This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!
Soft and chewy Gluten Free Monster Cookies are so delicious and easy to make – and the recipe is completely flourless! Monster Cookies are made with gluten free oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips and M&Ms for thick, delicious cookies.
Here in the UK I’d not really heard of Monster Cookies before but oh boy, am I glad I came across these absolute treats!
These soft, flourless cookies are like a cross between a peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies, loaded with chocolate chips and M&Ms.
You don’t need any special flours to make Monster Cookies – just a few storecupboard staples like gluten free oats, sugar, eggs and a jar of peanut butter.
Of course, they’re loaded with M&Ms and chocolate chips too, for the perfect ratio of chunky chocolate to chewy cookie.
If you like my gluten free oat and raisin cookies, my gluten free NYC cookies or my chewy gluten free cookies you’re bound to love these Monster Cookies too!
Ingredients
Making these flourless Monster Cookies only needs a few simple storecupboard ingredients:
- Gluten Free Oats: Always use certified gluten free oats if you have coeliac disease or are on a gluten free diet. I use porridge oats (rolled oats) and blend half of them until they are more finely ground. However you could use half old fashioned oats and half quick oats if you can find both.
- Peanut Butter: I prefer using smooth peanut butter (in the US look for a creamy peanut butter) for these cookies but you can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer. I also prefer a natural peanut butter which is 100% peanuts and no added extras.
- Butter: Ensure your butter is at room temperature or soften it with a quick blast in the microwave. You want it soft, not melted.
- Light Brown Sugar: This gives the cookies a gorgeous, golden colour and helps them go nice and chewy.
- Granulated Sugar: I use a mixture of the two sugars as the granulated sugar helps to create lovely crisp edges.
- Vanilla Extract: This is usually gluten free but always double check.
- Eggs: I use two large UK eggs in this recipe. In the US you’ll need an extra large egg.
- Baking Powder: Or Baking Soda in the US. Always check you use a gluten free baking powder as some products contain wheat as a bulking agent.
- M&Ms: You can use any of the M&Ms listed in the below section as gluten free. I used the chocolate M&Ms for a classic bake.
- Chocolate Chips: Any form of chocolate chip would work – I used a basic milk chocolate chip. Dark or white chocolate would also work, or a mixture of all of them.
Are M&Ms gluten free?
I know gluten free chocolates can be confusing, so I want to make sure you only use M&Ms that are gluten free in this recipe and safe for people with coeliac disease.
M&Ms are not labelled ‘gluten free’ but most of them are gluten free by ingredients with no may contain warnings.
The only M&M candies that are NOT gluten free are the Crispy M&Ms (which contain barley) and the M&M Bars which have a ‘may contain’ warning.
The following M&Ms ARE gluten free:
- Chocolate M&Ms
- Peanut M&Ms
- Salted Caramel M&Ms
- Chocolate Brownie M&Ms
- Mini Chocolate M&Ms
I used the Chocolate M&Ms in my Monster Cookies but any of the above would work.
Just be warned if you try to sub these for any other types of candy-coated chocolate, some brands like Smarties are also NOT gluten free.
How to make Gluten Free Monster Cookies
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method, but here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy these Gluten Free Monster Cookies are to make.
Preheat the oven to 190C / 170C Fan / Gas Mark 5 / 350F. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
Add half the oats to a food processor and blitz until they are fine. Leave the other half of the oats as they are.
Add the peanut butter, butter, sugars and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk to cream together.
Add the eggs and beat again to combine. Do not over-mix – just mix enough until the egg is incorporated into the batter. It should like the photo on above right.
Add the blended oats, whole oats, baking powder, M&Ms and chocolate chips.
Use a wooden spoon to mix together until combined – the chocolate and M&Ms should be evenly distributed, with no dry oats visible.
Use an ice-cream scoop to scoop balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, with a couple of inches between them. Press them down slightly to around 1/2-inch thick.
Bake in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown, then remove from the oven. Leave to cool for at least 10-15 minutes on the tray before moving.
You can gently press a few extra M&Ms and choc chips on top while still hot if you like. I like to do this as it just makes the cookies look a lot more colourful and loaded-up!
Variations
If you want to mix up these gluten free Monster Cookies, here are a few ideas you can try:
- Peanut Monster Cookies: Use Peanut M&Ms instead of chocolate ones for an even nuttier bake. They add a lovely crunch and pop of colour!
- Halloween Monster Cookies: Add some edible eyes to the tops of your cookies for a fun and spooky Halloween version.
- Extra Crunchy: Use a crunchy peanut butter instead of a smooth or creamy peanut butter for extra texture in your Monster Cookies.
I’ve not tried this recipe with another type of nut butter (yet!) but imagine it would also work with an almond butter or cashew butter too.
Weighing Scales vs Cups
I’m aware Monster Cookies are a US trend and most of you reading this are likely to be used to using cups to measure when baking.
While I have tested the recipe with both cups and grams (and listed both that you can switch between on the recipe card below) I would strong recommend using grams.
Measuring ingredients in metric is a lot more accurate and weighing scales can be purchased very cheaply.
When it comes to gluten free baking, just a few grams can make a huge difference (it’s a science!) so I strongly recommend following this over cups to avoid issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs about this Monster Cookies recipe – if you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!
Monster cookies are flourless cookies made from peanut butter, oats, sugar and egg, then loaded with chocolate chips and M&Ms. They are like a cross between a chewy peanut butter cookie and a soft oat and raisin cookies. I think the name ‘Monster Cookies’ comes from the fact they are so monstrous!
Some Monster Cookie recipes use flour, while other rely solely on oats. The only way these cookies are gluten free is when made with certified gluten free oats (like this recipe) – and if any additional flour used is gluten free too. I didn’t feel the need to add extra flour to this recipe, it worked so well with just gluten free oats!
Yes you can! If you want to make this Monster Cookie dough ahead of time you can either place the whole bowl in the fridge or scoop the cookie dough into balls then refrigerate those. Just be aware they may need an extra couple of minutes’ cooking time if being baked from chilled.
Yes! You can either freeze the scooped balls of dough on a tray (then transfer to a bag or tub) or freeze the cookies once baked. I recommend defrosting the dough before baking otherwise it may not spread out too well.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. You can also share your creations in my Facebook group! And please do leave a 5* review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me and really helps support my website.
Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Ingredients
- 190 g gluten free porridge oats, (rolled oats)
- 200 g peanut butter, (smooth or creamy PB is best)
- 50 g unsalted butter, (room temperature)
- 75 g light brown sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder, (baking soda)
- 110 g chocolate M&Ms
- 100 g milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190C / 170C Fan / Gas Mark 5 / 350F. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- Add half the oats to a food processor and blitz until they are fine. Leave the other half of the oats as they are.
- Add the peanut butter, butter, sugars and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk to cream together.
- Add the eggs and beat again to combine. Do not over-mix – just mix enough until the egg is incorporated into the batter (see step-by-step photos in the blog above).
- Add the blended oats, whole oats, baking powder, M&Ms and chocolate chips. Use a wooden spoon to mix together until combined – the chocolate and M&Ms should be evenly distributed, with no dry oats visible.
- Use an ice-cream scoop to scoop balls of cookie dough onto the baking sheets, with a couple of inches between them. Press them down slightly to around 1/2-inch thick.
- Bake in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. then remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 10-15 minutes on the tray before moving. You can gently press a few extra M&Ms and choc chips on top while still hot if you like.
Notes
- Weighing Scales vs Cups: You can toggle this recipe card to convert the ingredients into cups – I have weighed each item individually to ensure the conversion is accurate as possible. However, I always recommend using weighing scales – these are cheap to buy and much more accurate. And in gluten free baking, a tiny variation can make a huge difference!
- Step-by-Step Photos: Check out the blog post above for step-by-step photos to guide you through how this cookie recipe should look at each stage.
- Storing: Check out the Frequently Asked Questions above this recipe card and blog post above for more information on gluten free oats, which M&Ms are gluten free, storing and freezing these Monster cookies.
- Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* rating and tell all your gluten free friends about this Gluten Free Monster Cookies!
Nutrition
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
Get my cookbook!
Want more gluten free meals inspiration? My debut cookbook, Delicious Gluten Free Meals, has 100+ gluten free recipes, from breakfast and lunch ideas to dinners, desserts and sides.
Absolutely yummy. My hubby (not GF) loves them!!