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Monster Cookies (Gluten-Free Option)

The best monster cookies recipe is one that has been handed down to many generations within a family. This was a favorite in my childhood during the Holidays and now a favorite of my own children as well. These cookies are easy to make and full of chocolate chips and M&M's.

This cookie is easy to make and delicious to eat and makes a large batch so you will have plenty to share.

monster cookies made with oatmeal, chocolate chips, and peanut butter.

These cookies are easy to make and are perfect for the Halloween and Christmas seasons. They look great in cookie trays for gift-giving and the color of the M&M's can easily be swapped out to fit any special occasion.

These cookies are easy to make and are perfect for the Halloween and Christmas seasons.  They look great in cookie trays for gift-giving and the color of the M&M's can easily be swapped out to fit any special occasion. 

This monster cookies recipe is easy to make into monster cookie bars! Although, for the bar version it does use all-purpose flour. 

Ingredients in Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

The ingredient list for the best monster cookie recipe is pretty basic:

  • dark brown sugar
  • granulated sugar
  • baking soda
  • old fashioned oats
  • unsalted butter, softened
  • creamy peanut butter
  • vanilla extract
  • large eggs
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • M&M candies
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How to Make Gluten Free Monster Cookies

This recipe has no flour making it really easy to make gluten-free!  It also contains oats that are naturally gluten-free.  If there are gluten-free restrictions, check the label on the oats to make sure they are made in a gluten-free facility.

There are also some great gluten-free options for chocolate chips out there.  Most chocolate candies are gluten-free as well, just check the packaging before purchasing.

Monster Cookies on a plate with milk.

Instructions for Making Chewy Monster Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. I use my stand mixer for this to cream the ingredients together easily.
  3. Slowly add the old fashioned oats and baking soda to the wet ingredients and beat until combined.
  4. Beat in the chocolate chips and M&M's on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and evenly distributing the candies in the cookie dough. 
  5. Scoop cookies by 1 and a half tablespoons or use a #40 cookie scoop to portion into cookie dough balls and place them onto the prepared cookie sheets two inches apart.  
  6. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For chewy cookies, bake until the edges are browned but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to bake as they cool. 

Mama's Monster Cookies Recipe

Variations in Monster Cookies

This recipe for monster cookies uses old-fashioned oats but quick oats can be used instead.  It will alter the chewiness of the cookies but will still taste delicious. 

Creamy peanut butter is used in this recipe but chunky peanut butter can be used in its place if you prefer a crunchier cookie.

To make this cookie peanut butter free, a different nut butter such as almond butter or seed butter can be used with great results. 

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Tools Needed to Make Monster Cookies

Having the right kitchen tools on hand helps make the baking process go faster. Here are some suggested cookie baking tools.

Storing Monster Cookies

When it comes to storing your monster cookies, there are a few crucial steps to ensure that your delicious dessert stays fresh and chewy. Proper storage helps your cookies stay in great condition, keep flavor, and keep them fresh when preparing them in advance for gift giving for Christmas or just to eat at a later date. 

The first step is to make sure that your fresh-baked cookies have completely cooled down after baking. Placing warm cookies in an airtight container can cause condensation, making them soggy.

Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool them completely before storing them. 

Also, before stacking the cookies, make sure the chocolate chips have had the chance to harden to prevent the chips from melting and making the cookies stick together.

Once the cookies are cooled, place them in an airtight container. This is a great way to keep your cookies fresh short term. They will stay fresh for up to five days. 

When baking cookies for Halloween or Christmas ahead of time, allow them to cool completely before transferring them to a freezer safe bag in a single layer and freeze for up to 3 months.  Label the freezer bag to take the guesswork out of when the cookies were made. For extra protection, place the freezer bag in a freezer safe container. This locks in freshness for the cookies and they will taste great! 

Top Tips

​Use room temperature ingredients to easily cream the butter and sugars together easily. 

Avoid overbaking these monster cookies to get the best monster cookies with the chewiest texture. Allow the cookies to brown on the edges but they should still have a chewy center when taking them out of the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients are needed for the best monster cookies?

To make the best chewy monster cookies, you will need ingredients such as butter, dark brown and granulated sugar, creamy peanut butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, oats, and m&m candies. 

What variations can be made to make Christmas monster cookies recipe?

There are many ways to customize this classic monster cookies recipe. The easiest way to make these Christmas monster cookies is to mix in Christmas colored m&m candies as well as some white chocolate chips to the cookie dough. 

📖 Recipe

Yield: 27 Cookies

Monster Cookies (Gluten-Free Option)

Monster Cookies (Gluten-Free Option)

This Monster Cookie recipe has been handed down many generations in my family. It was a favorite in my childhood during the Holidays and now a favorite of my own children as well.  This cookie is easy to make and delicious to eat and makes a large batch so you will have plenty to share. Perfect for Halloween and Christmas.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 4 ½ cups old fashioned oatmeal, *
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 11.5 ounce bag chocolate chips*
  • 11 ounce bag M&M's

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Combine softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
  3. Slowly add the oatmeal and baking soda to the wet mixture and beat until combined.
  4. Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M's, until evenly distributed in the cookie dough.
  5. Scoop cookies by 1 and a half tablespoons or use a #40 cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough and place them onto the prepared cookie sheets two inches apart.
  6. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  7. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

*To make these cookies gluten-free, choose gluten-free options for the oats, chocolate chips, and chocolate candies.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

27

Serving Size:

1 cookie

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 267Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 4g

Nutrition calculation is a rough estimate and can vary depending on the cooking technique and the exact ingredients used. For informational purposes only.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

Sherylyn

Wednesday 11th of October 2023

Can you use less sugar ?

Dana

Thursday 12th of October 2023

Yes, you can use reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe but it may alter the chewiness of the cookies, especially the brown sugar. :)

Kia

Saturday 27th of November 2021

Can you freeze the dough? If so does it change the taste? Also, should I thaw them before baking or bake the frozen?

Dana

Monday 29th of November 2021

Yes, you can! I'd recommend scooping the dough and then freezing the dough balls in an airtight container. If stored properly the taste should not change. No need to thaw the dough first, just keep an eye on the cookies at the end of the baking time. :)

Jackie

Sunday 19th of April 2020

Amazing cookies!! I used chocolate chips and butterscotch chips instead of M&Ms, and only used about 1/2 bag of each and they turned out perfect. The dough seemed wet but the cookies didn’t spread too much, 13 minutes cook time was perfect. Once I took the cookies out of the oven and they cooled a little the middle looked a little wet, but they were cooked to perfection. Highly recommend!

Dana

Monday 20th of April 2020

Hey Jackie! Yup, they're supposed to look underbaked in the center... that's how you get that incredibly soft and chewy cookie! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed them!

Kathy

Thursday 19th of December 2019

Our neighbor, Kristin, sent these delicious cookies over earlier this month. She knows I like to freeze dough, and bake later. Kristen put dough balls in a ziploc freezer bag with a note on the bag of what to. I just baked these this morning, and they are delicious! I'm adding them to my baking recipes and sharing your site on my facebook page. Thank you for sharing these!

Dana

Saturday 21st of December 2019

Hi Kathy! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed these cookies!

Isabella

Monday 16th of December 2019

For some reason the cookies do not seem like they are done within the time frame it says which results in the bottom coming out a little burnt. Help.

Dana

Tuesday 17th of December 2019

Hi Isabella, The cookies should be soft in the middle. They still continue to bake once they are taken out of the oven.

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