These easy Christmas Monster Cookies are simple to prepare and a festive addition to any holiday cookie platter. They are simple to make and decorate so they make a great baking project with kids!
Ingredients
½ cupunsalted butter, softened
½ cupbrown sugar, preferably dark
¼ cupgranulated sugar
¾ cupcreamy natural peanut butter
2large eggs
1tablespoonvanilla extract
1 ¼ cupsall-purpose flour
1 ¼ cupsquick-cooking oats
1 ½ teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoonsalt
1cupred and green M&M candies
1cupwhite chocolate chips
1tablespoonholiday sprinkles
Instructions
Arrange oven racks, so they are evenly spaced in the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment.
Cream butter and sugars with an electric mixer on high until completely smooth. Add in peanut butter and beat until smooth. Scrape sides and with the motor running, add in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla.
½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup creamy natural peanut butter, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Whisk flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
Add the dry mix to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.
Stir candies and white chocolate chips into the dough (reserve a small handful of each for decorating the tops of the cookies if desired.)
1 cup red and green M&M candies, 1 cup white chocolate chips
Scoop by 2 tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Arrange on the baking sheets, allowing for the cookies to spread (about 1 ½ inch between balls.)
Press the balls down slightly, and decorate with the reserved candies and chips and holiday sprinkles. Bake, rotating the pans once until the cookies are just barely set (they will look undercooked), 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for three minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
1 tablespoon holiday sprinkles
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips
Because these cookies are soft, we found we liked them best within a day or two of baking them. They can also be frozen once they are baked. You can also freeze the unbaked dough. Simply portion them into balls, press them and top them, just as directed, and then freeze the unbaked cookies. Once they are solid, transfer them to a resealable bag and freeze for up to one month. Let the cookies thaw completely at room temperature (on parchment-lined baking sheets) before baking. They should not be baked from frozen, as they will not spread as well.