These monster cookies are filled with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&Ms. These monster cookies are easy to make and produce a soft and thick cookie. And there’s no dough chilling!
Welcome to day 2 of the Cookie Extravaganza!
I started my 1st annual cookie countdown yesterday with Cranberry Almond White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Today I’m sharing a BIG festive cookie.
Let’s make Soft & Thick Monster Cookies!
If there’s a serious lack of peanut butter in your life, you should make these. There’s always a time and a place for peanut butter cookies, especially during the holiday season.
Why You’ll Love These Monster Cookies
- Not only quick, but also easy to make
- This dough requires zero chilling
- Extra thick
- Studded with M&Ms and chocolate chips
- A strong peanut butter flavor
Ingredients For Monster Cookies
- Flour: Just like most cookies, the flour is the base of the cookies.
- Oats: The oats provide a chewier texture to the cookie. We’re using quick oats which are thinner and more powdery. See the recipe notes if you don’t have quick oats.
- Cinnamon: Can you even have any type of oatmeal cookie without cinnamon? Didn’t think so!
- Peanut Butter: Would these be monster cookies without peanut butter? NOPE.
- Butter: Make sure that you are using room temperature butter. Using too warm of butter will cause the cookies to spread too much while they bake.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Both provide flavor.
- Brown Sugar: I like to use more brown sugar than white sugar because brown sugar has more flavor from the molasses and more moisture than granulated sugar. This ensures a softer cookie.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps add to the sweetness.
- Eggs: We’re using 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. Both help bind the cookie ingredients together while keeping them chewy.
- M&Ms & Chocolate Chips: These are basic add-ins for monster cookies. To keep things festive I used holiday M&Ms, but feel free to use any combination or add-ins. Keep the add-ins to 1.5 cups or less.
How To Make Monster Cookies
Let me show you how easy it is to make these cookies.
- Cream the Butter & Sugars: Using a hand-held or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, you’ll cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy— about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Peanut Butter, Egg & Vanilla Extract: Continuing on medium speed, you’ll add in the peanut butter, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the Baking Soda & Flour: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the baking soda and flour until just combined.
- Add the Quick Oats, M&Ms & Chocolate Chips: Still on low speed, add in the quick oats, M&Ms and chocolate chips until just incorporated.
- Roll Into Balls: Carefully roll balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, without compacting the dough. Place on the baking sheet and top with a few additional M&Ms and chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly browned. The cookies will still look slightly soft— this is how they should look.
- Press Down & Cool: Slightly press down on the baked cookies with the back of a spoon since the cookies only spread a little bit while cooking. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
No Chilling Required!
Like I mentioned earlier, this is a quick cookie recipe. This cookie dough doesn’t require any chilling. The dough is thick enough to bake right away which means that this is a cookie recipe that’s done in 30 minutes!
I’m 100% sure that these cookies will be gone before you sit the plate out.
Cookie Extravaganza
This recipe is part of Cookie Extravaganza. The first of an annual tradition where I share 5 new cookie recipes just in time for the holidays.
Soft & Thick Monster Cookies
Description
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 3/4 cup M&Ms
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed— about 2-3 minutes.
- Continuing on medium speed, you’ll add in the peanut butter, egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the baking soda and flour until just combined. Still on low speed, add in the quick oats, M&Ms and chocolate chips until just incorporated.
- Carefully roll balls of dough, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per ball, without compacting the dough. Place on the baking sheet and top with a few additional M&Ms and chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly browned. The cookies will still look slightly soft— this is how they should look.
- Slightly press down on the baked cookies with the back of a spoon since the cookies only spread a little bit while cooking. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. The cookies stay fresh at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked and completely cooled cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. The cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
- Peanut Butter: I do not recommend natural style peanut butter for this recipe. You want something processed such as Jif or Skippy.
- M&Ms: Any type of M&Ms work in this recipe.
- Quick Oats: If you don’t have quick oats, pulse whole oats in the food processor or blender a few times to break them down.
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