Monster Cookies

Monster cookies. Ultimate Chippers. Super Cookies. Regardless what you call them, kids love them. A cookie packed full of peanut butter, chocolate, and candy, it's a must have cookie for Halloween and perfect for any kid oriented event.

Still, adults shouldn't miss out and personally, I'm not the biggest peanut butter and candy fan (insert collective gasp). So while making this classic kiddy cookie, I decided to make a few tweaks for an adult version of The Monster. Studded with Heath toffee bar chips, dark chocolate, and pecans it's a very sophisticated sugar rush. I also made a version that didn't use peanut butter to make sure everyone's happy, including those who aren't so inclined to the stuff.

Personally I like to split the base dough into two parts; one half using kids mix-ins and the other using adult mix-ins. If you decide to split the dough into two different batches, halve the amount of the mix-ins, otherwise it will be all candy and no cookie. Of course feel free to add white chocolate, almonds, coconut or whatever you most enjoy, that way everybody wins.

Monster Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

Peanut Butter cookie ingredients:
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
Regular monster cookies ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
Kids Monster Cookies Mix-Ins For Whole Batch
1/2 cup of butterscotch chips
1 1/4 cups of M&Ms
1 cup of Chocolate Chips
Adult Monster Cookies Mix-Ins For Whole Batch
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1 cup of chocolate chips (dark chocolate preferable)
1 cup of chopped Heath bar bits

Method

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat the butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugars and beat at medium speed until well incorporated and fluffy.

2 Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for about 2 minutes on medium speed.

3 Add the baking soda and beat for 30 seconds. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom to ensure all the butter is well incorporated.

4 Add the flour and salt, a bit at a time until incorporated but do not overmix.

5 Fold in the mix-ins for either the kid version or the adult version. OR split the dough in half and cut the mix-in ingredient measurements in half, for half adult cookies and half kid cookies.

6 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop on rounded spoonfuls of dough and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden bown. Be sure to let them cool on the baking sheet before you move them.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.