Packed with peanut butter, chewy oats, and oodles of chocolate chips and M&M’s, these flourless monster cookies are simply unbelievable. I tried and tested this recipe multiple times over the past year, with various groups of taste testers, and, truly—no one believed there isn’t any flour.
No flour means more peanut butter flavor. Let’s do this!
Have you ever made monster cookies or these big fat peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies before? They’re two reader (and personal!) favorites. Today’s cookies are a lot like those… but with less sugar, less butter, and—did I mention this?—no flour. Yet, magically, they’re somehow just as delicious.
Not one of the many very satisfied taste testers (including an entire tee-ball team!) missed the flour at all in these cookies!
What Are Monster Cookies?
The label monster cookies refers to an all-in-one combination of several different types of cookies: a monster mash-up of peanut butter cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and M&M cookies! Like Frankenstein’s monster, if Dr. Frankenstein were a baker. (And that would have been a very different story.) My recipe today is for flourless monster cookies.
Here’s What You’ll Love About These Flourless Monster Cookies
- Naturally gluten free, if using certified GF oats
- Chewy, peanut buttery, and loaded with chocolate chips and M&M’s
- Easy recipe doesn’t require a mixer
- Only 30 minutes of dough chilling time, so they can be ready in an hour!
Grab These Ingredients
- Oats: Old-fashioned whole rolled oats are the base for these chewy cookies. If needed, use certified GF oats to ensure the cookies are gluten free.
- Baking Soda: For a little lift, to counteract the weight of the peanut butter.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer/sweetness balancer.
- Butter: Just a little bit of melted butter goes a long way in adding delicious flavor and even more chewiness, just like in chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar sweetens, and keeps the cookies moist.
- Eggs: These provide structure and richness, while binding all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Another key flavor enhancer in most cookie recipes. You can use homemade vanilla extract or store-bought, either works!
- Peanut Butter: I recommend using creamy processed peanut butter for this recipe, like Jif or Skippy. Whether you’re making these cookies, peanut butter blossoms, or really any peanut butter-based cookies, processed creamy peanut butter will give you the best taste and soft-baked texture.
- M&M’s: You can use either mini or regular-size M&M’s in these cookies. I like to use the color-themed holiday edition M&M’s if I’m making these for a holiday or party.
- Chocolate Chips: Because, obviously.
Expect a Gooey, Sticky Cookie Dough
The cookie dough comes together in 2 bowls—one for the wet ingredients, and one for the dry ingredients. Then stir everything together with a silicone spatula. It may take a bit of arm muscle, but it will come together. Finally, add the chocolate chips and M&M’s, folding them in with the spatula.
This is a gooey, sticky cookie dough. And, like many other cookie recipes I publish, refrigerating the dough before baking it helps ensure the cookies hold their shape. 30 minutes is plenty, which gives you just enough time to line your baking sheets, grab your cookie scoop, and preheat the oven.
**Chilling is one of my top tips for how to prevent cookies from overspreading.**
When you’re ready to bake, scoop mounds of cookie dough (a heaping 2 Tablespoons in size, about 45g each). A medium cookie scoop is helpful with the sticky dough, but make sure it is a heaping scoop to yield the proper amount of cookie dough. Then bake on a lined baking sheet until the edges are set. The centers will still look a bit soft, and that’s ok. Mine take about 14 minutes in the oven.
FAQ: Can I Make These Nut-Free?
Yes. The team & I tested these flourless monster cookies with sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter, and the recipe works. However, keep in mind that when sunflower seed butter and baking soda combine, there’s a natural reaction that causes the inside of the cookies to turn green! It’s harmless and doesn’t change the taste or texture. The kids loved it. 😉 (Now they’re really Dr. Frankenstein’s monster cookies!)
Sally’s Cookie Palooza
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page including:
And if you’re looking for more inspiration, here’s my Christmas Cookies page with 75+ recipes.
Flourless Monster Cookies
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 18–20 cookies
Category: Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Description
Packed with peanut butter, chewy oats, and oodles of chocolate chips and M&M’s, these flourless monster cookies are a monster mash-up of favorite cookie types. I promise you won’t miss the flour at all! Be sure to refrigerate the sticky cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before shaping and baking.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oats, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the peanut butter.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula until combined. (Takes some arm muscle!) Fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips. The dough will be sticky and gooey.
- Cover the cookie dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the dough, a heaping 2 Tablespoons (45g) each, and place the mounds of cookie dough about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (A medium cookie scoop helps with the sticky dough, but make sure it is a heaping scoop to get you 2 Tablespoons (45g) of dough.)
- Bake until the edges are set and golden brown, about 12–15 minutes. The cookies will still look soft in the centers.
- Cool cookies for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. During this time, I like to press a few more chocolate chips or M&M’s into the tops of the warm cookies. (This is optional and only for looks.) Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make this dough ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cookie Scoop | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper Sheets | Cooling Rack
- Oats: Oats are naturally gluten free, but if you have dietary restrictions, be sure they are labeled “certified gluten free” because oats can be packaged in a facility with gluten.
- Peanut Butter: I strongly recommend using processed creamy peanut butter for these cookies, such as Jif or Skippy. Using natural peanut butter will make for a drier, more crumbly cookie.
- Nut-Free: We tested these cookies with sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter, and the recipe works; but keep in mind that when sunflower seed butter and baking soda combine, there’s a natural reaction that causes the inside of the cookies to turn green! It’s harmless and doesn’t change the taste or texture.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: flourless monster cookies