Monster Cookie Recipe

This monster cookie recipe makes thick, chewy and intensely peanut butter cookies. Big, bold, and bursting with flavor, this easy cookie has almost more mix-ins than dough!

This super easy monster cookie recipe combines the best things in life: thick peanut butter cookies, chocolate chips, M&Ms, and oatmeal cookies, all baked into giant chewy, gooey masterpieces! Perfect for peanut butter lovers, chocolate lovers, and cookie lovers–well…that must cover everyone…

Now that you have your smooth peanut butter at the ready, follow these up with other peanut butter flavor wins like reese’s peanut butter blondies, peanut butter blossoms, and peanut butter banana muffins!

Professional Tips

• Don’t over cream your butter and sugar. The biggest secret to thick, chewy cookies like these and my double chocolate chip cookies is cold yet pliable butter! It should be softened to the point where you can press your finger into it, but it is still cold. Then, once you add your sugars, mix until it is just combined into a paste. 
• Use the right peanut butter. I am a Jif peanut butter die-hard fan. This is what I use forever and always. Use whichever brand you prefer but do use smooth peanut butter. Natural peanut butter will also work.
• Add the dry ingredients gradually. For the thickest, chewiest monster cookies, gradually add the dry ingredients to prevent overdevelopment of the gluten and fully incorporate them. I wait until my flour is just incorporated before adding a little more.

Ingredients

• Light Brown Sugar: Using light brown sugar adds sweetness along with a little moisture. This will keep the cookies softer while adding a nice, rich molasses flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: You do need a combination of peanut butter and softened unsalted butter for this cookie recipe. If you do not want peanut butter, I recommend using my thick chocolate chip cookie recipe instead.
• Smooth Peanut Butter
• Whole Egg: The eggs are here to add fat, moisture and leavening. The fat from the yolk adds richness and helps keep the cookies chewy. Eggs also emulsify the batter and keep everything texturally perfect.
• Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use whichever you have on hand or prefer!
• Quick Oats
• Mini M&M’s
• Kosher Salt
• Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar is here for sweetness, but if you add too much in proportion to the butter and flour, the cookies will spread rather than stay tall and chewy
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla Extract adds a beautiful flavor itself but it also boosts the flavor of other ingredients around it such as chocolate and brown sugar.
• All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour has just the right amount of gluten to make a soft and chewy bakery style cookie.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda reacts with an acid, the molasses in the light brown sugar in this instance, to leaven the cookies. 
• Baking Powder

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Different Mix-ins: You could try butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, chopped Oreo’s, or melty candy like chopped Reese’s or Reese’s pieces instead. Swirl with salted caramel sauce for an extra decadent treat.
• Make it a skillet cookie! Press the room-temperature cookie dough into a skillet and bake until the edges are golden brown and the center is completely matte. To make your skillet cookie dreams come true, add my vanilla ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce, and maybe some sea salt on top! 
• Add some crunch. Crush up pretzels or chopped peanuts on top of the dough balls before baking and you’ll have a little salty twist.

How to Make Monster Cookies

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine the ingredients. Ensure the leavening agents are evenly distributed and lump-free. Set aside. 

Step 2: Start creaming the butter in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with an electric mixer). Beat the butter on medium-high until it is still cold but pliable. Add the sugars and mix on medium-high until combined and a paste forms. This is especially important if your butter is actually room temperature. 

Step 3: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when needed. Add the peanut butter and beat until smooth.

Step 4: Reduce the mixer to low and gradually add the mixed dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. I usually add the flour mixture in about 4-5 additions. To prevent overdevelopment of the gluten, I add the next bit of flour when the last one is almost fully incorporated. 

Step 5: Stir in the chocolate chips, quick oats, and m&m’s once the flour is fully incorporated. Mix until combined and fully distributed. 

Step 6: Roll the cookie dough 1 ½ inch balls, about 70g each or half the size of a tennis ball. You can also use a 2 oz cookie scoop. Yeah, really huge. That’s what’s up. Chill completely or bake immediately. This is the beauty here. They bake like a dream from frozen, but if you just cannot wait (feel that chocolate pb craving like woah), then preheat your ovens and pop ‘em in! 

Step 7: Preheat the oven to 350°F conventional or 325°F convection. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Step 8: Place chilled or frozen cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and matte. At 325°F convection, mine baked for 13 minutes from the refrigerator, rotating after 8 minutes. They will take a solid 15 minutes from frozen.

Step 9: Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Or just enjoy. No judgement!

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed cookie recipes!