Gluten-Free Monster Cookies are bursting with the goodness of oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. These cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with flavor, making them a hit with both kids and adults alike.
Not only are Monster Cookies a breeze to make, but they are sure to be a hit, as there is a little something for everyone! With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can whip up a batch of these delightfully chewy cookies in no time.
I had been craving a fully-loaded cookie for weeks before I finally whipped up a batch of these gluten free monster cookies, and boy did they hit the spot. They will fill your house with the most wonderful aroma, and you’d never know they are gluten-free! Also, my recipe is made with less sugar, so it's not overly sweet.
For the cookie lovers out there, check out my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond Flour M&M Cookies, and Gluten-Free Lavender Sugar Cookies.
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Why you'll love this monster cookie recipe
- Easy to make: With just a handful of simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can whip up a batch of these cookies in no time, making them ideal for busy bakers or last-minute cravings.
- Customizable: Get creative with your add-ins! Whether you prefer extra chocolate chips, crunchy nuts, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips, you can tailor this recipe to suit your taste preferences and dietary needs.
- Kid approved: With their colorful appearance and irresistible taste, these cookies are sure to be a hit with kids of all ages, making them the perfect treat for birthday parties, school lunches, or afternoon snacks.
Ingredients
- Peanut Butter: Look for organic peanut butter or a natural peanut butter made with only peanuts, and maybe salt. You will also want to make sure you use creamy peanut butter as opposed to the chunky variety. Costco’s brand is my favorite, you get two large containers for the price of one small jar at the regular grocery store.
- Butter: Grass-fed Unsalted butter. Something like Kerrygold is perfect.
- Coconut Sugar: I prefer using coconut sugar since it’s unrefined, however, your cookie will be less sweet. If you want to use regular sugar that’s fine, however, I’d recommend using half brown sugar and half regular white granulated sugar.
- Eggs: You will want the eggs to be at room temperature. Also shop for organic, pasture-raised eggs for best quality.
- Vanilla Extract: You can also use vanilla bean paste, which is usually my go-to!
- Gluten-Free Flour: If you don't have issues with gluten, then any flour will work. To keep it gluten-free, something like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour works well.
- Gluten-Free Rolled Oats: Read the labels and make sure you are using certified gluten-free oats. I’d also recommend shopping for glyphosate-free oats as well, as it’s well known that oats are highly contaminated with glyphosate, which is the main ingredient in Round-Up (source). My favorite is from One Degree Organic Foods, you can find this brand at Costco. While these oats are on the larger side, you can pulse them a few times in the food processor if you prefer a smaller cut oat. You can also use gluten-free quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Sea Salt: Any sea salt will work, however, something like Real Salt is a great option.
- Chocolate chips: I love using Hu gems. Their chocolate has no dairy, no GMOs, no emulsifiers, no lecithins, no gluten, no refined sugar, no cane sugar, AND no sugar alcohols. YAY! I love these Hu Gems.M&M’s: I used Unreal Milk Chocolate Gems in place of traditional M&M’s, as Unreal does not contain soy or any artificial coloring. They color their candy by using natural ingredients such as beets, turmeric, and radish juice.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add your dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low speed until just combined.
3. Add in the oatmeal, chocolate chips, and M&Ms. Gently stir to combine.
4. Use a large cookie scoop to scoop rounded balls of dough and place them on lined cookie sheets, leaving space between them for them to spread. I only do 6-8 per cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten them out a bit.
5. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown and they don't look gooey in the center. These are better slightly under-cooked than overcooked.
Hint: Remember, every oven is different! I’ve noticed my new oven cooks things a bit faster, so your cookies may take slightly shorter or longer to bake. Keep an eye on them once you hit the 10-minute mark.
Substitutions and variations
- Nut Butter Alternatives: Instead of peanut butter, try using almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Vegan Option: Use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of regular butter, and flax egg or chia eggs as an egg replacer to make vegan monster cookies.
- Mix-In Variations: Get creative with your mix-ins! Try dried fruit, chopped nuts, white chocolate chips, crushed gluten-free pretzels, or even crushed candy canes for a festive twist.
- Flour Blend Substitutions: Experiment with different gluten-free flour blends like oat flour, or almond flour for a unique texture and flavor.
- Protein Packed: Try adding in your favorite vanilla protein powder to make protein monster cookies!
Serving
Wondering what to serve with these heavenly cookies? Try any or all of the following:
- Cold Milk: The classic cookie companion! Dunking these chewy, chocolatey cookies in a tall glass of cold milk is pure bliss.
- Coffee or Tea: The rich flavors of the cookies pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or tea for an indulgent afternoon treat.
- Ice Cream: Take it over the top by sandwiching a scoop of vanilla or peanut butter ice cream between two monster cookies for an epic ice cream sandwich.
Storage
Let the cookies cool completely before storing them, then place them in an airtight container. You can store these cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
For longer storage, place the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. Stack them in an airtight freezer bag with parchment paper between layers.
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Reheating
Place room temperature cookies on a baking sheet and warm in a 250°F oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through. Be careful not to overheat as that can dry out the cookies.
Properly storing and gently reheating these monster cookies will ensure they stay fresh, soft, and chewy - making them hard to resist any time the craving strikes!
Top tip
Don't overbake your cookies! They should be slightly golden around the edges but still soft and chewy in the middle.
FAQ
Absolutely! If you are not a fan of peanut butter cookies, feel free to use any nut or seed butter of your choice. Just be sure to use a creamy, natural variety for best results.
Yes, these cookies freeze beautifully! Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours or pop them in the oven for a quick reheat.
Of course! While the M&M candies add a fun pop of color and sweetness, you can certainly leave them out if you prefer. Feel free to substitute them with your favorite mix-ins, such as raisins, dried cranberries, butterscotch chips, or chopped nuts.
You bet! Scoop the cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze them. Once frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. When you're ready for fresh, warm cookies, pop them in the oven straight from the freezer!
More cookie recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Gluten-Free Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Peanut Butter
- ½ cup Butter room temperature
- 3 Eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Gluten-Free Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 cup Chocolate Chips HU Gems
- 1 cup M&M's unreal
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. If you don't have a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer.
- Slowly add in the eggs, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add your dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Next, add in the oats and mix to combine.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&M's.
- Cover the dough and place it in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop rounded balls of dough and place them on lined cookie sheets, leaving space between them for them to spread. I only do 6-8 per cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten them out a bit.
- Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown and they don't look gooey in the center. These are better slightly under-cooked than overcooked.
- Remove from oven and leave on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving cookies to a cooling rack.
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