These old fashioned Monster Cookies are soft and chewy. They are filled with chocolate chips, chocolate candies, and raisins. And perfect for dipping in milk!
I remember eating these cookies as a kid and I finally found an old fashioned recipe out of an old cookbook.
I love recipes from old cookbooks because you know they are tried and true! A few other tried and true recipes you may like are these Chewy Rice Krispie Treats, No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars, and No Chill Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies.
These monster cookies have chocolate chips, chocolate candies (aka M&Ms), and yes…..raisins. Every old monster cookie recipe I found contained raisins and I remember eating them that way so I kept them.
If you are just appalled at the thought of adding raisins to cookies then leave them out and add in more chocolate chips and M&Ms.
Why are they called monster cookies?
Well, I don’t know the exact answer but I have a couple of thoughts. First, because it makes a “monster batch” of cookies. I halved the recipe and it still makes a lot of cookies!
Just freeze some cookies for later if you don’t want so many sitting on your counter. Or gift some to a friend or neighbor!
Second, it’s sort of like a “Frankenstein” cookie containing a mash of assorted ingredients. Or an “everything but the kitchen sink” sort of cookie…..but monster cookie is a whole lot easier to say, lol!
Ingredients:
- Oats: I like to use quick oats for this recipe because I am not using any flour. Quick oats are powdery and this act as a binder to hold the cookie together better.
- Sugar: I use mostly brown sugar with a little white. Brown sugar to help keep the cookies soft and a little white sugar to help crisp the edges.
- Peanut Butter: Use smooth or crunchy. Just don’t use the all-natural kind you need to stir. It’s a little too runny for this recipe.
- Butter: I have the best results when I melt the butter until almost melted. So about 75% of the stick is melted.
- Baking soda
- Vanilla: Adds flavor to the cookies
- Chocolate Chips: Use milk, semi-sweet, or bittersweet
- Chocolate Candies: (aka M&Ms) Use extras to decorate the top before baking or if you don’t like them cracked add a few right after taking them out of the oven.
- Raisins: If you can’t stand the thought of adding raisins then replace them with more chocolate chips and/or M&Ms.
The KEY to soft cookies (Tips and Tricks)
Here is my advice for keeping these cookies soft and chewy:
- UNDERBAKE them slightly. The edges will look just set or a little dry but the middle will still look wet. Remove them from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing them. They will finish cooking on their own and there is no risk of overbaking.
- Thick cookies=chewy cookies. If your cookies spread too much: I like to test a cookie first to see how it will spread in the oven. Cookie dough can have a mind of its own sometimes (just like brownies!) If it spreads too much place the dough in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Also, make sure to use a cookie scoop to make the cookies into nice uniform balls.
Other Monster Cookie Add-Ins:
Looking for ways to change up your cookies? Try these other options:
- Roughly chopped pretzels
- Dried cranberries
- Butterscotch chips
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Any chopped nut
- White Chocolate Chips…..or any chip that pairs well with chocolate and peanut butter.
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Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cup (300g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (115g) sugar
- 1¼ cup (340g) peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- ½ cup (113g) butter, almost melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- 4½ cups (465g) quick oats
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ cup (145g) chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (170g) chocolate candies
- ¾ cup (120g) raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl beat the sugars, peanut butter, and butter until well combined scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined. Add oats and baking soda and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips, chocolate candies, and raisins; mix just until combined.
- Using a large cookie scoop (at least 2 tablespoons) scoop cookies at place at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cookies will still look a little wet in the center. Let stand on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing to cool completely.
Notes
- Freezer Friendly: Scoop dough out into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes or until solid. Remove from pan and place in a freezer safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. Bake for an extra minute….no need to thaw! Freeze completely cooled cookies in a freezer safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead: The cookie dough may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Nutrition facts: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.
I used to make these all the time when my own children were little and also when my grandchildren were little because it was everybody’s favorite. I had forgotten about them and you seeing the recipe made me want to make them again. I bet they will be thrilled to see them again when they come by.
Thanks Grandma!
If you forget to close the lid of the container, put a small apple slice in and they will be OK again.
Thanks grandma!!
These are a new favorite treat at our house!
Thanks! They are a favorite at mine too!
These were chewy and delicious! And easy enough for the kiddos to help make them.
Thank you very much!
My kids loved these! They were so soft and chewy! We’ll definitely be making these again, they disappeared so quick!
Thank you so much! My kids have a hard time leaving them alone too!
These were phenomenal! We swapped the raisins for butterscotch chips and LOVED the way these turned out. My son turned into a monster cookie monster, he couldn’t get enough! Thanks for the recipe!
Lol! And thanks for sharing your swap! So glad you enjoyed them!
They are also called Monster cookies because people made them huge.
That makes sense, thanks for sharing!!