Flourless Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

Three cheers for super chewy flourless gluten-free monster cookies loaded with peanut butter, gluten-free oats, and chocolate candies. These homemade monster cookies contain no flour and are worth making time and time again. This recipe includes a dairy-free option as well. Please see my disclosures.

If you’re looking for an intensely chewy gluten-free cookie, look no further than these flourless gluten-free monster cookies made with a few simple ingredients. These cookies are a hit at home, and I love making a big batch so my kids can take them to school as a protein-rich afternoon snack.

While I’m not sure how monster cookies got their name, I suspect it’s because the cookies are loaded with goodies like M&Ms and chocolate chips.

And because these cookies contain no flour, they’re super easy to make gluten free using gluten-free rolled oats as the “meat” of the cookie.

Packed with intense flavor, whole grain oats, and protein-rich peanut butter, these cookies make for a satisfying snack or sweet treat.

Ingredients for Monster Cookies

To make these monster cookies, you’ll first need to assemble all your ingredients. You’ll need butter, eggs, brown and white sugar, smooth peanut butter, baking soda, vanilla, gluten-free oats, chocolate chips, and [peanut] M&Ms.

Here are a few notes about some of the ingredients:

Oats: Be sure to use gluten-free labeled rolled oats only. I used gluten-free rolled oats by Bob’s Red Mill. While oats are naturally gluten-free, they are grown in shared fields with wheat and therefore contain a significant amount of wheat.

Manufacturers have a way to sort and wash the oats so they’re safe, but be sure to use oats from a reputable company. In my article, Is There Gluten in Oats?, I share several safe gluten-free oat brands, each of which I tested for hidden gluten.

Butter: If making this recipe dairy free, I suggest using Earth Balance vegan butter sticks instead of butter.

Peanut Butter: I love using smooth, creamy peanut butter like Jif, Skippy, or Earth Balance. Avoid using all-natural peanut butter where the oil separates from the butter. You could also use almond or cashew butter as an alternative. Choose the smoothest nut butter you can find with the least amount of separation between the nuts and oil.

Candies: M&Ms are gluten free (I tested them in my candy article) and safe to use in this recipe. If making this recipe dairy free, I suggest only using dairy-free chocolate chips from Enjoy Life. If baking these cookies during the holidays, you can use red and green holiday M&Ms instead.

Eggs: I have not made this recipe without eggs. If you can tolerate eggs, I recommend using them as they are an essential binder to this recipe and help give these cookies their signature texture and rise.

How to Make the Dough

To make the monster cookie dough, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in your standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Then add the peanut butter and eggs and mix until well combined. Add the baking soda, vanilla, and oats and mix over medium speed until combined.

Once everything is mixed together well, you’ll gently fold in the chocolate chips and [peanut] M&Ms by hand.

Next, form the dough into small 1-2″ inch cookies. Make sure there are goodies in each cookie. I often add extra M&Ms and chocolate chips to the cookies so they’re exploding with goodies. You’ll have enough dough to make about 24 cookies.

You can leave them in balls or even slightly flatten the dough so they bake evenly. Bake them for 10-11 minutes at 350º F until cooked through. Do not brown or overbake them. They are best when they’re slightly soft and chewy. They will continue to firm up on the baking sheet after baking.

Why We Love These Cookies

These gluten-free monster cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with peanut butter flavor and whole grains.

To make these cookies extra delicious, be sure to:

• Use Creamy Peanut Butter: Again, use creamy peanut butter and avoid nut butter where the oil separates from the nuts.
• Soften the Butter: Leave it on your counter for a few hours before baking. It’s softened when your finger slightly indents the butter.
• Use a Cookie Scoop: I use a medium-sized cookie scoop to help me get evenly-sized cookies.
• Add a Few Extra Candies: Make sure each cookie has plenty of M&Ms and chocolate chips. Simply add a few to the top of the dough before baking.

Don’t Want to Work from Scratch?

If you don’t feel like purchasing the individual ingredients to make monster cookies, there are several store-bought monster cookie mixes you can purchase instead where you simply add the wet ingredients and bake.

Keep in mind that it’s simple to make flourless gluten-free monster cookies at home with just a few simple ingredients; however, these boxed mixes are great options if you’re feeling pinched for time.

(1) Miss. Jones Gluten-Free Monster Cookies: Miss. Jones makes a gluten-free monster cookie mix that you can find at many grocery stores and on Amazon. I once spotted them at Costco, although I’m not sure every Costco carries them.

(2) Meli’s Monster Cookies: I had the opportunity to try Meli’s Monster Cookies (the company sent me a box) and I can attest that they are good! You can purchase them on Amazon or at Walmart.

More Cookie Recipes

• Chewy Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
• No-Bake Gluten-Free Cookies with Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Oats
• Classic Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies