These Gluten Free Monster Cookies Filled with oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate bar chunks, they're a fun twist on a fan-favorite cookie using leftover holiday candy!
While these cookies are still a sweet treat, gluten free, dairy freeand made with natural sweeteners, are a little healthier than traditional monster cookie recipes.
Gluten Free Monster Cookies are a family favorite!
If you've never had a monster cookie before, let me convince you that you absolutely need to remedy this. Monster Cookies are thick, chewy cookies made primarily from peanut butter and oats, often studded with milk chocolate candies (also known as M&Ms) and chocolate chips.
If you're wondering what makes them so special, you're just like me before I try them. But in reality, Monster Cookies are much greater than the sum of their parts. They're a crazy delicious cookie that's decadent and addictive. What about my version? Well, instead of using chocolate chips in the dough, I added chopped leftover candy (via halloween or anything you hang around the house) turn them into Candy Cane Monster Cookies!
If all of that doesn't convince you, I'm also here to say that my version is just a little healthier. I know, I know…they still clearly belong in the dessert category. However, my recipe does not add any flour to the cookies and uses much less sugar (in the form of maple syrup) than some traditional recipes. So while we made it a little more nutrient dense, it's still a delicious cookie that everyone will love.
Required ingredients and substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
- Coconut oil: If you don't like the taste of coconut, use refined coconut oil. Alternatively, you can substitute an equal amount of melted cream.
- Maple syrup: Technically, you can use honey in this recipe, but it will create a strong honey flavor and cause the cookies to brown faster. You cannot replace it with another sweetener, such as regular sugar, as the cookies will be too dry.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: The crunchy peanut butter doesn't mix evenly into the cookies. You can exchange this for almond butter Or use another nut butter if you prefer, but make sure it's a natural, unsweetened nut butter. See below to find out why.
- Egg: This adds structure and helps the cookies hold their shape. We haven't tested this recipe with egg substitutes but don't think they would work.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract, not the imitation variety!
- baking soda: Make sure it's fresh or your cookies won't rise!
- Certified gluten-free oats: Quick cooking oats are the best. I don't recommend using steel cut or old fashioned oats as the texture of the cookies won't be the same.
- candy: Don’t skip the hard-shell candy! They really make the cookies awesome. Then, add your favorite chopped candy, or use chocolate chips instead.
The best type of peanut butter
The type of peanut butter you use here is very important. It will affect the final outcome of the cookie. Use unsweetened, natural peanut butter in drop form. This means that when you first open the peanut butter, you have to stir the oil in.
This type of peanut butter is essential for three reasons:
- It ensures that the cookie contains the right amount of fat.
- It helps the cookies spread.
- It ensures that the cookies are not too sweet.
We cannot guarantee the same results if you use a type of peanut butter other than Sugar Free Drops Natural Peanut Butter!
What oats do I buy?
- organic
- Certified gluten-free (if desired)
- non-genetically modified
- Glyphosate Free (probably the most important label to me since oats are a heavily sprayed crop in the US)
My favorite brand is First-class organic food!
At the very least, I recommend looking for oats that are glyphosate-free. Glyphosate is a toxic pesticide that can be harmful if ingested. Whether or not your oats are gluten-free is entirely up to you.
How to Make Gluten-Free Monster Cookies from Leftover Candy
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Stir in wet ingredients: Place wet ingredients in large bowl and stir until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Gently fold the baking soda, oats, chocolate candies, and lollipops into the batter and distribute evenly.
- rest: Let your cookie dough rest at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and prevents the cookies from becoming tough!
- part: Use a cookie dough scoop or 1/4 measuring cup to make equal-sized dough balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between each cookie!
- bake: Transfer the cookies to the oven and bake until the cookies have spread and the tops are set.
- Cool: Let your monster cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. enjoy!
Baking Tips
- Reshape cookies. Because these cookies contain different types of chopped sugar, they sometimes have an uneven shape after baking. While this won't affect the flavor at all, you can reshape the cookies into a more round shape as soon as they come out of the oven. To do this, take a dull knife and gently push the edges of the cookies back into a rounded shape.
- Cool completely. These gluten-free monster cookies are very delicate when warm and crumble easily. Therefore, we highly recommend letting them cool completely before eating!
- Avoid overbaking. Keep a close eye on the oven and remove the cookies as soon as they are lightly golden brown. Remember, they will continue to bake slightly as they cool and set!
- Top with cookies. For photo-worthy cookies, top the cookie dough with extra chocolate sprinkles before baking.
FAQ
Most M&M's are gluten-free, but some varieties are not. So, be sure to check the ingredient list carefully before using!
Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Yes! You can freeze these cookies for up to 2 months. We recommend baking the cookies before freezing as the dough does not hold as well in the refrigerator as the cookies after baking. When you're ready to eat your frozen cookies, simply defrost them at room temperature for about an hour.
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 3/4 cup No added sugar natural dripping peanut butter See note
- 1 big egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cup Quick Cooking Oats
- ½ cup Hard shell chocolate candy
- 1/2 cup Chop remaining lollipops or chocolate chips
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place coconut oil, maple syrup, peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Add baking soda, oats, chocolate candies, and chopped candy bars.
⅓ cup melted coconut oil, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 3/4 cup natural dripping peanut butter with no added sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 cups quick cooking oats, ½ cup hard-shell chocolate candies, 1/2 cup chopped leftover candy bars
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Let the batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
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Scoop the dough into balls about 1/4 cup size and place on the baking sheet, spacing about 1-1/2 inches apart.
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Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are flat and the tops are set.
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Remove from oven and, if desired, while still hot, use a dull knife to gently push any misshapen cookies into rounds (see notes).
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Let the cookies sit on the hot tray for at least 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish setting. They are very fragile when hot.
Because these cookies contain different types of chopped sugar, they sometimes bake out unevenly. While this won't affect the flavor at all, you can reshape the cookies into a more round shape as soon as they come out of the oven. To do this, take a dull knife and gently push the edges of the cookies back into a rounded shape.
The type of peanut butter you use here is very important. It will affect the final outcome of the cookie. Use unsweetened, natural peanut butter in drop form. This means that when you first open the peanut butter, you have to stir the oil in.
Use any chopped candy canes you think will work for the cookies!
Storage:
- Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
- You can freeze these cookies for up to 2 months. We recommend baking the cookies before freezing as the dough does not hold as well in the refrigerator as the cookies after baking. When you're ready to eat your frozen cookies, simply defrost them at room temperature for about an hour.
Serve: 1cookieCalories: 306kilocaloriescarbohydrate: 32gramprotein: 15gramFat: No. 22gramSaturated fat: 10gramcholesterol: 25milligramssodium: 124milligramsfiber: 3gramsugar: 15gram
