So, two weeks ago I did something kind of weird.
I baked three dozen cookies and wrapped them up all purty...
...and then I mailed a dozen each to three complete strangers in Illinois, Texas, and Georgia.
Why, you ask? Well I was participating in the 1st Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap! I was assigned Lori, Lindsay, and Alison, and they each received a dozen Monster Cookies home-baked by yours truly. I received delicious cookies from Susan (who has the cutest little pug who I wish was shipped to me with my cookies!), Jill, and Michelle. Thanks ladies!
Of course I kept a couple for myself. These things are too good to give them all away. Not only are they delicious, they're simple, and you can convince yourself that eating three in a row is okay because oats are healthy.
In my experience, there are monster cookies that are crunchy, and monster cookies that are chewy. These are the chewy variety, and will stay that way for several days. Not that they'll last that long.
Here's what you'll need:
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Christmas M&Ms, plus additional for decoration
Position oven rack to the middle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars with an electric mixer. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla extract and baking soda, and mix well. Mix in peanut butter until well blended. Dump in the oats, and mix until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and M&Ms with a rubber spatula. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 90 minutes before using.
Using a large cookie scoop, drop cookies onto parchment lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Press a few M&Ms on top of the cookies. Bake in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes:
- I do not recommend baking more than one sheet of cookies at once. It's important that these cook evenly!
- This recipe makes 19-20 very large cookies. If you need to double it (which I did) you'll probably need to do it in separate batches unless your bowls are ginormous. This makes a LOT of dough.
Source: Adapted from Everyday Home Cook
Yum!! It is so fun to see who else is participating in the swap!!
ReplyDeletehttp://justsoparenting.blogspot.com/2011/12/chewy-lemon-lavender-snowdrop-cookies.html
Thanks for the detective work Maggie! Those cookies look fabulous by the way, I think I will try them out for one of the holiday parties I'm hosting. p.s. the pug stays here, but if you ever in my area let me know and you can meet him!
ReplyDeleteWe would love these at our house. They look delicious. Come visit. We have a great Kahlua hot cocoa this week and today we are giving away a wonderful Christmas present. A great book and it comes autographed! Come by and register to win.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!!! I rec'd these soo early and they were so big and delicious! SUPER moist and packed beautifully :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad u got meeeeeeeeeeeee!! and now i can follow ur blog . Cheers :)
These look fabulous! I only wish I could have participated in the swap this year. Your cookie recipients are very lucky indeed! :-)
ReplyDeleteI made these cookies yesterday and they are some of the best cookies I've ever had! Easy to put together and SO tasty! Big and chewy and just awesome! I love the PB, chocolate, oatmeal combo. I also love that I can make them holiday themed or just regular by using different colored M&Ms! Thanks so much for a great recipe!
ReplyDeleteThese cookies look delicious! Very similar to some that my family makes! I like the idea of adding peanut butter! I really love following your girls' blog, all your recipes are delicious! I would really appreciate if you followed me as well :D oatsnchocolate.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI have made this recipe about 5 times now and I'm baking more as I type. I have given away tubs of these things and gorged myself on them as well. This is an exceptional recipe!!!! I just add 1.5 cups M&M's and 1/2 cup choc chips. Anyway... I had to comment since I've made these so many times. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
ReplyDeleteThere were so good! I haven't had monster cookies in years and there were just like I remember. Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteThanks for trying them, and glad you enjoyed!
DeleteThis recipe is the same one my mom always made when we were kids. She would tuck them in our suitcase before we left for camp for the week and seeing this recipe brings back many fond memories. They are great around Easter time made with Eggies. Nom, nom!
ReplyDeleteawesome cookies, I have been looking for a good monster cookie recipe for a while. I have now found it.
ReplyDeleteI love Monster Cookies! My Grandma, who is 76, still makes them for her grandkids and great grandkids. Though she uses peanut M&M's. You should try it! Makes them extra special :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds great! I will have to try that next time...oooh, or maybe the peanut-butter M&Ms? I wonder if they still make those?
DeletePeanut butter M&Ms are the bomb-diggity!! ;) Yes they still make them! :)
DeleteThese cookies are so delicious! I just ate one from my first batch! :) Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you like them :)
DeleteNum! I'm making these for Mother's Day tomorrow (make them today that way I don't get counted down for cooking on Mother's Day LOL!)
ReplyDeleteI'm about to make monster cookies with my 5 year old son and he can't wait. I've made this recipe countless of times with my daughter when she was his age but never used PB so I can't wait to try them either. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteMade these today & they are delicious!!!! Thanks for the great recipe :)
ReplyDeleteMade these today for a cookie swap and they are delicious!!! Thanks for the great recipe and best of all its Gluten Free...yah!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Glad you like them!
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