I perfected my Monster Cookie Recipe by combining peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M into a nostalgic crowd-pleaser that everyone keeps asking me about.

Jump to Recipe

I never meant to chase The Best Cookies Ever but that’s what happened when I mixed a ridiculous amount of creamy peanut butter and a generous handful of M&M candies into a soft, chewy dough. This Monster Cookie Recipe kinda snuck up on me; it started as a late night experiment and now friends expect them at every gathering.

They look a little messy, like they could fall apart, yet somehow stay perfectly soft in the middle. I keep promising I’ll stop eating the warm ones straight from the sheet pan, but I lie.

You’ll wanna try one and figure out why.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Unsalted butter: Adds rich fat and moisture makes cookies tender mostly calories not much fiber
Creamy peanut butter: Gives protein, nuttiness and chew, add healthy fats but also lots of calories
Light brown sugar: Sweetens and adds caramel notes, adds moisture, mostly simple carbs not much nutrition
Quick oats: Provide fiber and some protein, give chew and substance, healthier than refined flour
Eggs: Bind ingredients, add protein and structure, yolks add richness and moisture
M&M candies: Pure fun and crunch, make it very sweet, mainly sugar and food coloring
Semi sweet chocolate chips: Melty chocolate bittersweet balance, adds fat and sugar, big flavor punch
Vanilla extract: Tiny amount boosts flavor, it’s aromatic, adds perceived sweetness without more sugar

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

1 cup creamy peanut butter room temperature

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cups M&M candies

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. In a large bowl cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened, 1 cup creamy peanut butter at room temp, 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scraping the bowl so everything’s evenly mixed.

4. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the wet mixture, mix briefly, then fold in 3 cups quick oats until just combined, don’t overmix or the oats will get gummy.

5. Fold in 1 1/2 cups M&M candies and 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, reserving a handful of M&Ms and chips to press on top of the cookies for a prettier look.

6. Optional but helpful hack: chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm or you want thicker cookies; chilled dough spreads less.

7. Scoop dough using a 1/4 cup scoop or rounded large tablespoon and place on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart; press a few reserved M&Ms/chips onto the top of each mound so they show after baking.

8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Dont overbake, they firm up as they cool and you want them chewy.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temp to keep them soft and chewy.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, to cream butter and peanut butter
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. 1/4 cup cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing the cookies

FAQ

Q: Do I need to chill the dough?

A: You don't have to, you can bake right away, but chilling 30 to 60 minutes helps the cookies stay thicker and not spread all over the sheet. If you're short on time bake, but expect a flatter cookie.

Q: How long should I bake them to keep them soft and chewy?

A: Bake at 350°F for about 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set but the centers still look a little soft. They'll firm up as they cool so don't overbake, otherwise they'll get crunchy.

Q: Can I swap the creamy peanut butter for natural or chunky peanut butter?

A: Yes. Chunky works fine but adds more texture. Natural style peanut butter with separated oil can make the dough a bit oily, so stir it well and you might want to chill the dough longer so it firms up.

Q: Can I use old fashioned rolled oats instead of quick oats?

A: Absolutely. Rolled oats will give a heartier, chewier bite while quick oats make a softer, more uniform crumb. Either works, just expect a different texture.

Q: How should I store or freeze the cookies or dough?

A: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For dough, scoop into balls and freeze on a tray then transfer to a bag for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough adding 1 to 2 minutes to the time.

Q: Any tips for evenly sized, pretty cookies?

A: Use a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons) for uniform balls, press a few extra M&M s on top before baking for looks, and chill briefly if the dough is warm. Roll the balls tight so they hold shape while baking.

Soft And Chewy Monster Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter (1 cup): swap for 1 cup solid coconut oil (use refined if you dont want coconut flavor). Cookies may brown faster, so chill the dough briefly before baking.
Peanut butter (1 cup): use almond butter or sunflower seed butter 1:1; sunflower is great if you need nut free, but the dough might be a bit looser so chill 10-15 minutes.
Eggs (2 large): replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 mins) or 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg; flax keeps the chewiness better.
Quick oats (3 cups): use equal amount old-fashioned rolled oats (pulse 2-4 times in a food processor for a softer chew), or sub with 3 cups oat flour for a denser, cakier cookie but you may need to reduce other liquids slightly.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough longer than you think, even overnight if you can, it firms up the fat so the cookies spread less and the flavors meld better. If the dough gets rock hard, let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before scooping or it wont scoop nicely.

– For better oat texture try swapping about half the quick oats for old fashioned rolled oats or pulse the quick oats once in a food processor so theyre not too gummy. You can also toast the oats in a dry skillet for a few minutes to add a toasty, nutty flavor.

– Want the M&M colors to stay bright and the candies not to bleed into the cookie, save a handful to press on top right after the cookies come out of the oven, or press them in very gently in the last 1 to 2 minutes of baking. Using mini M&Ms helps with even distribution and less melting too.

– To keep them soft for days, store cooled cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a plain tortilla, it keeps moisture in. Also freeze scooped dough on a tray then bag it so you can bake fresh batches whenever you want, no thaw needed just add a minute or two to the bake time.

Soft And Chewy Monster Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected my Monster Cookie Recipe by combining peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M into a nostalgic crowd-pleaser that everyone keeps asking me about.

Servings

servings

Calories

350

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Electric mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon, to cream butter and peanut butter
5. Rubber spatula for scraping and folding
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. 1/4 cup cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing the cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups M&M candies
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a large bowl cream together 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened, 1 cup creamy peanut butter at room temp, 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scraping the bowl so everything's evenly mixed.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the wet mixture, mix briefly, then fold in 3 cups quick oats until just combined, don't overmix or the oats will get gummy.
Fold in 1 1/2 cups M&M candies and 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, reserving a handful of M&Ms and chips to press on top of the cookies for a prettier look.
Optional but helpful hack: chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm or you want thicker cookies; chilled dough spreads less.
Scoop dough using a 1/4 cup scoop or rounded large tablespoon and place on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart; press a few reserved M&Ms/chips onto the top of each mound so they show after baking.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Dont overbake, they firm up as they cool and you want them chewy.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temp to keep them soft and chewy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.