Last month I shared my mom’s recipe for Perfectly Soft Chocolate Chips Cookies. This month, I’m sharing my grandma’s Monster Cookie’s.
Growing up, these were the two cookies we had most often. My mom always swore she couldn’t pull them off, but my sister-in-law picked up the torch so we always call on her when we’re hungry for them!
The original recipe made a huge batch so we’ve cut it in half to a more standard size (yields about two and a half dozen.) I also made a few minor tweaks of my own, including a touch extra corn syrup and vanilla. To balance out the extra moisture, I added a bit more oatmeal as well.
(I almost always double the vanilla in any recipe. You really can’t go wrong there!)
A Few Interesting Things…
You’ve likely heard of “Monster Cookies,” but if you haven’t, here are a few fun facts.
1 → There’s no flour.
In 1971, a photographer from Michigan State University was working on a peanut butter cookie recipe to submit to the Lansing State Journal when he realized he was out of flour. He substituted ground oats instead but the dough turned out so thick – a true “monster of a dough,” – that it burned out two . (source)
2 → Corn syrup is an (small) ingredient.
Of all the cookie recipes I’ve tested over the years, this is the only one I’ve seen that calls for corn syrup. It’s not just for sweetness; it keeps the cookies chewy, gives them a subtle glossy sheen, and prevents them from drying out since oats are the only dry ingredient. My grandma’s original recipe called for just 1 teaspoon (which meant 1/2 teaspoon for a half batch), but that felt too small to make a real difference (or worth buying corn syrup! LOL), so I bumped it up to 1 tablespoon.
3 → Try No Sugar Peanut Butter
I’ve be using JIF No-Sugar Peanut Butter for awhile now and it works wonderfully here. Since Monster Cookies already have plenty of sugar, an unsweetened peanut butter helps tame the overall sweetness.
4 → Butter vs. Margarine
Grandma originally used margarine — which was hugely popular when Monster Cookies first came around — but we’re 100% team butter.
5 → Traditional recipes make a huge batch
Most monster recipes yield a massive batch that requires a giant bowl, and a strong arm for stirring. LOL. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is halved. The only thing we couldn’t halve well were the eggs. Grandma’s recipe used 3 eggs. We just went with 2.
Grandma Rockwell, My Twin
I know this is a recipe post, but I just have to share this: I am the total doppelgänger of my paternal grandmother, Grandma Martha Rockwell.
Our family always knew we looked alike, but after looking through photos at her funeral, I decided to put together some side-by-side comparisons. Seeing them side-by-side is wild — and maybe a little spooky! LOL.
I’m still amazed every time I look at these photos, so I love showing them off whenever I get the chance.
Indulge me for a moment?
I’m curious…which photo pair do you think has the most striking resemblance? LMK in the comments! 🙂
Let’s Make Grandma Martha’s Monster Cookies!
A Monster cookie is really a cross between a peanut butter cookie, an oatmeal cookie, and a chocolate chip cookie. You’ll need:
- Quick 1-minute oats
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Butter
- White sugar
- Brown sugar
- Peanut butter
- White corn syrup
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Plain M&Ms
- Milk chocolate chips
P.S. Here’s my favorite dry storage container set (Pro Keeper).
I feel like it’s one of those cookies where you don’t totally have to worry about the order in which you mix things together as long as you mix wet stuff first and then add in the dry. Here’s the order I do it in though:
1. Cream together the butter and sugars then add in the peanut butter and corn syrup.
2. Add in the egg and vanilla until just combined.
3. Add in the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula.
4. Mix in the M&M’s and chocolate chips.
5. Scoop onto a cookie sheet (12 per sheet) and bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.
6. Pull the cookies out when they start developing a little golden color. Let them cool on the cookie sheet fully.
(I missed a photo of this so this screenshot is from a video clip which is why it’s a little blurry. AI didn’t do a good job helping clean it up so here is the raw original…)
7. After they cool, they’ll have a nice golden sheen.
Monster Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a large glass bowl, melt butter by running for 10-15 seconds then pausing microwave for 10 seconds. Do this a few times until it is melted (or at least totally softened).
- With a hand mixer, mixer butter and sugars together.
- Add peanut butter and corn syrup.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.
- With a spatula or wooden spoon, mix in salt, baking soda, and quick oats.
- Finally, mix in M&M and chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop – scoop 12 dough balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment.
- Bake 12-15 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit until fully cooled (about 10-15 minutes).
