Patriotic Monster Cookies (Printable version)

Chewy, candy-studded oat and peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips and festive red, white, and blue candies.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups red, white, and blue chocolate candies
12 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 1 cup mini pretzels, lightly crushed (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat together unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
03 - Add creamy peanut butter to the creamed mixture. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
06 - Fold in chocolate candies, semisweet chocolate chips, and crushed pretzels if using.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing two inches apart.
08 - Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden and centers remain soft.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • Every bite gives a perfect chewy center with pops of chocolate and crunchy pretzels—people absolutely won't guess how easy they are.
  • It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser for any gathering and always disappears first from the dessert table.
02 -
  • If you bake these cookies until they look fully done, they’ll be overcooked by the time they cool—trust the slightly underbaked look.
  • I once forgot to reserve candies for pressing on top, and while they still tasted great, those festive pops of color were missing—save a handful for decorating.
03 -
  • Use a cookie scoop for even portions so they bake uniformly and look bakery-worthy.
  • One secret: sprinkling a pinch of flaky salt on top before baking deepens all the flavors.

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