Gluten-Free Monster Cookie Bars

Ever heard of monster cookies? To know them, is to love them.

If you are familiar, you likely have connections to the Midwest, where they’re a favorite. Imagine oatmeal peanut butter cookies studded with chocolate chips and M&Ms. Once you try them, you’ll agree that they should be making them in all 50 states!

In general, cookies are great for feeding a crowd because one recipe yields dozens, but scooping, shaping, and baking them in batches takes time and effort! If you spread your entire bowl of cookie dough out on a sheet pan instead, you can get the job done in one go. Then, all you have to do is cut them into squares after they’ve baked.

Not only is this recipe a breeze for the baker, but it is a dream for whoever gets to eat them. These cookies are soft, chocolatey, and nutty! The oats add a great chewiness, the chocolate chips add to the melty gooey texture, and the M&Ms maintain their shape and crunch.

Also, did I mention that these are gluten-free? With all of these flavors and textures, you won’t be able to tell the difference. 

The Best Pan for Making Bar Cookies

For sheet pan cookies, we need to use a pan with higher edges that will contain the cookie dough as it rises in the oven and a jelly roll pan is perfect for this. A jelly roll pan is smaller than a half-sheet pan; 15x10 inches in size and has 1-inch higher sides so there won’t be any overflow of dough as it bakes in the oven.

Tip! Lining the pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the two long sides is key. This will allow you to easily remove the entire sheet pan cookie to a board before cutting into squares. Just make sure you let the cookie cool completely before lifting.

Why Monster Cookies are the Perfect Gluten Free Snack?

Whenever a cookie recipe has multiple elements—nuts, chips, and more contributing to its texture versus relying predominantly on flour it’s a great candidate for converting to gluten-free.

In this case, the oats add body and chew, peanut butter adds creaminess, and the chocolate chips and M&Ms add gooeyness and crunch, respectively.

This recipe only calls for one cup of gluten-free flour and with everything else going on, no one will miss the gluten. I use King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, but you can use whichever is your go-to gluten-free blend.

Monster Cookie Swaps and Substitutions

There’s more than one way to make a monster cookie and you can take this recipe and make it your own. Just be sure that the mix-ins stay around 2 cups total.

• Try half M&Ms and half Reese’s Pieces.
• Throw in some chopped peanuts!
• If you have a peanut allergy swap peanut butter for almond butter or even sunflower seed butter to avoid nuts all together. (But stick to creamy versus crunchy and avoid any brands that are 100% natural. Natural nut butters will actually lead to a drier cookie.)
• Try crushed pretzels or potato chips.

 A Note About Oats

This recipe calls for quick cooking oats as the finer texture helps to bind the cookie dough together. If all you have is old fashioned oats, pulse them a few times in a food processor to break them down. Your cookies will have a crumbly texture if you use old fashioned oats without pulsing them first.

How to Store the Cookies

Store these gluten-free monster cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay chewy for about 5 days. You can also freeze them between layers of parchment and sealed in a ziptop bag for up to 3 months to snack on as needed.

More Amazing Gluten-Free Treats

• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Donuts
• Gluten-Free Banana Bread
• Gluten-free Pumpkin Cupcakes