Patriotic Monster Cookies (Print View)

Chewy, oat-forward cookies with peanut butter, chocolate chips and patriotic candy for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups red, white, and blue chocolate candies
12 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 1 cup mini pretzels, lightly crushed (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
03 - Blend in the peanut butter, then add eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually incorporate the dry mixture into the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in chocolate candies, semisweet chocolate chips, and mini pretzels if using.
07 - Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion two inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges turn golden and centers remain soft.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • These cookies always draw a crowd—they look patriotic and taste even better (so don’t expect leftovers).
  • The irresistible mix of chewy oats, creamy peanut butter, and crunchy candies hits every texture craving at once.
02 -
  • If you overmix once the flour goes in, the cookies can turn out tough—mix just until combined and stop yourself from ‘fixing’ it.
  • Letting the cookies finish setting on the baking sheet (instead of yanking them off hot) prevents breakage and gives you tender, picture-perfect results.
03 -
  • Parchment paper means no sticking and easy clean up—skip it and you’ll be prying cookies from the pan.
  • Scoop uniform dough balls to get evenly baked cookies every time (a cookie scoop or two spoons both work).

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