These chewy, colorful flourless monster cookies are packed with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's in every bite. I started making them after my niece asked for gluten-free treats, and now they're the first thing my family asks for every weekend. They come together quickly with simple pantry staples, and the best part? The dough chills while you tidy up, then bakes into bakery-style cookies with perfectly soft centers.
If you love easy, crowd-pleasing desserts, you'll want to try these Mocha Cheesecake Brownies and this Fresh Fruit Tart too.
What Are Flourless Monster Cookies?
Flourless monster cookies are a gluten-free twist on the classic monster cookie recipe. Instead of all-purpose flour, these cookies rely on hearty oats and creamy peanut butter to create their chewy texture. They're loaded with chocolate chips and M&M's, making them colorful, fun, and absolutely irresistible. The dough is sticky and rich, and refrigerating it before baking helps the cookies hold their shape while staying soft in the center.
These Flourless Monster Cookies are naturally gluten-free when you use certified gluten-free oats, and they're simple enough for beginner bakers.
Jump to:
Flourless Monster Cookies Ingredients
Here's a simple list of what goes into these Flourless Monster Cookies.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Old-fashioned whole rolled oats: Forms the base of the cookies and gives them a hearty, chewy texture. Make sure to use old-fashioned oats, not instant.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and gives them a tender crumb.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the peanut butter flavor.
- Unsalted butter, melted: Adds richness and helps bind the dough together. Melted butter makes mixing easier.
- Packed light or dark brown sugar: Adds moisture and a deep, caramel-like sweetness that keeps the cookies soft.
- Large eggs, at room temperature: Binds everything together and adds structure. Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the dough.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor and adds warmth.
- Creamy peanut butter: The star ingredient. It creates the rich, nutty flavor and chewy texture. Creamy peanut butter works best here.
- Regular-size M&M's or mini M&M's: Adds pops of color and sweetness in every bite.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Melts into the dough and adds chocolatey richness.
How to Make Flourless Monster Cookies
These easy Flourless Monster Cookies come together in one bowl with minimal effort.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set it aside while you work on the wet mixture.
Combine the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Stir in the peanut butter until everything is fully blended and creamy.
Fold everything together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a silicone spatula until no dry streaks remain. The dough will look sticky and gooey, almost like thick brownie batter.
Add the mix-ins: Gently fold in the M&M's and chocolate chips, making sure they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps them from spreading too much in the oven. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days.
Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Scoop the dough: Use a cookie scoop to portion out heaping 2-tablespoon (45g) balls of dough. Place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow room for spreading.
Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are set and golden brown. The centers will still look soft and slightly underdone, and that's exactly what you want for chewy cookies.
Cool and finish: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. If you want, press a few extra chocolate chips or M&M's on top while they're still warm. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store: Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Substitutions and Variations
You can adjust this Flourless Monster Cookies recipe with oats to fit your pantry or dietary needs.
Quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats: Quick oats work, but the cookies will be less chewy and may spread less during baking.
Natural peanut butter: You can use it, but the cookies may turn out drier since natural peanut butter has less added fat and sugar.
Nut-free version: Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter. The cookies may develop a harmless greenish tint in the centers due to a natural reaction with baking soda.
Dark chocolate chips: Use dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a richer, less sweet flavor.
Add-ins: Try chopped peanuts, shredded coconut, or dried cranberries for extra texture and flavor.
Equipment For Flourless Monster Cookies
Here's what makes baking these soft Flourless Monster Cookies easy:
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Cookie scoop
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
How to Store Flourless Monster Cookies
Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Refrigerate the dough: Unbaked dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Scoop and bake whenever you're ready.
Freeze baked cookies: Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freeze unbaked dough: Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake frozen dough balls for 1 extra minute without thawing.
Serving Suggestions
These chewy M&M Flourless Monster Cookies are delicious on their own, but here are a few cozy ways to enjoy them:
With a cold glass of milk. The classic pairing. Dunk them in for a nostalgic treat.
Alongside vanilla ice cream. Serve warm cookies with a scoop of ice cream for an easy dessert.
As a lunchbox surprise. Pack one or two in your kid's lunch for a homemade sweet treat.
With hot coffee or tea. The peanut butter and chocolate pair beautifully with a warm drink on a quiet afternoon.
Expert Tips
Use room-temperature eggs. They blend more smoothly into the dough and create a better texture.
Don't skip the chilling step. Cold dough spreads less and produces thicker, chewier cookies.
Don't overbake. The centers should look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven. They'll continue to set as they cool.
Press extra toppings on warm cookies. Add a few M&M's or chocolate chips on top right after baking for a bakery-style look.
Use a cookie scoop. It ensures even portions and uniform baking.
Let them cool on the pan. The cookies are fragile when hot. Cooling them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes helps them firm up before transferring.
FAQ
Can you make monster cookies without flour?
Yes. These cookies use oats and peanut butter instead of flour, making them naturally gluten-free. The oats provide structure, and the peanut butter adds moisture and richness. Just make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you're baking for someone with celiac disease. My family prefers them over the traditional flour version.
Are flourless monster cookies gluten-free?
They are if you use certified gluten-free oats. Regular oats are often processed in facilities that handle wheat, so cross-contamination can be an issue. Certified gluten-free oats are your safest bet. The rest of the ingredients, like peanut butter, eggs, and chocolate chips, are naturally gluten-free.
How do you make chewy flourless cookies?
The key is using the right ratio of wet to dry ingredients and not overbaking. Chilling the dough before baking also helps the cookies stay thick and chewy. Pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look soft. They'll firm up as they cool but stay tender inside.
What is Snoop Dogg's favorite cookie?
Snoop Dogg has mentioned loving peanut butter cookies, but I'm not sure if he's tried these flourless peanut butter cookies yet. If he did, I think he'd appreciate how easy they are to make and how satisfying they taste. The combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and M&M's is hard to beat.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Flourless Monster Cookies
Chewy Flourless Monster Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the oats, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the peanut butter to the wet ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Gradually fold the dry oat mixture into the wet mixture using a silicone spatula until fully combined.
- Gently fold in the M&M's and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Scoop heaping 2-tablespoon (≈45g) portions of dough and place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are set and golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. The centers will remain soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Optionally, press a few extra M&M's or chocolate chips on top for presentation, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Leave a Reply