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These monster cookies are 100% vegan and peanut butter free, all while maintaining a chewy-crunchy texture with the right amount of sweet, chocolate and salt.
I’ve put so much heart and soul into this recipe, and am excited to share it with you!
Why this Recipe Works:
- This recipe calls for so many delicious ingredients with a variety of textures and flavors.
- The fun ingredients in these cookies make them perfect for baking with your family.
- You can switch up the colors of the candy coated chocolate pieces to coordinate with the holiday or event you’re celebrating.
- Bonus: these cookies can be made gluten free, too!
What is a monster cookie?
- Monster cookies usually contain at least these four ingredients: oatmeal, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and candy-coated chocolate candies. However, this time we’re making monster cookies for those who need or want to avoid peanuts, dairy and/or eggs.
- When it comes to additional ingredients, the baker is is free to get creative. I’ve seen some made with peanut butter, some with peanut butter chips, and others with all sorts of chopped up candy bars and nuts.
- They are also typically larger than the average-sized cookie.
Developing unique cookie recipes is one of my favorite things to do! If you like these, check out my recipes for Hawaiian Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Funfetti Chocolate Chunk Cookies, my Black n’ White Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and my Midnight Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookie Cups!
Instructions for Making Vegan Peanut-Free Monster Cookies:
1. Start with a little prep: Pre-heat your oven to 350°F/177°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. No parchment? No problem! If your baking sheets are nonstick then you’re good to go.
2. Next, in a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and the water. Set this aside, too.
3. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all of the DRY ingredients.
Give those ingredients a good stir.
4. Next, add the WET ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the flaxseed/water mixture. Stir until all flour is incorporated.
5. Now, normally I try to avoid calling for special kitchen tools in my recipes, but this one really does help tremendously: a retractable ice cream or cookie scoop! You know, the type that has the trigger on the side to help remove the ice cream, or in this case – cookie dough – from inside the scoop. They can be found in most grocery stores, at Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond, or you can order the one I really like, the Solula #14, HERE.
Since these cookies are SO loaded with yummy, sticky ingredients, I’ve found that an ice cream scoop is the easiest way to get the dough from bowl to the baking sheet in nearly perfect dough ball form with minimal mess, fuss or time spent. However, if you can’t get your hands on a retractable scoop, a 1/4 measuring cup will work, as well.
So this is what you do: scoop up the dough, then pack it tightly into the scoop by pressing with the palm of your hand.
Lastly, place that scoop face-down on your baking sheet and squeeze the retractable handle or trigger slowly to release the dough ball. If using a 1/4 cup measuring spoon, reshape the cookie ball with your hands as needed.
After ten dough balls are formed. take any remaining chocolate chips or dough sitting in the bottom of the bowl and carefully add it to the tops of the balls.
6. Bake these beauties in your pre-heated oven for 13-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn a light, golden brown color. You’ll want to let them rest on the cookie sheet for about 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. While you wait, add your candy coated chocolate candies to the tops of each cookie. I typically add 5 – 6 candies per cookie.
7. After those 3-5 minutes have passed, transfer those gorgeous monster cookies to a cooling rack and prepare your taste buds for a special treat unlike anything you’ve had before.
Enjoy!!
Top Tips For Making These Monster Cookies:
- For a gluten free version, use your favorite gluten free all-purpose flour in place of regular all-purpose flour. Check the labels for all remaining ingredients to ensure they’re gluten free as well.
- You can probably leave the nuts out altogether if you so desire, but I’ve never tried it! If you do, perhaps sub it out for 3 extra tablespoons of crispy rice cereal, to make up the volume.
- Use an ice cream scoop for separating the raw dough on a cookie sheet. If you don’t own an ice cream scoop, you can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
- You can find flat parchment sheets HERE
Did you try this recipe? Give it a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below. Your feedback is very helpful!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @AudreyDunham or hashtag #AudreyDunham so I can see your creations!
Vegan Peanut-free Monster Cookies (Gluten Free Option)
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. ground flaxseed (11 g) + 2 Tbsp. water (30 ml)
DRY:
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour (70 g) or Bob's Red Mill gluten free all-purpose flour(80 g)
- 1/3 c. gluten free old fashioned rolled oats (33 g)
- 3/4 c. crispy rice cereal (27 g)
- 1/3 c. coconut sugar (47 g)
- 1/3 c. unsweetened shredded coconut (37 g)
- 3 Tbsp. pecans (23 g) or walnuts chopped into pea-sized pieces
- 3 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips (35 g)
- 3 Tbsp. vegan white baking chips (35 g)
- 1/2 c. 2.5 to 3 oz. dark chocolate bar with almonds, chopped into 1/4 - 1/2" chunks (80 g) OR plain dark chocolate
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
WET:
- 1/3 c. canola oil (79 ml) organic, if possible, to avoid GMOs
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup (30 ml)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Before You Begin! I recommend measuring out all ingredients called for in this recipe so they are ready to go the moment you need them.
Instructions
- Start by doing a little prep: Pre-heat your oven to 350°F/177°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. No parchment? No problem! If you're baking sheets are nonstick then you're good to go. If not, lightly grease your sheets. Then, set them aside for now.
- Next, in a small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and the water. Set this aside, too.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all of the DRY ingredients and stir well.
- Next, add the WET ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the flaxseed/water mixture. Stir until all flour is incorporated.
- Form 10 packed dough balls by either using an ice cream scoop (you can buy my favorite kind HERE) or a 1/4 cup measuring cup. Place the scoops face-down on your baking sheet and squeeze the retractable handle or trigger slowly to release the dough ball.
- After ten dough balls are formed. take any remaining chocolate chips or dough sitting in the bottom of the bowl and carefully add it to the tops of the balls.
- Bake these beauties in your pre-heated oven for 13-14 minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn a light, golden brown color. You'll want to let them rest on the cookie sheet for about 3-5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. While you wait, add your candy coated chocolate candies to the tops of each cookie. I typically add 5 - 6 candies per cookie.
- After those 3-5 minutes have passed, transfer those gorgeous monster cookies to a cooling rack and prepare your taste buds for a special treat unlike anything you've had before.
Pro Tips From Audrey
- For a gluten free version, use your favorite gluten free all-purpose flour in place of regular all-purpose flour. Check the labels for all remaining ingredients to ensure they're gluten free as well.
- You can probably leave the nuts out altogether if you so desire, but I've never tried it! If you do, perhaps sub it out for 3 extra tablespoons of crispy rice cereal, to make up the volume.
- You can absolutely use a bar of just plain ol' dark chocolate instead of dark chocolate with almonds, if you like.
- Use an ice cream scoop for separating the raw dough on a cookie sheet. If you don't own an ice cream scoop, you can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup.
- You can find flat parchment sheets HERE
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.