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Christmas Monster Cookies for your December weekend baking…festive, easy, and sweet. Homemade chocolate chip cookies, made with oats, pretzels pieces, plenty of chocolate chunks, white chocolate, and plenty of holiday M&M’s. There’s nothing not to love about these sweet chocolate (crunch) cookies. Each bite is slightly crisp on the edges but soft and gooey in the center…with just a little salty pretzel crunch and milk chocolate throughout.
Fridays in December are just better! There are holiday parties, searching for the perfect gift for someone you love, and baking the nights away with family and friends. Well, at least that’s the “Hallmark” version I have in my head.
The reality is a little less picture-perfect for sure, but I’m definitely doing the baking! It’s one of the reasons we love this season the most. I mean there are so many cookies! As I said on Tuesday, this year I’m really focusing on all of the holiday cookies I haven’t made before.
My list of cookies is a mile long, but I only have a handful of days to share them. So, I’m trying to pick the very best on my list. It’s tricky, but I always knew these cookies needed to be shared. The combination of ingredients is just too good.
The steps are easy
One: gather your ingredients. You’ll need the basics…butter, sugar, flour, etc. Simple, simple, nothing fancy, but all good.
Two: the stir-ins, they’re are the most important part. You’ll need old fashioned oats, salted pretzel twists, semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks, and white chocolate chips. And then plenty of red and green holiday M&M’s, which really make these cookies.
Three: beat, mix, stir, bake.
Four: eat these cookies warm, just out of the oven, because these are those kind of gooey delicious cookies.
A couple notes
It’s important to note that these cookies do spread, so be careful when cooking the cookie dough! They’re meant to have slightly crisp edges and perfectly soft gooey centers, just like in the photos. My favorite type of cookie…totally delicious.
If you want a bit of a thicker cookie, simply omit the additional egg yolk and use only two eggs. This will give you a thicker cookie without as much spreading.
To get the M&M’s to really pop, my trick is to add in a few just before the cookies finish baking completely. This way each cookie has a bit of the festive M&M’s right on top.
What I love about these cookies is that they’re so easy to make. They require no chilling and they really are completely no fuss. Especially when it comes to Christmas cookies.
These cookies have perfectly crisp edges, yet soft and gooey centers. They’ve got a nice crunch plus a little saltiness from the pretzels – the best kind of cookie.
I’m excited to include these in the year’s Christmas cookie box. They’re perfect for packing up and gifting to friends for the holidays!
Looking for other Christmas cookies? Here are my favorites:
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Christmas Monster Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Christmas Monster Cookies
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 364 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/4 cups holiday M&M’s
- 1 cup mini pretzel sticks, crushed
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs and 1 egg yolk, 1 at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the oats. 3. Fold in 1 cup of the M&M's, the pretzels, chocolate chips, and white chocolate. 4. Roll the dough into 1/4 cup size balls. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. 5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake another 2 minutes. Pull the pan out and push the remaining M&M's into the cookies. Bake 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. 6. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This post was originally published on December 3, 2021
Hi, can I prepare the dough balls ahead of time and freeze them before baking the cookies?
I have a similar recipe, and I have had success freezing the dough balls. I do let them thaw slightly on the pan while I preheat the oven. It’s so convenient to have them on hand to bake fresh!
Thanks for sharing Lori!
Hey Andy,
Sure, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love the cookies! xTieghan
Interesting recipe! Monster cookies have been hugely popular in our area (North Dakota) for decades and there is no flour in them!
Let me know if you give the recipe a try:)
Just made them today. They are delicious!! I made smaller balls so we’d have more cookies, same amount of time to bake.
Hey Joy,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
This is a Christmas cookie keeper. Made them today…super yummy! I’m sure they’ll be even better tomorrow.
Hey Kristen,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Just made these and they are delicious! I used more chocolate chips, no white chocolate, and M & M Peanuts because I didn’t realize they weren’t the original until I was home! I also food processed the oats which is a nice texture. And none of it changed the fact they are so good!
Hey there,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Make sure you use a strong spatula! Broke my wooden one during the fold in part! 😉
Ooops! I hope the cookies turned out okay! xTieghan
This sounds like a great cookie. I’ve seen some recipes that instruct to put old fashion oats in food processor. While I know you don’t say it in recipe, have you tried or would you recommend doing that?
Hey Nicole,
I’ve never tried that:) My guess would be if you wanted to do that you would have to reduce the flour, maybe just follow the instructions as is for this one since I haven’t tested it! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
I really don’t like white chocolate – is there something I could substitute? like more chocolate chips? without compromising the end result? I know that white chocolate seems to be more melty . . .
Hey there,
Totally, just use more regular chocolate chips:) Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
These cookies look amazing – I can’t wait to try them! And also … where did you get that adorable rubber spatula?? It is too cute!
Thanks so much Becky! The spatula is from Williams Sonoma! Let me know if you give the recipe a try:) xTieghan
Could I swap the flour for almond flour?
I wouldn’t swap flour for almond flour. If you’re trying to go GF with these you should use bobs red mill 1:1 GF flour or King Arthur’s. Also, oats are not gluten free unless you purchase the certified GF ones, it will say it right on the package. Bob’s red mill has certified GF oats, although not all folks with celiac like myself can eat GF oats.
Hi Maddie,
I would recommend using an equal amount of GF flour. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Hi! Thanks for sharing this recipe! Will it make a difference if difference if I use unsalted butter?
Hi Becky,
Totally fine to use unsalted butter, I would just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Could you halve this recipe to layer in a mason jar to give as gifts?
Hey Karen,
Sure, that would be a super cute idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
? Help me choose box options…
I will be sharing my cookie box soon:)
Just want to make sure 2 tsp. baking soda and 2 tsp. baking powder is correct??? Seems like a lot for 2 cups of flour. I love oatmeal in cookies.
Hey Charlotte,
Yes, all measurements are correct, you can follow the recipe as written:) Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Yum! Loving all your Christmas recipes! When are you sharing your main cookie box post this year? Looking forward to it! Xx
Coming soon:) Thanks for following along! xTieghan
Will these cookies keep in the freezer?
Hey Alyssa,
You bet! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan