Monster Cookies
Monster Cookies are soft and filled with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&Ms. After searching for the best recipe and not finding one, I came up with these easy chewy cookies my own! These are perfect!
MONSTER COOKIE RECIPE
I’m a huge fan of all things Monster. Monster Cookie Dough Dip and Monster Magic Cookie Bars are a couple of my favorites. I’ve noticed at every bake sale I’ve been to, fresh-baked cookies with M&M candies always go first.
I’ve been craving Monster Cookies for a while but after browsing Pinterest for Monster Cookie recipes I didn’t find any that quite fit the bill so I thought I would develop my own. I’m known as a cookie monster amongst my friends.
I think there a few little secrets that take this from a great recipe to amazing cookies.
I knew what I wanted in a Monster Cookie. I wanted a soft chocolate chip cookie packed with peanut butter flavor, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and oats. That’s what makes the best monster cookies.
For some reason these almost seem healthy? Like a protein cookie? Maybe it’s the peanut butter.
I learned from my Oatmeal Cookies that chewy cookies actually are a result of using less oats. Although I have had several fails, this my friends…was a success.
I like to hand place some M&Ms on top of the cookie after I’ve rolled balls of dough to bake.
Even better, place them on the cookies right after they come out of the oven. That way they don’t crack because sometimes the M&Ms will crack under the heat.
It gives you more control of what the final cookies look like and gives them a more polished look. I used old fashioned oats because I love the texture of them.
The absolute key to this monster cookie recipe is to not overbake them. Trust in the process and let them continue to cook on the pan even though you might not think they are done.
The middles of these Monster Cookies are soft and full of bursts of peanut butter, chocolate chips, and M&Ms.
CAN I USE QUICK OATS INSTEAD OF OLD-FASHIONED OATS?
I wouldn’t suggest it. Quick oats have a finer texture and therefore when measured will be more than if using old-fashioned oats which will result in a thicker, drier cookie.
WHY DO MY MONSTER COOKIES GO FLAT?
I’ve never had anyone complain that these cookies were flat. These are thick cookies.
CAN I USE NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER?
I would not recommend using natural peanut butter because it’s too runny. You can try using other nut butters but I have not tried it with them.
You can use a chunky peanut butter if you like to give it more crunch.
HOW TO MAKE MONSTER COOKIES
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well until creamy.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until incorporated on low speed. Mix in the oats.
- Stir in the peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and M&M candies.
- Place balls of dough, around 1 1/2 Tablespoons each, on the parchment sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. For best results make sure not to overbake. Baking time will depend on your oven. The cookies will not be brown and will continue to cook as they cool on the pan.
VARIATIONS:
Use white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, mini M&M candies, or Reese’s Pieces.
OTHER PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES:
- Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Turtle Buckeye Brownies
- Cutler’s Peanut Butter Cookies
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- No-Bake Cookies
- Homemade Reese’s Bars
- Monster Cookie Cheesecake Bars
Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, (use crunchy if you like nuts)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup peanut butter chips
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well until creamy scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated. Mix in the oats.
- Stir in the peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and M&Ms. You can use a mixer (if you're lazy like me) or stir in by hand. Stirring in by hand makes sure that the M&Ms don't break.
- Place cookie dough balls, around 1 1/2 Tablespoons dough each, on the parchment sheet. You can hand place extra M&Ms on top, pressing slightly in, to give the cookies a professional look.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Make sure not to overbake. The cookies will not be brown and will continue to cook as they cool on the pan.
- Store in an airtight container. Makes around 2 1/2 dozen.
Thanks for the wonderful post
You’re welcome!
These are so delicious! I’ve made them before using a different recipe in which you had to refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours. I didn’t feel like doing that now, so decided to try your recipe. I think we liked these even more! We used walnuts and raisins instead of the peanut butter chips and m&m’s. Delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Ooh yes. Sounds delicious.
I couldn’t decide on a recipe from Pioneer Woman which sparked my need for monster cookies or this one which came so highly rated from co-workers (not to mention, I already adore TGWAE’s S’mores cookies). So, I went with this one and just cut PB chips back by half and added the 1/2 C chopped pecans and 2 C crisped rice cereal from the other recipe. Luckily they didn’t crumble apart and turned out even better than I’d hoped! A shame I can’t share a picture because they looked spot on!
Ooh I think rice cereal is a GENIUS addition! Good thinking!
These turned out great. Thank you so much for the recipe. My 6yr old daughter did most of the work and she loved “testing” as we went along.
Oops posted and messed up on my email address. Wasn’t sure if that mattered.
Aww. Thank you!
We make those every year for Christmas but instead of peanut butter chips we replace them with Reese’s pieces but otherwise the same thing, and they are awesome!
How long do these cookies last after baking?
3 minutes. JK. I think you can keep them in a store tight container for a couple of days.
These cookies were amazing! but I need some help, I’m trying organic peanut butter for the first time and while by peanut butter cookies came out wonderful using organic these cookies came out really dry and crumbly. They were still good (my hubby can’t stop eating them lol) but how do I make them more creamy? Just use more peanut butter? Thanks.
I can only vouch for regular peanut butter (JIF) or something not natural. You could definitely try using more peanut butter.
These are Awesome! My grandson loves my mini monsters
Looks so good
I am so thankful for you and your recipe 🙂 I cannot make cookies. Really. They turn into flattened hard blobs every time, when my friends use the same recipe they come out amazing, but not me. I have no idea what’s wrong with me! I actually bake a lot and have lots of success with other things, just not cookies for some reason. After a while I gave up and refused to try making cookies anymore. My distraught husband made these cookies and they’re DELICIOUS! perfectly soft, but crispy on the edges, filled with yummy ingredients. We love them! So thank you for bringing cookies back into our lives. It would be a sad live that was cookie-less!
I’m so so glad to hear that. Life would not be complete without cookies.
I’ve made these cookies a couple times now and I love them! They are preyy easy and they’re always a big hit! I’ve also used dark chocolate M&Ms in them, which is a fun mix up 🙂 Thanks for shaing your recipe!…I’ve enjoyed it 🙂
You’re welcome. I’m so glad you like them!
I made these yesterday and brought them to work, my coworkers went crazy for them! Amazing recipe! Your recipes never let me down! Thanks =)
Thank you!
Question–it says 3/4 cup of butter, but then 1 1/2 sticks in parenthesis. Which is it? 1.5 sticks would be 1.5 cups…help! Best recipe I’ve found and want to make today!
Shoot Leslie. Probably too late. 1 stick of butter is 1/2 cup so 1 1/2 sticks is 3/4 cup.
They look great!!! I want to make them now!! question I like my cookies crisp, do I need to add more oats, could you give me an advise! Thanks!!!
Yes. More oats or flour should do the trick.
I made these cookies yesterday and they turned out great! Definitely one I will be making again! …Sharing this recipe with a friend 🙂
i just made these. Oh, my gosh. Absolutely delicious and so much better than the monster cookie recipe I’ve been using. Thank you for a recipe that actually delivers! I am new to your website and look forward to trying more stuff!
Thank you Kat!
I regret to say that alas, these are not Monster cookies. Not the Amish loved cookies of my youth; but they are nice cookies. These created a cake like cookie. They lacked the slight snap of the Mennonite cookie I know so well. Two things: I used all natural peanut butter. But that would result in a dryer cookie (mine was crumbly). My suspicion is that the omission of corn syrup (and why I chose your recipe in the first place) is the component. The batter just lacked a certain sine quod non. We did enjoy the cookies very much. my toddler had fun extracting the candy peices from his cookies -with a spoon no less. I future I think I will try to use maple syrup to mimic that chewy snap.
You are correct. Though these look so awesome, monster cookies do not have flour in them. But I would definitely love to try these!
Just made these today. They’re amazing! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!
You’re welcome!
Had a snow day today and made these cookies. They are awesome!!!! Never had a monster cookie until today…. delish!
Yay! Love that you loved them!
I saw this recipe on Pinterest and pinned it. Today is a snow day in northeast Alabama and I just had to make them! They were a hit! I halved the recipe bc we are on a diet! Ha!
Glad you loved them.
my turning 5yo requested these for her birthday dessert, and her 3yo sister tells everyone, “we’re having monster cookies – RAWR! but don’t worry. they’re not scary.” and i’ll add that they’re delicious!
Oh my gosh! She’s the cutest thing ever…
I made these today. These seriously are the best cookies I’ve ever ate. They look and taste amazing and her recipe directions are perfect recipe! Thanks Christy for all you do!!!
Oh Peggy. You made my day!! I love you!
THese look so yummy! Pinned!
the dough looks amazing!!! love these! I’m pinning the recipe and making them as soon as possible!
These look awesome! I’ve never had a monster cookie!
Whaaa??? Oh my gosh. You need one.
My favorite kind of cookie!! I’ll have to try your recipe out as I have not found the perfect one yet.
Great minds think alike! I just made monster cookies last night 🙂 Why are they so darn good?!
They almost taste like a naughty protein bar.
Ahh, this cookies seem to be so lovely! Definitely gonna try this.
These look DELICIOUS! Will be putting them on my ‘to bake’ list! x
My 5yo wanted to tell you that they aren’t Monster Cookies because they aren’t made from monsters …. I swear, they don’t make kids like they used to. When I was 5, I was excited just to be allowed to EAT the cookies.
He has a very, very good point.