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Monster cookies are slightly crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy in the center. They are loaded with peanut butter, oats, M&M candies, AND chocolate chips! Big monster cookies win every time!
Give me ALL the oatmeal in my cookies! I love the added texture it adds. If you’re like me, try these no-bake cookies, our favorite oatmeal fudge bars, or stick with a classic oatmeal cookie recipe.
Reasons You’ll Love These Cookies
- Everyone Loves Homemade Cookies: Homemade cookies are always better than store-bought! Hot cookies and milk are the key to everyone’s heart.
- Kid-Friendly Recipe: Kids love to help make these monster cookies! The name is just fun! They can make them as big as they want to. And they’ll love the added candy M&M’s!
- Loaded With Good Stuff: Yes these are cookies, but they’re loaded with rolled oats and peanut butter. The oats make them heartier and the peanut butter adds extra protein and healthy fats.
Monster Cookies
Monster cookies start with a classic cookie recipe but the add-ins are where it’s at! They are loaded with peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal resulting in the best chewy texture! Plus, they have chocolate chips AND M&M’s! What’s better than a cookie that has both?! Everyone goes crazy over this recipe and you’ll be asked to make them again and again. My kids love these cookies because I make them nice and BIG…just what a monster cookie should be!
Cookies are a staple food at our house and it’s always fun to switch it up! Try some more favorites like these iced oatmeal cookies, these yummy clothespin cookies, or these brookies!
Ingredients to Make Monster Cookies
These cookies use classic ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry! I might need to run to the store and grab some M&M’s but it’s so worth it! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact measurements.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter provides richness and a buttery flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the dough.
- Light Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a warm caramel undertone, enhancing sweetness and creating a chewy texture in the cookies.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: You will LOVE the added peanut butter flavor in this cookie.
- Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla is always a must in cookie dough.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives structure to the cookies.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Adds the best texture to the cookies.
- Salt: This enhances all of the flavors in this cookie recipe.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These help the cookies rise and make them light and soft.
- Mini M&M Candies: It’s not a monster cookie if it doesn’t have M&M’s!!
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: The more chocolate the better if you ask me!
Monster Cookie Recipe
We love baking on the weekends at our house! This is the perfect recipe to let them help you make. They love making monster cookies because the name is fun and there are lots of ingredients they can easily measure by themselves.
- Preheat Oven/ Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the Butter and Sugars: Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4, until light and fluffy.
- Add the Peanut Butter, Eggs, and Vanilla: Add the peanut butter and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is fully incorporated.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in M&M’s and chocolate chips by hand.
- Scoop the Cookie Dough: Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
- Bake: Bake for 9-11 minutes but do not overbake them! They will look just set on the edges and a little doughy in the center.
- Cool: Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
peanut butter.
How to Keep Cookies From Spreading
To keep your monster cookies from spreading too much, be sure to use exact measurements, no guesstimating! Use room temperature ingredients, particularly the butter and eggs. You can also stop cookies from spreading too much by chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes before baking.
Storing Monster Cookies
Make a big batch of monster cookies to enjoy all week long! My kids love leftover cookies in their lunches. Follow my tips below for storing and freezing leftovers.
- At Room Temperature: Store leftover monster cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. To keep them extra fresh, place a plain slice of sandwich bread in the container! This helps the cookies maintain moisture over time.
- In the Freezer: Freeze leftover cookies after they’re baked and cooled. Place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough after scooping it into balls. When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough on a baking sheet and add 2-4 minutes to the baking time.
Tips and Variations
Have fun making these monster cookies! Here are some tips and ideas on how to make these cookies just the way you want them. I can’t wait for you to taste the peanut butter, chocolate, and oaty goodness!
- Chocolate Chips and M&M’s: I used mini chocolate chips and mini M&M’s, but you may use the regular size of either or both of them! You may also swap one out for the other, or use milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.
- Chunky Peanut Butter: For added crunch, use chunky peanut butter instead of smooth.
- Oats: You can use quick oats instead of old-fashioned, but they will make the cookie a little cakier instead of chewier as they tend to absorb more moisture.
- Add Coconut: If you love coconut, then add shredded coconut! Replace 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips or M&M’s with shredded coconut.
- DO NOT OVER-BAKE: Don’t over-bake the cookies! If the edges have turned a deep golden brown, they have baked too long. These cookies need to be just barely set around the edges when they come out of the oven. The center will look under-baked, but they will continue to cook as they cool on the baking sheet.
More M&M Inspired Desserts
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Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup mini M&M candies
- ⅔ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4, until light and fluffy.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is fully incorporated.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, oats, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in M&Ms and chocolate chips by hand.
- Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes but do not overbake them! They will look just set on the edges and a little doughy in the center.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was looking for a cookie to help me use up the bits of things I had left over in my pantry and this hit all the marks, oats, m&m’s, semi sweet chocolates, peanut butter. It was extremely easy. I cooked them at 12 minutes just till slightly brown on the bottoms so they were nice and soft. Took them, and a batch of another set of cookies I made, to my mother in laws for dinner. She took the entire batch leaving none for my husbands grandfather who we were off to visit next. Which was perfectly ok with me my husband however was heart broke there were none left for himself. I made him another batch today tho. His grandfather got the pudding cookies I also got off this site. He loved them. My mother in law said she wanted to take some to her coworkers next day. I’m sure you could easily substitute nuts and raisins in this mix and make a great cookie. My hubby loves peanut butter and oatmeal raisin cookies so I might try that next. But even if you don’t substitute the m&m’s, light peanut butter flavor, and semi sweet chocolates are really the perfect mix of flavors. I used mini m&m’s which I prefer. I would recommend parchment paper sheets for ease of baking. I used a cookie scoop which really makes life easy. And a cooling rack which is extremely helpful. I used to never use them but I invested some money (not much) and I’m glad I did. But this recipe is definitely a keeper!
So tasty recipe. I really love it.