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Halloween Monster Cookies

Time: 1 hour
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These thick Halloween Monster Cookies are rich and chocolatey with hints of peanut butter, chewy oats, and eye balls everywhere! They’re easy to make, require no chilling, and are a fun October baking activity.

Pair them with a Spooky Ghost Mocktail, or browse all of my Halloween recipes to find more inspiration.

Stack of 3 Halloween Monster Cookies. One has a bite taken from it to see a tender, rich, chocolatey, and thick cookie.

These are the best cookies you’ll ever taste! They’re thick, chewy, fudgy, and so dang delicious. They’re Halloween monster themed, but they are also monster cookies! You know, oats, peanut butter, and M&M’s, they’re a classic here in the Midwest. 

I did amp them up with black cocoa powder so they would be black in color and totally spooky. I also added candy eyes to make them look like little monsters. You can make them for Halloween parties, Trick-or-Treating, or just because you’re craving a festive treat.

If you’re looking for another candy loaded recipe, try my Halloween Snack Mix. It’s coated with green marshmallow slime, so yummy!

Chocolatey and black Monster Cookies with eyes and Halloween colored M&M's.

Ingredients for Halloween Monster Cookies

Here’s everything you will need to make this cookie recipe. Keep reading for a few important notes.

  • Unsalted Butter: Brought to room temperature.
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • Peanut Butter: Make sure it’s regular ole creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butters do not hold up in this recipe because of how oily they are.
  • Egg: Also brought to room temperature.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Old Fashioned Oats: These give your cookies a chewy texture. Do not use quick cook or steel cut oats.
  • Black Cocoa Powder: For a rich flavor and black color you’ll need black cocoa powder. I do not recommend swapping this out because a different cocoa powder will alter the texture of these cookies.
  • Baking Powder and Soda: Using both give our cookies a soft texture and height (so they don’t turn out as a flat mess). Just make sure they’re not expired.
  • Salt
  • Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Using mini chips add small pockets of chocolate throughout the cookie. They also don’t weight down the cookie (like standard sized chips), especially since we’re adding M&M’s too.
  • Halloween M&Ms: Grab a bag of milk chocolate M&Ms in the Halloween colors, they’re festive!
  • Candy Eyes: These add the Halloween monster effect, I used Wilton brand.

As for special baking equipment, you’ll also need a hand mixer or stand mixer, baking sheets lined with parchment paper, a medium-sized cookie scoop, and wire cooling racks.

Ingredients. Unsalted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, old fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, mini chocolate chips, Halloween M&M's, and candy eyes.

How to Make Halloween Monster Cookies

Here’s a quick summary of the steps. The recipe card further down will have complete details and instructions.

1. Combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, old fashioned oats, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. Make the cookie dough. Cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, then fold in the dry ingredients, mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, and Halloween M&M’s.

3. Scoop and bake the cookies. Using a cookie scoop, scoop and plop cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Use your hands to squeeze it upward into tall piles (pictured below). Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set.

4. Add eyes to your Halloween Monster Cookies. Remove your cookies from the oven and immediately press the eyes into the cookies. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before moving them over to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Storing and Freezing Information

Any leftover Halloween Monster Cookies should be stored in an airtight container/ sealable bag or they will dry out. At room temperature they’ll last about 5 days. Or you can store them in the refrigerator for 7 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Speaking of the freezer, you can also freeze un-baked cookie dough portions (they do not have to be piled high in this case) in a sealable bag for up to 3 months. It’s a great way to prep and get ahead for parties or be prepared when you’re randomly craving cookies. Bake them at the normal temperature, but add a few minutes to make up for the fact they were frozen.

Plate of chocolate Halloween Monster Cookies with candy eyes and Halloween colored M&M's. A cooling rack of more cookies on the side.

1. Use the scoop and level method. Not properly measuring certain ingredients can drastically affect the texture of your cookies. For the flour and black cocoa powder you’ll want to fluff them up using a spoon, scoop into a measuring cup, and then level off with a knife. That’s the perfect amount!

2. Want super fudgy cookies? Let it rest. For 30 minutes to an hour let the cookie dough rest in the bowl. Don’t refrigerate it, just let it sit. This allows the oats to soften and the black cocoa to take on moisture and become fudgy.

3. Pile it high! If you want thick and chewy cookies like mine, you have to pile up the cookie dough. Rolling or scooping and plopping is not enough, they need to be squeezed to higher heights.

A ton of scattered Chocolate Monster Cookies that are black in color with eyes and Halloween colored M&M's.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What happens if I use other types of cocoa powder in this recipe?

Believe it or not, but cocoa powders are not made equally. Black cocoa powder is more dry than if you used Dutch-process or regular cocoa powder. Swapping it will not give you the best outcome.

Can I leave out the black cocoa powder?

Yes! If you want these to be like the classic monster cookies, you can omit the black cocoa powder. In it’s place you will want to add an additional 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour.


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Enjoy Entirely, Elizabeth
Stack of 3 Halloween Monster Cookies. One has a bite taken from it to see a tender, rich, chocolatey, and thick cookie. There are candy eyes and Halloween M&M's on the side.

Halloween Monster Cookies

Elizabeth Swoish
These black Halloween Monster Cookies combine oats, peanut butter, M&M's, and candy eyes for a thick, fudgy, and chocolatey treat.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
REST TIME 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 16 cookies

EQUIPMENT

  • stand mixer or hand mixer - paddle attachment
  • Cookie Scoop - medium, 2 tablespoon scoop
  • 2 baking sheet - lined with parchment paper
  • wire cooling rack

INGREDIENTS
 
 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar - packed
  • 1 egg - room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour - spoon and level method to measure
  • ¼ cup black cocoa powder - Anthony's, spoon and level method to measure
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup Halloween M&Ms - plus more for topping
  • ¼ cup candy eyes - Wilton

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the old fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl add the softened to room temperature unsalted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together 3 to 4 minutes until it has lightened in color and is fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract. Combine until incorporated, about 1 minute.
  • Add the dry ingredients. Combine until incorporated and absorbed.
  • Add the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and Halloween M&M's, fold by hand until they are dispersed throughout the cookie dough.
  • Scoop and pile portions of cookie dough onto the baking sheet leaving 2 inches of space between each. Add additional Halloween M&M's if desired.
    NOTE: Make sure the cookie dough is piled about 2 inches high. This is what makes them thick.
    Piled high monster cookies on a baking sheet with Halloween M&M's on top.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set.
  • Remove cookies from the oven and immediately add the candy eyes. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
    Monster cookies cooling on a baking sheet with eyes in them.

RECIPE NOTES

 

STORING INFORMATION

  • Room temperature, in an airtight container or re-sealable gallon bag, for up to 5 days.
  • Room temperature, in an airtight container or re-sealable gallon bag, for up to 7 days.
  • Frozen, in a freezer safe re-sealable bag, for up to 3 months. 
 

FREEZE & BAKE LATER INFORMATION

  • Follow the directions for mixing up the cookie dough, but freeze single portions of cookie dough in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake them, pop them onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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By Elizabeth Swoish on October 24th, 2024
Elizabeth Swoish holding a camera up to her eye taking a photo.

About Elizabeth Swoish

Elizabeth Swoish is the founder and CEO of Entirely Elizabeth. She is a self-taught foodie and mocktail enthusiast with a business degree in data analysis. Read Elizabeth's food journey or connect on your favorite social media channels.

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