These Christmas Monster Cookies are the ultimate treat for the holiday season! Packed with oats, creamy peanut butter, festive M&Ms, chocolate chips, and a touch of holiday cheer, they’re thick, chewy, and irresistibly fun.
These Christmas Monster Cookies are the best festive treat ! Just like a traditional monster cookie they are loaded Loaded with festive M&Ms, oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. These cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with flavor making them the perfect cookie for cookie swaps, dessert trays, or enjoying by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa. these cookies are a delightful twist on the classic monster cookie.
For more holiday treats try my Christmas blondies, dark chocolate raspberry cake or Pumpkin Chocolate chip cake
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Festive and Fun – Packed with colorful holiday M&Ms, these cookies bring a cheerful vibe to your cookie tray.
- Easy to Make – Made in one bowl with simple ingredients, these cookies come together quickly and easily.The best part is they require no chilling!
- Loaded with Goodies – Oats, peanut butter, M&Ms, and chocolate chips make these cookies a texture and flavor dream.
- Crowd-Pleaser – Perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchange, or gifting!
Ingredients Notes
- Flour: All-purpose flour works best for this recipe. Make sure to measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Old-Fashioned Oats: Use old-fashioned oats for the best chewy texture. Avoid instant oats as they can make the cookies too dry.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted room temperature softened butter.
- Peanut Butter: Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth texture. Avoid natural peanut butter, as it can separate and affect the dough consistency.
- M&M candies: Holiday-themed m&ms add a festive touch. Feel free to use regular or mini m&ms if preferred.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness. You can substitute with dark or milk chocolate chips based on your taste.
- White Chocolate Chips:These add sweetness and look great with the holiday colors. You can use regular white chocolate chips or even chopped up white chocolate bars.
- Large Eggs: Ensure your eggs are at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Granulated White Sugar: Provides sweetness to the cookies and helps them spread.
- Light brown sugar: I used light brown sugar but you can use dark brown sugar as well.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and stay soft.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and enhances the overall flavor.
- Holiday Sprinkles: Optional here but they add a wonderful festive touch to these cookies.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these christmas monster cookies recipe. You can use a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 1. Mix Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together peanut butter, unsalted butter and both sugars on high speed until smooth for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2. Add the eggs and vanilla:Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step 3. Add Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low speedGradually mix in all flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, and salt until well combined.Make sure not to over mix.
Step 4. Fold in Goodies: Gently fold in holiday M&Ms, sprinkles and both kinds of chocolate chips.
Step 5. Scoop and Shape: Use a large cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop 2 tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.Place a few extra m&ms and chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
Step 6. Bake the cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers look slightly underbaked. They will set as they cool.
Step 7. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Tricks
- Avoid Overbaking: The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you remove them from the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Customize Add-Ins: Add chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or white chocolate chips for variety.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: For even baking, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make them tough instead of soft and chewy.
- Measure flour properly:The flour needs to be spooned and leveled. If you scoop using the measuring cup directly into the flour, it will be compacted. Compacted flour means no spread with your cookies.
- Give the cookies a scoot. For perfectly round cookies, use a large round cookie cutter or an upside-down glass jar to “scoot” the edges of the cookie straight out of the oven.
FAQs
Yes, but it will add extra texture to the cookies. If you prefer a smoother consistency, stick with creamy peanut butter.
Quick oats can work in a pinch, but the cookies may have a slightly different texture.
Ensure the butter is softened but not melted, and don’t skip measuring the flour and oats accurately.
Absolutely! Replace the M&Ms with additional chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruits.
Yes! replace the peanut butter with equal quantity of sunflower seed butter. Make sure to use nut free m&ms as well.
Storage & Freezing
Storage:
Store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing:
- To Freeze Dough: Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Place cookies in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Cookie Recipes To Try
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Christmas Monster Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- 2 Baking sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg plus egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup red and green holiday candies like M&Ms
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips optional
- ½ cup Holiday sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg and egg yolk, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt, oats, and flour.
- With the mixer on low speed gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.Do not over mix.
- Fold in the m&ms, chocolate chips, and optional white chocolate chips and sprinkles.
- Using a large cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.Optionally, top each cookie with more m&ms and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden. Centers may appear slightly underdone; they’ll set as they cool.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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