Halloween Monster Cookies are a Halloween party staple for a reason - they're peanut butter oatmeal cookies loaded with chocolate chips and M&M's, and they're genuinely one of the better cookies you'll make regardless of the season. The Halloween version swaps in Halloween-colored M&M's and adds eyeball sprinkles pressed into the tops, which is enough to make them completely on-theme without changing anything about what makes them so good. They hit that perfect chewy-dense-salty-sweet combination every time.
One batch makes 16 cookies using a large ice cream scoop, prep is 10 minutes, and bake time is 10-12 minutes. The rolled oats give them a heartiness that a standard drop cookie doesn't have, and the peanut butter keeps them moist and soft for days - which makes these a solid make-ahead option. Bake them the day before and they're still great at the party. They also hold up well on a dessert board for hours without getting soggy or falling apart, which not everything can say.
These are the kind of cookie that kids and adults eat in equal quantities without anyone saying anything about it. If you're building a Halloween dessert spread, these pair well alongside the Halloween Desserts and the Halloween Desserts for a no-bake / baked mix that covers all the bases. Also check out these Halloween Cookies for even more Halloween baking ideas.
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Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Creamy peanut butter
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Rolled oats
- Halloween M&M's
- Chocolate chips
- Eyeball sprinkles
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
How to Make Monster Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Step one: Cream together softened butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and lighter in color. Add vanilla and egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides often.
Step two: Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well. Add rolled oats and mix to combine.
Step three: Fold in M&M's and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step four: Use a large ice cream scoop to portion dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each cookie. Press eyeball sprinkles firmly into the tops of each cookie.
Step five: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges just begin to brown and centers are set. Allow to cool on the baking sheet before removing.
Hint: Don't overbake - these look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven and that's exactly right. They firm up as they cool and stay soft and chewy for days that way.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Use creamy peanut butter, not natural - the oil separation in natural peanut butter affects the dough texture and makes it harder to scoop cleanly.
- Leave at least 2-3 inches between dough balls - these spread more than a standard cookie.
- Press the eyeball sprinkles in firmly before baking so they don't roll off when the dough softens and spreads in the oven.
- For thicker cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before scooping - chilled dough spreads less during baking.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Use creamy peanut butter, not natural-style. Do not overbake - cookies will look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them and will firm up as they cool. Press eyeball sprinkles firmly before baking so they don't roll off as the dough spreads.
Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ c unsalted butter softened
- ½ c creamy peanut butter
- ¼ c sugar
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 c flour
- 1 t baking sode
- 1 & ¼ rolled oats
- 1 c Halloween M&M candies
- ½ c chocolate chips
- 1 t eyeball sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Cream until smooth and lighter in color.
- Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides often.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix well, scraping the sides often.
- Add the rolled oats and mix to combine.
- Fold in the M&M's and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a large ice cream scoop, divide the cookie dough onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between the cookies.
- Press eyeball sprinkles firmly into the tops of each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown and centers are set. Allow to cool on the baking sheet before removing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
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