Milk Chocolate Monster Cookies
You wouldn't know it from my recent posts about cookies and caramel corn, but we've actually been eating really well around here these days. Tons of veggies, lots of grains. My resolutions are holding up.
But yesterday I had an hour to kill between work and yoga, and ended up at the grocery store to get cookie ingredients "for the fire station." I did send some along, but there's plenty left for us. Lord, are they good. Very sweet, but that's the point, right? I kind of forgot about this recipe, so I'm reminding us. No flour, lots of peanut butter and oats, and so yielding when you bite into them.
I've felt really fragile lately, which might have something to do with wanting to make cookies. Have you ever had those days when you walk around noticing EVERYTHING? The car on the freeway with its hazards on, waiting for help. The child crying at the park because his friends have left him behind. The Facebook posts where you can just tell that the writer is lonely. In a funny way, these days help me be kinder to myself, too. The Inner Critic (damn her!) gets a little quieter, I check my email less, and decide to bake cookies with Loretta instead of plow through my to-do list. Wherever you are today, I hope you feel that Help is On the Way, whatever it is you need.
Milk Chocolate Monster Cookies
VERY IMPORTANT: Dough has to be refrigerated for 4-5 hours to firm up. I find it works well to make the dough the night before and bake them in the morning. The original recipe calls for M&M's. The kids go ape over that, but I'm not a big M&M fan. Certainly you can add whatever your heart desires to the basic dough. You'll get 4 dozen regular size cookies out of this recipe or 3 dozen big ones.
1/2 c. (1 cube) softened butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. + 2 Tb. packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 c. peanut butter (I used Jif extra crunchy)
1/4 ts. vanilla
3/4 ts. light corn syrup (can’t leave this out)
4 1/2 c. oats
2 ts. baking soda
1/4 ts. salt
1 pkg. milk chocolate chips
1 c. toffee bits
Cream butter. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs, peanut butter, vanilla, and corn syrup; beat well. Add oats, soda and salt, stirring well. Stir in remaining ingredients. REFRIGERATE DOUGH FOR 4-5 HOURS.
Preheat oven to 350 and butter a cookie sheet or line one with parchment.. Shape dough into balls (I do them on the large side) and put them on sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, making sure to take them out while they look a tad undone still.
May 26, 2010
Reader Comments (16)
Yummy Yummy!! I actually have been wanting to make your monster cookie recipe since last summer, but always forgot about the chill time when it came down to it. This requires some planning on my part.
And yes to that noticing everything at times in life. I agree that it helps quiet me down & silence my inner critic, but if anything seeing the bigger picture to life. My time was spent with two happy girls stomping in puddles today (picture an 18 mo old in cloth diaper+water+gravity loss at times=sopping wet mess)--those priceless moments.
Amen. Help is on the way? I like hearing that.
Mmmmm. Good. Making them now (between bottles - I am SOOOO HAPPY to be saying that!!) and baking this afternoon. Cookies to celebrate our first week! Hugs to you Sarah!
2 dozen regular but 3 dozen big?
either way, I know what my weekend baking project is!
Beth, I'm happy you're saying that too! What a lucky little baby he is to end up in your arms and in your home.
Oops. This is what readers are for, right?! It's actually 4 dozen smaller ones and 3 dozen bigger ones. I changed it in the recipe. Happy Baking!
Um, pretty sure those cookies are insulin worthy - wow!! (I would prefer the M&M's though!)
Danger! Danger! I am so making these. I might even double the recipe and try some chocolate and some m&m's. Wowza.
These sound so sweet and gooey. Even though I prefer dark chocolate, I may have to whip some up on this rainy day. Why is the 3/4 tsp. of corn syrup so vital?
Hope your cookies "strengthened" you up a bit and helped you get through the day. They sure look wonderful and would brighten any day for me! : )
Yes, I've been feeling that, too. It's nice to know it's not just me. I had a really humbling experience today. There was a man standing halfway out in the crosswalk, and the traffic was trying to go (they had a green light, he had a "don't walk"). He was yelling at them, and at first, I took it as just another crazy homeless guy yelling at traffic & thought I shouldn't get involved. But, he had a cane, and something just worried me.
So I spoke up & said sir, you need to get out of the road. I realized, though, as the light turned to walk, that he was TRYING to cross but just couldn't move fast enough. So I asked if I could help, and offered my hand and we got across very slowly. But I left feeling helpless, as where was he going? How would he cross the next street? It was just a sad moment.
I'm s o happy to say that I'm finally trying one of your recipes...I'll make my way to the healthy and creative eventually. I love your blog and am inspired by many of your ideas. Thank you for all you put out into the world! Beauty!
Ohhh look so good...
corn syrup... is there a viable substitute for it? honey? I don't want to buy a whole bottle of corn syrup just for this delicious looking recipe if I can help it.
For some reason, all the monster cookie recipes really stress this corn syrup bit. I think you should try honey and see what happens. I think the corn syrup has something to do with holding the cookies together since there's no flour...
I used honey instead of corn syrup and the cookies were wonderful - I got about 5 dozen perfect, delicious cookies. Thanks for sharing the recipe!