Christmas Monster Cookies

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Deck the halls and ho, ho, ho – Christmastime is finally here! It’s time for sleigh bells, and holly, and mistletoe, and jolly. But most of all, it’s time for cookies. There are only 3 weeks left until Christmas. Let’s get baking! 

My kitchen has turned into a full-time bake shop. I am officially in the kitchen and will be baking now, pretty much every day, until right before Christmas. I’ll bake Peanut Butter Blossoms, Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies, Anginetti (the Italian lady finger cookies that everyone looks for on the cookie plate), and a batch of Vegan Russian Tea Cakes for my son’s friend, who is always so good about returning his cookie tin. Another family member will tend to the Pizzelles, carrying on the tradition that used to be my mom’s department. Everyone will get a batch of what they want to take home, and all of it will be shared on the cookie tray when we get together. 

I like to try making a new cookie, too, so this year I tried Christmas Monster Cookies. Loaded with bright chocolate-coated candies, raisins, peanut butter, oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips, they are chewy, irresistible, and easy to make. Salty pretzels, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries make them Santa-approved – they are jolly, merry, and fun all rolled into one truly delicious cookie. Mix up a batch and try some yourself for National Cookie Day this December 4th.

This recipe has no flour. If you use gluten-free oats and pretzels, you can make this gluten-free. The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter, but you can use the crunchy kind if you like. Give your rolled oats several quick pulses in your blender to break them down a bit. Use care not to grind them too much, otherwise you will end up with flour. Add your chocolate-coated candies at the very end, folding them in gently, so that you don’t crush them while you’re mixing. I didn’t want to add the peppermint puffs to my cookies, so I omitted them.

This recipe didn’t mention chilling, but refrigeration helps solidify the fats and can improve the texture and consistency of your cookies, even in cookies that contain no flour. This helps to prevent spreading too much while baking, and leads to a better cookie shape. I recommend making your dough the night before, refrigerating, then baking the following day. If you are in a hurry, you can chill your dough in the freezer for 1/4 the amount of time that is needed for the fridge (1 hr in the refrigerator = 15 mins in the freezer). 

These cookies didn’t spread much, but go ahead and leave about 2 inches around them on the baking sheet, just in case. I like the middle rack of my oven for cookie baking, but this can vary depending on your oven and the type of cookie. If you are noticing a particular batch is getting very brown on the bottom, or too dark on the top, you may want to switch it to a different position. If your oven has a convection setting, you might want to try using that, too. Having the warm air circulate can give you better results on the entire sheet. Also, rotate your cookie  sheet about halfway through the baking time so that all of your cookies brown evenly. 

Your cookies are done when they are golden brown on the bottom and have a little color on the top, but are still soft when you press on them. For my cookies this was 11 and a half minutes. They will set up further as they cool, and you want your finished cookie to be soft and chewy throughout but crispy at the edges. 

Bake spirits bright. Get in the holiday spirit and bake all the cookies you can! 

Christmas Monster Cookies

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 4 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed) 
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped pretzels (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 cup chopped peppermint puffs 
• 2 cups mixed red and green candy-coated chocolates, such as M&M’s  

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or non-stick baking mats. In a very large mixing bowl, combine eggs, granulated sugar and light brown sugar; mix well. Add butter and peanut butter; mix well. Mix in salt, baking soda and vanilla extract. Add raisins, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips, stirring to mix evenly. Add half of oats, chopped pretzels, peppermint puffs and stir. Add remaining oats, stir everything together, then fold in candy-coated chocolates. Transfer to refrigerator to chill.

Scoop into even portions (about a very generous tablespoonful, or use a cookie scoop) 2 inches apart onto prepared sheet. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until cookies are golden brown at the edges and barely brown in the middle, anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet until firm, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. 

Store airtight, refrigerated, or in a cool place.

To freeze: Scoop dough into balls, then place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Transfer to a resealable freezer bag and keep frozen until ready to use. Bake as directed.