These delicious better for you Gluten Free Monster Cookies will be a crowd favorite anywhere! They are made with creamy natural peanut butter, old-fashioned oats, fun chocolate candies and chocolate chips! The chewy cookies are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. My monster cookie recipe only takes 15 minutes to prepare and can be made in advance!
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When I first went gluten free, I thought I would never be able to enjoy delicious desserts again. I was wrong! Luckily there are so many alternatives these days that baking gluten free is easy. If you like this recipe, you will love the other desserts on my blog like my Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies, Gluten Free Cookie Dough Balls, Gluten Free Rice Crispy Treats, Dairy Free Sugar Cookies, and my Gluten and Dairy Free Cake.
Why I Love This Recipe
- The peanut butter flavor in this recipe is what makes these cookies oh so creamy and good.
- These Gluten-Free Monster Cookies are one of my go to cookie recipes! This recipe was inspired by my brothers wedding. I am making these for his cookie table.
- The monster cookie dough itself is oh so good. In fact, if you skip adding eggs, you can eat the cookie dough as is and raw!
- This delicious oatmeal cookie is naturally gluten free and soy free. It can also be made nut free and dairy free. They are great for those with dietary restrictions because they can be easily modified.
- My flourless monster cookies freeze well which means you can batch make them and make them in advance! I love having cookies on hand that I can just pull from the freezer when needed.
- These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies can even be made into breakfast cookies by omitting the chocolate, you can of course keep the chocolate but if you want them less sweet you can remove the chocolate to make as breakfast cookies for your kids!
Recipe Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter-The creamy peanut butter gives these cookies so much flavor! Make sure you get the creamy kind instead of the crunchy peanut butter.
- Rolled oats-The steel cut oats in the recipe are used in place of flour. Make sure they are certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac disease!
- Eggs-The eggs bind everything together in this recipe.
- Baking soda-Helps the cookies rise in the oven.
- Vanilla extract, Salt & cinnamon-Enhances the flavor of these fun cookies!
- Sugar-Makes these cookies nice and sweet!
- Butter-Adds richness to this recipe!
- Chocolate chips and chocolate gems candies-For flavor and texture.
See the recipe card below with a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Peanut butter-In place of peanut butter in this recipe you can also use sunflower seed butter if you have a peanut allergy in your house. Almond butter also works too!
- Sugar-We try to stay away from refined sugar in this house so we always use coconut sugar! You can also use brown sugar in this recipe.
- Butter-If you are dairy free like me, you can use coconut oil and vegan butter.
- Chocolate candies-M&M’s work. I like using the dairy free better for you version of M&Ms with these vegan chocolate quinoa candies. You can also use mini mini m&m candy.
- Chocolate chips-Since I am dairy free, I like using dairy free milk chocolate chips.
This recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations. If you try something else out please let me know how it turns out in the comments below!
Recipe Instructions
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Tip #1: Allow the cookies to completely cool before moving. You can put the cookie sheet on a wire rack after it comes out of the oven to help the cookies cool.
- Tip #2: Make sure your butter or coconut oil is soft! If you do not soften it, your cookies will turn out harder.
- Tip #3: If you make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge, make sure you allow it out and get to room temperature prior to baking it or your cookies will come out hard.
Recipe FAQ
Not all oats are gluten free; however, there are gluten free oats. I like the steel cut oats from Coscto that are gluten free. Make sure they say gluten free on them!
The M&M label states “may contain gluten” therefore I would not assume these candies are gluten free. They are also loaded with dyes. That is why I like the quinoa vegan candies!
Other Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
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Be sure to check out my FREE go to anti-inflammatory swap guide!
Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter Melted. You can also use ghee, vegan butter or coconut oil. I like coconut oil.
- 1.5 cups sugar I prefer coconut sugar.
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 cups peanut butter Make sure your peanut butter is well mixed prior to measuring it out.
- 4 cups oats I like steel cut oats, make sure they are certified gluten free!
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips I am dairy free, so I prefer dairy free ones.
- 1/2 cup chocolate candies I like the better for you m&m inspired chocolate quinoa candies from the Unreal brand.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients and mix well throughout in a large mixing bowl. You can do this by hand or with a stand mixer. Now, combine both bowls. EXCEPT leave the chocolate candies out if you are using those.
- Line a baking sheet using parchment paper and use a large cookie scoop (I like using ones that yield a 3 inch cookie) scoop the cookie dough into small balls. Lightly press down on the dough to get it nice and flat. Add the candies on top and bake for 15 minutes.
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