baking, try my Halloween cookie bars with orange and black candy pieces. My Oreo Halloween Cookies are another fall favorite.
📖 Recipe
Halloween Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups chunky peanut butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 1 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Halloween M&M's
- 3 cups quick oats
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the quick oats, baking soda, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until the ingredients are creamy and well combined.
- Beat in the peanut butter followed by the vanilla extract and the eggs and mix until incorporated.
- The next step is to gradually add the dry oat mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until the oats are moistened.
- Stir in the Halloween M&M's and the semisweet chocolate chips.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop or your hands, form 1.5 tablespoons worth of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Place the balls of cookie dough two inches apart on the cookie sheet and gently press the tops of the cookie dough balls slightly to flatten them.
- Bake the cookies one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled completely, transfer the monster cookies to a serving platter if serving right away or store them in an airtight container for maximum freshness.
Notes
- Use chunky peanut butter. Creamy works but the texture is softer.
- Do not overbake. Pull them when the centers look slightly soft.
- Flatten the dough balls before baking. Monster cookie dough does not spread much.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen and add a minute.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
A perfect cookie dish for this coming Halloween festivity! It looks absolutely delicious plus the texture makes it so enticing! The addition of toppings such as M&M will boost its taste and kids will definitely love this!
These monster cookies were so delicious! My kids asked me to make for school treats for Halloween! Thanks for the share!
Oh my gosh, this is a cute, easy, and delicious treat to make for my kids. So yummy!