Monster Cookies

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If you’re looking for a cookie recipe that packs in all your favorite flavors, look no further than monster cookies. These chewy, chunky, and irresistibly delicious cookies are loaded with oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and colorful M&Ms, making them the perfect cookie for any occasion.

What Are Monster Cookies? 

Monster cookies are a delicious combination of oatmeal cookies, peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies, all baked into one. They’re called “monster” cookies because when baked with all the tasty mix-ins they end up being larger and more substantial than your average cookie.

Why you’ll love these monster cookies:

• Soft and Chewy on the inside and slightly crispy around the edges.
• Packed with flavor due to the combination of oats, peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch.
• Easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins like chocolate candies, pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, etc. 
• Easy to make recipe that comes together in just a few minutes. 

I grew up making monster cookies out of my Grandma’s church cook book from Sibley Iowa. I have tweaked the recipe to my liking, but these cookies are so nostalgic to me and are always a big a hit!

Ingredients for the Best Monster Cookies:

• Old-fashioned rolled oats: Adds a chewy texture. 
• Peanut Butter: The creamy base that makes these cookies rich and flavorful. 
• M&Ms: For color, crunch and sweetness.
• Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate for indulgence and texture.
• Butterscotch Chips: My favorite ingredient that sets these monster cookies apart from other recipes!
• Brown Sugar: For moisture and caramel flavor. 
• Granulated Sugar: To sweeten the cookie perfectly. 
• All purpose Flour: Helps the structure of the cookie. 
• Eggs: To bind all the ingredients together. 
• Vanilla Extract: Because I put vanilla in all my dessert recipes.
• Baking Soda: To help the cookies rise perfectly. 
• Salt: To balance out the sweetness. 

Optional Add-ins: Feel free to get creative! You can throw in nuts, shredded coconut, or crushed pretzels. The options are endless!

Instructions:

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together oats, flour, salt, and baking soda, set aside.
3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Next mix in vanilla and eggs one at a time scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients: With the mixer on low-speed slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients just until incorporated. 
5. Add the fun stuff: Lastly, stir in m&m’s, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.
6. Shape and Bake: Measure 3 tablespoons of cookie dough, gently roll into a ball (doesn’t have to be perfect), and place on baking sheet. Use a cookie dough scoop if you have one. Push in additional m&m’s, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips if desired (this makes them look pretty). Bake for 13-15 minutes and let cool slightly on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

If you don’t have a mixer, you can either mix by hand or use a hand-held mixer using the same instructions as above. 

Tips for the Perfect Monster Cookies:

• Don’t over-bake: The cookies should still look soft in the middle. They will set as they cool. 
• Don’t over-mix the dough: Mix ingredients just until incorporates. Over-mixing can cause cookies to be dense and tough. 
• Use parchment paper or baking mat: Ensures your cookies won’t spread too much and makes clean up easier. 
• Chill the dough: Chilling cookie dough helps the cookies from spreading. 
• Prepare ingredients: Reading through the recipe and preparing ingredients ahead reduces baking mistakes. 

Variations:

• Gluten Free Monster Cookies: Simply sub the oats and flour for GF oats and flour. 
• Monster Cookies without Peanut Butter: Simply sub peanut butter for another nut butter, like almond, cashew or sunflower butter.
• Healthier Monster Cookies: Reduce the amount of sugar and use dark chocolate chips and M&M’s for a slightly healthier version. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I freeze Monster Cookies?

Yes, absolutely! Store baked cookies in freezer bags for up to 3 months. You can freeze the cookie dough as well for up to 3 months. Simply scoop cookie dough onto a baking sheet, cover and freeze then transfer frozen cookie dough into a freezer bag. 

How long do they last?

About a week in an airtight container or bag. 

Final Thoughts:

These homemade monster cookies are a family favorite. Every time I make them, I’m right back in my parent’s kitchen in Iowa. They’re the perfect combination of chewy, sweet and indulgent. Whether baking for a party, a family treat, or just for yourself, this recipe is easy to follow and customize to your liking. Don’t forget, the dough and cookies freeze beautifully, so you can always have a monster cookie on hand when a craving strikes! 

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Yield: 27 large cookies

Monster Cookies

Print

A delicious cookie comprised of peanut butter, oats, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and chocolate covered candies. These are a must make cookie!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

Total Time 24 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 3/4 cup chocolate coated candies (like m&ms)
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for top of cookies
• 1 cup butterscotch chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together oats, flour, salt, and baking soda, set aside.
3. In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Next mix in vanilla and eggs one at a time scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. With the mixer on low-speed slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients.
5. Lastly, stir in m&m's, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.
5. Measure about 3 tablespoons of cookie dough, gently roll into a ball (doesn't have to be perfect), and place on baking sheet. Use a cookie dough scoop if you have one. Push in additional m&m's, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips if desired (this makes them look pretty).
Bake for 13-15 minutes and let cool slightly on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

cookies can be frozen up to 3 months. This recipe makes a lot of cookie dough. You can measure out smaller amounts of dough to get more cookies out of it. I prefer larger cookies with this recipe so that each cookie has enough of each goodie in it.

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