These peanut butter Monster Cookies are slightly crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy in the center. They are loaded with oats, peanut butter, M&M candies and chocolate chips and they’re completely addicting!

These Monster cookies are like the beautiful step-child of a chewy oatmeal cookie, and a soft peanut butter cookie. Throw in some chocolate chips and m&m’s and you’ll see that they are cookie heaven!

Monster Cookies

We usually reserve baking for the weekends, or a lazy Sunday afternoon! My kids like to help, and cookies are our favorite thing to bake together. They especially love making Monster Cookies because the name is fun and there are lots of ingredients they can easily help measure and add to the bowl all by themselves. Plus, they have chocolate chips and m&m’s, and what’s better than a cookie with both of those?!

How do you make Monster Cookies?

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper or silplat liner.
• Cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add peanut butter and mix well. Add egg and vanilla and mix.
• In a separate mixing bowl stir together the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• Add to the wet mixture and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and M&M’s.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or a little longer if you make them bigger than a 1 inch cookie scoop. Don’t over bake–they will look just set, and will harden as they rest on the pan.
• Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

How do you keep cookies from spreading?

During baking, cookies naturally spread, but the key is to make sure they don’t spread too much.  To keep your monster cookies from spreading, be sure to use exact measurements (no guesstimating) and use room temperature ingredients, particularly the butter and eggs.  You can also stop cookies from getting flat by chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes before baking.

Can you freeze Monster Cookies?

Yes, these cookies freeze well! You can freeze them after they’re baked and cooled by storing them in a freezer safe container and freezing for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the cookie dough after scooping it into balls. When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough on a baking sheet and add 2-4 minutes to the baking time.

Monster Cookies

These peanut butter Monster Cookies are slightly crisp on the outside, and soft and chewy in the center. They are loaded with oats, peanut butter, M&M candies and chocolate chips and they’re completely addicting!

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup M&M candies
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together really well, until light and fluffy.
3. Add peanut butter and mix well. Add egg and vanilla and mix.
4. In a separate mixing bowl stir together the flour, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Add to the wet mixture and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and M&M’s.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or a little longer if you make them bigger than a 1 inch cookie scoop. Don’t over bake–they will look just set.
7. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.

Adapted from my Mrs. Fields Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

from The Recipe Critic http://bit.ly/2JbufmG