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The Best Peanut Butter Monster Cookies are made with creamy peanut butter, hearty oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s. These soft and chewy Monster cookies are loved by everyone…especially peanut butter enthusiasts!
I have been recipe testing Monster cookies over and over again to get them just perfect. I can now declare that this is the best monster cookie recipe!
Let’s be honest…sometimes monster cookies can end up too dry and crumbly. Who wants that in a cookie? Not me!
I wanted to create a soft monster cookie filled with chewy oats and creamy peanut butter that still melts in your mouth. This is definitely a soft and chewy monster cookie recipe!
I played around with different ratios and found the sweet spot and baked up the perfect Monster Cookies! I am sharing all of my tips and tricks for making the best peanut butter, oatmeal, M & M’s cookies.
What are Monster Cookies?
Monster cookies are peanut butter oatmeal cookies filled with chocolate chips and M&M’s. These chunky and hearty cookies are a favorite among both kids and adults, making them a perfect treat.
Why You will love these Monster cookies:
- If you are a peanut butter lover, this is the cookie for you. It has the perfect balance of peanut butter flavor coupled with decadent chocolate.
- The chewiness from the oats makes it hearty yet soft and chewy.
- The crunchiness from the M&M’s paired with the chewy centers makes this such a crowd favorite.
Monster Cookie Ingredients:
This soft and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie is chock full of M & M chocolate candies and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Butter — use softened unsalted butter.
- Brown Sugar — always pack down the brown sugar for accurate measurement.
- Sugar
- Creamy Peanut Butter — use creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy’s. The cookies will be too dry if you use natural peanut butter.
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Rolled Oats — use old-fashioned rolled oats.
- Flour — use all-purpose flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Chocolate Chips — use semi-sweet chocolate chips
- M & M’s — use plain M & M chocolate candies
Tips for making the Best Monster Cookies:
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Overmixing can result in tough cookies. Mix the dry ingredients just until combined.
- Use Quality Ingredients: Choose high-quality peanut butter, chocolate chips, and other mix-ins for the best flavor and texture.
- Customize your Monster Cookies: Feel free to swap out or adjust the mix-ins to suit your preferences. You can add butterscotch chips, pretzels, and different types of M&M’s.
- Chill the Dough: For extra thick and chewy cookies, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking. This helps to reduce spreading. This is a soft dough so it is an important step.
- Bake on a Light Colored Baking Sheet: when you bake cookies on dark baking sheets, the heat is attracted to them and can result in burnt bottoms. Always opt for light colored baking sheets.
- Store Properly: To keep them fresh and chewy, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Variations:
There are so many monster cookie variations. You can add butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, salted caramel chips, salty pretzels, and more.
How do I know when the monster cookies are done baking?
The rule of thumb is it is better to under bake cookies rather than over bake as cookies will continue to set up once they are removed from the oven.
I would suggest looking for the edges to set up and for the centers to look slightly set-up.
Do I need to chill Monster Cookie Dough?
Yes! Make sure to chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes. This allows the cookie dough to solidify enough so the cookies don’t spread as much in the oven.
Can you freeze monster cookies?
Yes! These cookies freeze very well. I suggest placing them in freezer-safe gallon-sized Ziploc bags.
What kind of oats to use in Monster Cookies?
I suggest using old-fashioned, rolled oats (not the 5-minute oats) for the softest, chewiest monster cookies.
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Best Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (like Jif)
- 1 large Egg
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup M&M's Chocolate Candies (divided)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of M&M's, reserving 1/4 cup for after baking.
- Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 365 degrees. Scoop the dough onto a light colored baking sheet, spacing at least two inches apart.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately lightly press the remaining 1/4 cup of M&M's into the tops of the cookies. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing.
Notes
Variations:
There are so many monster cookie variations. You can add butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, salted caramel chips, salty pretzels, and more.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Curious why some of your cookie recipes call for softened butter and some call for cold butter. By the way all the cookies I’ve made from your site have been a HUGE it!
Made this recipe for the first time a couple weeks ago and have made it again 3 times since! Made some for a family member but they turned out so good I had to make them for myself too!
I am SO glad you love them, Marissa! Thank you so much for making them.
This recipe makes awesome cookies! They’re soft with a perfect balance of flavors