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Giant Back to School Monster Cookies with Peanut Butter, Oats, M&M’s and Chocolate Chips

Back to School Giant Monster Cookies

Makes: Approximately 10–12 giant cookies, depending on the size of your scoop Bake temperature: 350°F Bake time: 10–13 minutes Chill time: Overnight recommended
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup salted butter softened at room temperature (2 sticks/16 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or measure with your heart
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled or weighed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 cups M&M's
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or a combination of dark and semi-sweet

Method
 

  1. Don't preheat your oven yet. We're giving this cookie dough a little refrigerator vacay first.
  2. In a very large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric hand mixer on high speed until it's creamy and fluffy. This is one recipe where I actually prefer my hand mixer, but you can absolutely bust out the KitchenAid if that's your happy place.
  3. Add the peanut butter and beat until it's completely combined with the butter.
  4. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on high for at least one minute, until everything is well creamed and fluffy.
  5. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.
  6. Time for the dry team.
  7. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the dough, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  8. Add the oats, M&M's, and chocolate chips. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir just until everything is evenly distributed. Remember: overworked dough is a crime.
  9. Using a large cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. I use a giant #2 cookie scoop from a restaurant supply store because apparently subtlety has left the building.
  10. Place the cookie dough balls onto a wax-paper-lined baking tray. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  11. When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Both work beautifully.
  12. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared pans, leaving a couple of inches between them. Because these cookies are enormous, I can fit about five on each cookie sheet.
  13. Bake for 10–13 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers may still look slightly underbaked.
  14. That's exactly what we want.
  15. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool completely. They'll continue baking from the residual heat, which gives us those lovely soft centers without overbaking the edges.
  16. If one comes out looking a little wonky, take a large round cookie cutter—I use a 5-inch one—and gently scoot it around the warm cookie to nudge it back into a perfect circle.
  17. Totally unnecessary.
  18. Also ridiculously satisfying.

Notes

Freezer Instructions
The scooped cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for about two months.
There's no need to thaw it before baking. Bake the frozen dough at 350°F for approximately the same amount of time, adding another minute or two if needed.
Future You will be very pleased with this arrangement.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store your monster cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3–4 days.
Assuming they last that long.