The Monster Cookie Saga

Actual size - 6". I'd like to see you eat all of these in one sitting.

Warning: Long story ahead. If all you want is the recipe for the amazing, colorful cookies pictured above, go ahead & click “continue reading”.

Lisa was one of my closest friends in high school. She was also my first culinary-minded friend. She liked to cook and bake as much as I did. At the time I was a vegetarian while she was a carnivore. But that didn’t stop us from spending many happy afternoons together talking about and trying new recipes. Lisa came by her kitchen skills honestly. Her mom was also a great cook and baker, and had no qualms about letting two teenage girls take over her kitchen. These two ladies introduced me to the joy of the Monster Cookie. Monster Cookies are 6″ diameter, 3/4″ thick peanut butter-oatmeal, chocolate-chip M&M Wonder Cookies.

Fast-forward several years. We graduated high school, lost touch, then got back in touch courtesy of good old Facebook. In the meantime, I forgot about Monster Cookies until the husband and I were discussing cookies one day. I described them to Jared, who thought they sounded amazing. So I began my search for The Monster Cookie Recipe. I found several recipes, but none were exactly right. Either they were missing an ingredient or called for one I didn’t remember going into the recipe.

I eventually quit searching & decided to try to recreate the cookies on my own. One day. In my typical ADHD manner, I got distracted by the tons of other recipes I wanted to try and never got around to Monster Cookies. To be honest, they kind of dropped off my radar until my sister’s second bridal shower. This wasn’t the Tea Party Bridal Shower that I hosted. This one was much less work for me since my sister’s sweet Mother-in-Law and her fiance’s family hosted it. All I had to do was show up! Anyway. When I walked into the shower, I checked out the food and desserts (What can I say? Food is my hobby). And what did I see but… Monster Cookies! Sure, they were smaller than the ones I enjoyed as a teen. But I immediately knew that those cookies with their oatmeal texture and colorful M&Ms were the same cookies that I’d been trying to find a recipe for. I pretty much tackled Ashley’s Mother-in-Law and begged her for the recipe. She said she’d give it to me.

By the end of the shower, I still didn’t have the Monster Cookie recipe. I thought maybe Ashley’s Mother-in-Law forgot about it, and returned to Ohio tired and happy after a wonderful celebration for my sister. Fast forward a few days. I checked my mail and received a letter from Ashley’s Mother-in-Law. Contained in the letter, in her beautiful writing, was the recipe for Monster Cookies! I couldn’t wait to make them. Fortunately, the following weekend’s plans included a Columbus Crew soccer game and tailgate. Our friends had already decided to provide burgers, corn on the cob and a grill. Jared volunteered to bring Cream Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños. This left me with dessert duty and a perfect excuse to make Monster Cookies. Which finally brings me back to the Monster Cookie recipe I’d been searching for.

Monster Cookies

Ingredients
3/4 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 c. crunchy peanut butter
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 c. quick oats
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 lb. Plain M&Ms

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, then eggs. Stir in baking soda, chocolate chips and M&Ms.
3. Shape dough into large balls by hand, place onto a cookie sheet and flatten. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cookie cool on a cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.