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These no bake monster cookies combine peanut butter, quick oats, chocolate chips and mini M&M’s in a soft, chewy cookie that doesn’t need the oven. You cook the butter, sugars and milk briefly on the stovetop, then stir everything together and scoop the cookies while the mixture is still soft. I like the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and those little crunchy candy shells. Just give them time to cool and set before digging in.
Why You’ll Love It
These no bake monster cookies are packed with peanut butter, quick oats, chocolate chips and mini M&M’s, with no oven needed.
No oven needed: I love a no-bake recipe when I want something sweet without turning on the oven. You only need the stovetop for a few minutes, then the cookies set on the counter.
Peanut butter and chocolate together: There’s creamy peanut butter in the oat mixture, plus chocolate chips and mini M&M’s. You get a little bit of everything in each cookie.
Soft, chewy and a little crunchy: The oats make these chewy, while the mini M&M’s add those little crunchy candy shells throughout.
Fun to change up: Mini M&M’s are my pick because you get more candies in each cookie, but this is an easy recipe to play around with using different chocolate chips or small candies.
Enjoy baking and trying new recipes? You might like pumpkin crunch bread, my tasty sour cream pound cake, or these irresistible Reece’s stuffed Oreos.
No Bake Monster Cookie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Creamy peanut butter: I use creamy peanut butter so it melts smoothly into the warm sugar mixture. Crunchy peanut butter will work if you want a little more texture.
Quick oats: Use quick or 1-minute oats here rather than steel-cut oats. The smaller, softer oats work much better in a cookie that isn’t baked.
Chocolate chips: Semisweet chocolate keeps these from getting even sweeter, and I like the chocolate with the peanut butter and oats.
Mini M&M’s: I prefer minis here because they spread through the mixture better than full-size candies, so you get more in each cookie.
How to Make No Bake Monster Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the pan: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the sugar mixture: Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring the mixture to a full boil for 1 minute.
Add the peanut butter: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
Add the oats: Stir in the quick oats, then let the mixture cool for 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the chocolate and candies: Fold in the chocolate chips and mini M&M’s once the mixture has cooled enough that they won’t immediately melt.
Scoop the cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
Let them set: Leave the cookies at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until set.
Substitutions and Variations
Change the chocolate: Try milk, dark or white chocolate chips in place of the semisweet chips.
Switch up the M&M’s: Seasonal mini M&M’s are an easy way to change the colors for different holidays.
Use crunchy peanut butter: Swap creamy for crunchy if you want some extra peanut pieces in the cookies.
Try another candy: Replace some or all of the mini M&M’s with another small candy that works well with chocolate and peanut butter.
Serving Suggestions
As a sweet treat: Enjoy these no bake cookies with some frozen mint lemonade or Starbucks style peach black tea lemonade.
As a snack: Pair a monster cookie with something savory, perhaps Instant Pot boiled peanuts. These make a good school snack as a treat to pair with the savory components.
As part of a dessert tray: Serve them up with baked cookies, no bake cannoli cones or waffle cookies.
How to Store
Store: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Place parchment or wax paper between layers if you’re stacking them.
Freeze: Freeze the set cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, with parchment between the layers.
Thaw: Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Top Tips
Wait for a full boil: Start timing the 1 minute once the mixture is bubbling across the surface, not when you first see little bubbles around the edge of the saucepan.
Don’t skip the cooling time: I know 8 to 10 minutes feels long when there’s chocolate waiting to go in, but adding the chips and M&M’s too soon will melt them into the oat mixture.
Use quick oats: I use quick or 1-minute oats because they soften enough for a no-bake cookie. Steel-cut oats won’t work here, and old-fashioned rolled oats will give you a noticeably chewier texture.
Have everything ready: Once the mixture reaches the right stage, this recipe moves fairly quickly. Measure the peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M’s before you start cooking.
Give them time to set: Leave the cookies alone until they’ve cooled and firmed up. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, that can take close to an hour.
No Bake Monster Cookies FAQs
The mixture is very hot when it comes off the stove. If you add the chocolate right away, it will melt into the oat mixture instead of staying in little pieces. I let mine cool for 8 to 10 minutes before folding them in.
You can, but I’ve found that refrigeration can create condensation and make the cookies sticky. I prefer letting them set at room temperature. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can refrigerate them, but the texture might be a little stickier.
No Bake Monster Cookies Recipe
No Bake Monster Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop Medium
Ingredients
- ½ Cup salted butter
- 1½ Cups granulated white sugar
- ½ Cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ Cup milk
- 1 Cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3¼ Cups quick oats, 1-minute oats
- ½ Cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ Cup mini M&Ms
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, add the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and milk.
- On medium heat, mix well and cook until all ingredients are combined and the sugar is dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Make sure the boiling bubbles are in the middle, not the small ones on the side of the saucepan.
- Take off the heat and add peanut butter and vanilla extract.
- Mix well to combine the ingredients with the butter mixture.
- Stir in the oatmeal. Mix well. Let the mixture sit for 8 to 10 minutes to cool off.
- Add the chocolate chips and mini M&M's and gently fold until evenly distributed.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1½ Tablespoons) to portion the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Arrange them on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Let the cookies cool and set at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Notes
Don’t skip the cooling time: I know 8 to 10 minutes feels long when there’s chocolate waiting to go in, but adding the chips and M&M’s too soon will melt them into the oat mixture.
Use quick oats: I use quick or 1-minute oats because they soften enough for a no-bake cookie. Steel-cut oats won’t work here, and old-fashioned rolled oats will give you a noticeably chewier texture.
Have everything ready: Once the mixture reaches the right stage, this recipe moves fairly quickly. Measure the peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M’s before you start cooking.
Give them time to set: Leave the cookies alone until they’ve cooled and firmed up. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, that can take close to an hour.
Nutrition
No bake monster cookies are a fun one when I’m in the mood for cookies but don’t want to turn on the oven. The peanut butter and oats make them soft and chewy, while the chocolate chips and mini M&M’s give you plenty of chocolate in every bite. Give the mixture those few minutes to cool before adding the chocolate, then let the cookies sit until they’re completely set.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
So easy to make and perfect to take to work for a snack.