These Healthy Monster Cookies are for all those peanut butter and m&ms lovers. They are lightened up flourless peanut butter cookies packed with tender oats and chocolate chips full of flavor. A must for your cookie jar!
Where my COOKIE MONSTERS AT?? I made you healthier gluten-free monster cookies because I just couldn’t help myself.
What are Monster Cookies, you ask?
Generally speaking, monster cookies are peanut butter and oat cookies with chocolate chips and M&M’s®. Sometimes chopped nuts, shredded coconut or other similar ingredients might be mixed in as well.
This recipe is a simple and healthy flourless monster cookie recipe with basic ingredients and naturally colored chocolate candies as well.
Why You’ll Love These
- A total of 11 ingredients, including many healthy pantry items (check out my shopping list for FMK staples !)
- Easy to make and a one bowl recipe!
- Soft, thick and full of peanut butter flavor.
- No flour necessary, thanks to old-fashioned rolled oats!
- They’re gluten-free friendly, using certified gluten-free oats.
The Ingredients
- organic old-fashioned rolled oats – I found this recipe works best with old fashioned rolled oats. Use certified gluten-free oats as needed (I love Bob’s).
- flax seed meal – for a little nutrition boost. You could also substitute hemp hearts.
- baking soda & salt – baking soda helps the cookies rise and remain soft while salt balances flavor.
- creamy peanut butter – I use a natural creamy peanut butter, with just peanuts as the main ingredient. Usually this variety is very drippy and needs to be stirred before adding into a recipe.
- unsalted butter – make sure it’s softened to ensure easier mixing. Coconut oil may work as a substitute, but I haven’t tried this myself.
- dark brown sugar – I like dark brown sugar for its flavor, but coconut sugar or another granulated sugar works too.
- egg + egg yolk – to help hold the ingredients together. It’s best eggs are at room temperature so they incorporate into the butter and sugar better.
- vanilla extract – for a hint of sweet flavor.
- chocolate chips – I like to use dark chocolate morsels to balance the sweetness of the milk chocolate candies.
- chocolate coated candies – M&M’S® candies are a classic monster cookie ingredient. I actually used these, which are naturally colored using veggies such as spirulina and beets. They also have 28% less sugar than traditional brands and are made with Fair Trade ingredients!
How to Make Flourless Monster Cookies
These monster cookies are made with no flour, thanks to loads of peanut butter and old-fashioned rolled oats! This recipe comes together in one bowl and is so easy to make!
Here is a quick step-by-step overview of the recipe, with ingredients amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
First the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl beat together softened butter, peanut butter and brown sugar for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla; mix on low-medium speed until combined. An electric mixer works best here but you can use a metal whisk as well.
Add the Dry Ingredients
Add in rolled oats, flaxseed meal, baking soda and salt. Batter should be soft but not too wet and not too dry.
Fold in Mix-ins
Fold in the chocolate chips and m&ms until combined, being careful not to break too many m&ms.
Scoop & Flatten
Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop dough and drop onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space evenly and shape into even circle, flattening slightly with palm of hand (about 1/2″ thickness).
Note: These cookies won’t spread much, so you want to flatten them slightly.
Bake
Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes, until bottoms are lightly golden.
Recipe Tips
This recipe works best with old-fashioned rolled oats. If you only have quick oats on hand, you can probably get away with using them, but I’d only use 1 full cup.
Natural peanut butter offers the best flavor and will ensure a good consistency for these cookies. Natural peanut butter (with just peanuts and salt listed as ingredients) is usually pretty drippy and the oil settles. Be sure to give it a good stir before adding into the mixing bowl with the butter and sugar.
Evenly space cookies on the parchment lined baking sheet to ensure even cooking.
For a dairy-free recipe, use plant based butter and replace m&m candies with finely chopped walnuts.
How To Store
These gluten free m&m cookies will keep best stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To freeze, transfer to a plastic freezer storage bag, seal, label, date and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Remove from the freezer for 5 minutes to take the chill off before enjoying!
Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
How to Make…
The Best Healthy Monster Cookies
These Healthy Monster Cookies are for all those peanut butter and m&ms lovers. Lightened up, flourless peanut butter cookies made gluten-free using certified gluten-free rolled oats. Loaded with peanut butter flavor, chocolate chips and candy coated milk chocolate. The perfect thick, soft peanut butter cookie.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Diet: Gluten Free
- Yield: 20 cookies 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (can use 1/3 cup)
- 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter (the drippy kind)
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.25 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup coated chocolate candies (plus more for topping if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
- Mix wet ingredients: In large bowl of stand mixer or using electric hand mixer, beat together butter, peanut butter and sugar for about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl then add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla; mix on low-medium speed until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Add in rolled oats, flaxseed meal, baking soda and salt. Use mixer on low-medium speed until combined. Batter should be soft but not too wet and not too dry.
- Fold in mix-ins: Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in chocolate chips and candies until evenly distributed.
- Add to baking sheet: Using medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop dough and drop onto cookie sheet spacing evenly, shaping into even circle and flattening slightly with palm of hand (about 1/2″ thickness). These cookies won’t spread much, so you want to flatten them slightly.
- Bake for 7-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. At this time, you can finish off the tops with more chips or candies.
- Transfer to cooling rack and enjoy!
Recipes Notes:
Recipe update 2022 – recipe updated for better results after reader feedback. They hold together much better now! Thick and soft!
Peanut Butter – I used a natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt for the ingredients. If you choose to use a creamy peanut butter (i.e. JIF), that should also work but you may want to add a tablespoon of oil to the batter.
Butter vs Coconut Oil – I did NOT test these with coconut oil, but it will likely work – just make sure oil is softened and you may need to cream longer with peanut butter and sugar. Let me know if you try!
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1/20th
- Calories: 109
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 132mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Healthier Cranberry Orange Cookies [Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free]
- Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies [Gluten-Free]
- Healthier Cherry Oatmeal Cookies [Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free]
- Grain-Free Espresso Cashew Butter Cookies
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Shakira says
Do you know what the nutritional info is for these yummy cookies? Mainly calories per cookie or per batch?
Ashley says
I do not at the moment but you can enter the recipe into myfitnesspal.com for approximate info. I will try to do this at a later date!
Shannon says
Totally fall apart
★
Ashley says
Hi Shannon, Sorry these didn’t work out for you! Could you share a little more as to how you went about making them, or ingredients? I’d be happy to help troubleshoot with you. I’ve made these several times as have others with no issues.
Lennie Gail says
Super yummy! I’ve made these a few times now. For some reason, mine always crumble. Any thoughts as to what I could be doing wrong to cause this?
★★★★
Billie says
I tried making these and they kind of fell apart but were good. Lol I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and vegan earth balance butter and accidentally melted the butter instead of softened. Could that be why?
Ashley says
Melting the butter would alter the outcome of the cookies, but the milk shouldn’t. Let me know if you try again with softened butter 🙂
Katie says
A family favorite!! These are delicious and so easy to make. Whenever I make a batch they all get eaten in a day?
★★★★★
Ashley says
Yay! So great to hear it. Thanks for the review!
Peggy says
My house is a cookie house so I am always looking for new cookie recipes. I was excited to try a healthier version of this classic. I made a double batch and used regular creamy peanut butter and added the 2 tablespoons of oil as suggested in the notes. Also did the lesser amount of brown sugar (trying to cut back). It was a little too sticky so added a little more oats (next time I’ll use half as much oil). The dough was moist and easy to handle even after adding the mix-ins. As with all my cookies recipes, I make cookie dough “pucks” to freeze (we can bake them fresh as needed and always have them for a quick treat for when the grandkids are here). I flattened them a bit as I usually do and as recommended. I baked them at the suggested temperature and still ended up flattening them a little more half way through (they spread less with frozen dough). This recipe did not disappoint! The sweet, soft, chewy goodness was delightful! These will be a staple for my freezer to share!!!!
★★★★★
Peggy says
We are a cookie household and are always looking for new cookies recipe. I was excited to try a healthier version of this classic. I made a double batch of this recipe and used regular creamy peanut butter (used the oil as recommended in the notes). The dough was a little too sticky so will cut back on the oil next time. The dough was easy to work with even after the mix-ins. I also used the lesser amount of brown sugar (trying to cut back). I used my 2 tablespoon scoop and slightly flattened the dough as recommended. I like to freeze my dough into “pucks” so we can pull them out and have fresh-baked cookies at a moments notice. I baked them after freezing overnight at the recommended temperature and time. I did flattened them half way through as frozen dough usually doesn’t spread as much. This recipe did not disappoint! The soft, chewy cookies were a delight! These will be a staple in my freezer!!
★★★★★