Healthier Monster Cookies [gluten-free]

Healthier Monster Cookies for those peanut butter m&m cookie lovers! Lightened up flourless peanut butter cookies made with oats, chocolate chips and m&ms – gluten-free friendly.

Where my COOKIE MONSTERS AT?? I made you (healthier) monster cookies because I just couldn’t help myself.

When I had my siblings over for cookie decorating Christmas eve, I made those (amazing) little pretzel kiss m&m treats – you know the ones. They’re basically a must for the holidays. Well when I started the pretzel kiss assembly I realized I forgot to pick up m&ms. *DOH* So I asked my sister to bring me a bag of red and green m&ms on her way over. But what she brought me instead was a ginormous bag of regular m&ms. Which was fine because I made asked my little brother to pick out all of the red and green ones for the pretzel kiss treats 😀 But then that still left me with a big ole bag of m&ms. I mean there are only so many green and red m&ms per regular bag, ya know?

So anyways, I don’t like to leave candy sitting out because I WILL eat it – especially m&ms. I just can’t help but love those little coated bites of chocolate. So I stuck the bag in the pantry out of eyesight and told myself I’d make some cookies with them at a later date.

Well that date is now, my friends. And Healthier Monster Cookies won over “real” cookies for Mr. FMK. Although I honestly doubt Mr. FMK even noticed these were made a touch healthier.

Healthier Monster Cookies

But what does “healthier” mean in this case? We’re using less butter, less sugar and just oats as the binder (no all-purpose flour). Thankfully these are still loaded with flavor and satisfy the sweet tooth craving.

what you need

peanut butter

granulated sugar

butter 

egg

vanilla

oats

baking soda

salt

chocolate chips

m&ms

The process

Overall this is a pretty standard cookie recipe.

You cream together the peanut butter, butter and sugar before adding in the egg and vanilla. Then all that’s left are dry ingredients – oats, baking soda, salt, chocolate chips and m&ms.

Scoop into dough balls using a rounded tablespoon or medium cookie scoop.

Press flat slightly – the cookies don’t spread too much.

Then bake and eat! 

Healthier Monster Cookies

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Ashley
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 20 cookies

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Description

Healthier Monster Cookies for those peanut butter m&m cookie lovers! Lightened up flourless peanut butter cookies made with oats, chocolate chips and m&ms – gluten-free friendly.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup gluten-free quick oats*
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup natural peanut butter**
• 1/4 cup butter***, softened
• 1/3 cup coconut or brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup m&ms (plus more for topping if desired)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside
2. In medium bowl combine oats, baking soda and salt.
3. In large bowl of stand mixer or using electric hand mixer, beat together peanut butter and sugar for about 1 minute. Scrap down sides of bowl then beat in softened butter for another 30 seconds – 1 minute.
4. Add in egg and beat slowly until combined; scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Add in bowl of dry ingredients beating on low speed until combined; mixture will be thick, not too soft like “normal” cookie dough.
6. Add in mini chocolate chips and m&s; use large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold in, being careful not to break m&ms.
7. 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 (see pictures in post). Add more m&ms to tops of cookies if desired. These cookies won’t spread much, so you want to flatten them slightly.
8. Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
9.  Enjoy with your favorite person!

Notes

*I tested these with both quick oats and rolled oats. While both worked okay, the quick oats held the cookies together slightly better. The pictures are shown with rolled oats but I would recommend quick oats for the best results. However if you only have rolled oats on hand, you can use those. OR pulse them *slightly* to break them up.

**I used a natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt for the ingredients. If you choose to use a creamy peanuit butter (i.e. JIF) that should also work.

***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!

SOME OF THE PRODUCTS I USED IN TODAY’S RECIPE

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