These monster cookies are the classic oatmeal peanut butter cookies all dressed up for Christmas with red and green M&M’s, white chocolate chips and holiday sprinkles. A fun and festive treat for cookie exchanges and gift giving!
It’s Christmas cookie time again, and along with my stained glass cookies and spritz cookies, these Christmas monster cookies are on my must-make list every year.
You’ve heard of monster cookies, right? Those oatmeal-peanut butter-M&M-chocolate chip delights? This is a holiday version of the popular classic and I have to say, I like it even better than the original version.
How do you make monster cookies?
This is a pretty standard cookie dough with flour, two types of sugar, peanut butter and rolled oats. It’s the add-ins that make this recipe special. I’ve used holiday colored M&M’s and white chocolate chips to get these little guys ready for Christmas!
The cookie dough gets scooped out into balls and then topped with holiday sprinkles for another layer of festivity before they head to the oven. The end result is a soft and chewy cookie that’s packed with amazing flavors. You won’t be able to eat just one!
Tips for monster cookies
- For the prettiest cookies, press some extra M&M’s and white chocolate chips into the tops of the balls of dough before baking. It’s a bit of a tight fit with the sprinkles in the mix too, but it’s totally worth it for a beautiful end result.
- Not a fan of white chocolate chips? Feel free to substitute the more traditional semisweet chocolate chips.
- Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure to make sure all of your cookies are the same size
- The cookie dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking. If you’re planning to make your dough ahead of time, you may want to omit the M&M’s and add them just before baking so that the color from the candies doesn’t stain the dough if it’s in the fridge for a while.
Can you freeze baked cookies?
These monster cookies are a great candidate for the freezer. Simply place the cookies in a single layer in a resealable bag, then freeze until solid. When you’re ready to eat your cookies, take the from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature until they’re soft.
These Christmas monster cookies are the perfect thing to take to a cookie exchange because they’re so unique. I also like to package them up in gift tins or cellophane bags to give to teachers, friends and family. Everyone who tries these cookies asks me for the recipe!
More holiday treats
Monster Cookies Video
Monster Cookies (Christmas Version)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup holiday M&M's plus more for tops of cookies
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips plus more for tops of cookies
- 1/3 cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper or silicon baking mat
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the egg, peanut butter and vanilla to the bowl and mix until combined
- Add the flour and baking soda to the bowl and mix until just combined. Stir in the oats.
- Add the M&M's and white chocolate chips to the bowl and gently fold them into the dough.
- Make 2 tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan. You will need to bake the cookies in batches.
- Press the top of each cookie dough ball into the sprinkles.
- Press a few M&M's and white chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack
- Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough. Cool all cookies completely then serve.
- Store any leftover cookies in a sealed container for up to 5 days, or you can freeze the cookies for up to 2 months.
Joni says
The recipe says baking soda, while the video says salt. Which is it?
Sara says
It’s baking soda, thanks for catching that!
Brianne says
Can you omit the oatmeal? Was planning on doing oatmeal choc chip and didnt want to do two oatmeal cookies!!
Sara says
I would be hesitant to omit the oatmeal because it could make the dough too wet, I haven’t tested it this way myself.
Brianne says
Okay, thank you! Maybe I will test with a different add on like pretzels!