Cookie monster cookies

This change will save because I use the menu. What's better than cookies? Cookie monster cookies, made with oats and chocolate chips. They're crisp on the edges, chewy in the middle and crazy delicious.

Whipping up these gorgeous, oaty cookies is an absolute breeze. You'll only need simple ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk, flour, oats and chocolate) and simple equipment.

Chances are, you can make these cookies today without even having to run to the store.

To make the dough, you'll cream butter and light brown sugar together, then whisk in eggs, vanilla and milk. Next, you'll add the flour and oats and fold together to give a lovely thick cookie dough.

I love using oats in cookies because it helps add structure to the cookies, making them both fluffy and light to bite into but also with plenty of texture and chew. Just dreamy!

To complete your cookies, you'll fold in large chunks of chopped milk chocolate and your dough is ready to be portioned onto a lined cookie sheet and topped with extra chocolate before heading into the oven.

As soon as they start baking, you'll know how good these cookies are going to be - they smell incredible and taste even better.

Here's how to make 25 cookie monster cookies.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220C (180C fan).

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl.

Beat until soft.

Add the sugar.

Beat again until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla and milk.

Whisk until smooth.

Add the flour and oats.

Fold through.

Add the chocolate chips, reserving a handful.

Mix until well combined.

Take heaped tablespoons of mixture and roll into balls. You should get about 25.

Arrange on lined baking trays at least 5cm (2 inches) apart to allow space for them to spread during baking.

Press them down gently with your palm and top with the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake for 10 minutes, until just golden.

Allow to cool briefly on the tray until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.

You can let them cool completely or enjoy them warm while the chocolate chips are still gooey.

Who could resist?!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect cookie monster cookies

Are cookie monster cookies easy to make?

Yes, these yummy cookies only take about 20 minutes to make and that's including baking time!

Using ingredients you most likely have in the cupboard, these cookies are an easy bake that will satisfy all the cookie monsters in the house.

Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?

This easy cookie recipe only uses equipment you should easily be able to find in the average kitchen.

You'll need a large mixing bowl, weighing scales, mixing spoon and baking sheet. The full list of equipment can be found when you scroll to the bottom of this page in the recipe card.

If you have an electric hand whisk this will make the cookies even speeder to make. You can using it for beating the butter and sugar together and whisking in the milk, eggs and vanilla.

A hand whisk or spoon will work just fine too so an electric whisk is by no means necessary.

Are these cookie monster cookies suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians as it does not contain any meat, fish or poultry.

Are these cookie monster cookies suitable for vegans?

These cookie monster cookies contain dairy butter and milk as well as a chicken egg so are not suitable for a vegan diet. Some brands of dark chocolate also contain milk solids.

You could try using a plant-based margarine, plant milk, vegan chocolate and one of the following egg alternatives (each = 1 egg, so multiply as needed for any given recipe):

• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the water you get in a tin of chickpeas).
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (bear in mind this will add sweetness).

Note, I haven't tested all these possible replacements, so let me know how you get on.

Are these cookie monster cookies gluten-free?

This recipe uses wheat-based flour which contains gluten, as well as porridge oats which can sometimes have traces of gluten, so as it is, this recipe is not gluten-free.

I haven't tried these cookies with gluten-free flour, chocolate and oats, but I think it would work well.

Results will vary depending on the quality and blend of flour. Some are designed specifically for use in baking and may give better results. 

Whichever brand you choose, I always recommend using a good quality brand, which will usually be made from a blend of different flours such as rice flour, and oat flour and usually a binding agent such as xanthan gum.

The other elements of this recipe should be naturally gluten-free, but check the labels on everything to be sure.

Is this recipe keto-friendly?

As these cookie monster cookies are made with oats, flour and sugar they are too high in carbohydrates to be suitable for a ketogenic diet.

Are these cookie monster cookies healthy?

These cookies are a high sugar treat and should be enjoyed in a sensible portion once in a while. Try and resist eating them like a cookie monster does!

Is this recipe safe to eat while pregnant?

There is nothing in this recipe that should pose a risk to a pregnant woman if all the ingredients are in good condition and the cookies have been made hygienically and safely in a clean kitchen.

Advice about eggs varies from country to country, the NHS has some fantastic resources and guidelines on foods to avoid whilst pregnant.

This website does not provide medical advice, please speak to your health professional for further advice.

Can I make this recipe without oats?

I haven't tried this but you should be able to replace the oats with the same amount of flour. Note that this will give you a much plainer cookie with less texture.

Can I use something other than dark chocolate? And can I change the flavours of these cookies?

Yes, you can easily switch out the dark chocolate for a different ingredient.

You could try white chocolate, or dried fruits like raisins or chopped up dried apricots, or how about some chopped nuts?

You could also try experimenting with different flavouring extracts instead of vanilla. How about orange extract with chocolate chips or almond extract with cherries.

Keep the quantities the same as the chocolate chips in the recipe and chop to a similar size where necessary. This will keep the recipe well balanced.

If you tried to add too many additions, the cookies won't hold their shape and may crumble or turn to puddles of melted chocolate rather than yummy cookie monster cookies.

How should I store these cookie monster cookies?

Once cooled, the cookies should be stored in an airtight container or zip-lock bag.

Make sure to keep them somewhere cool and dry and they should keep for about a week...unless a cookie monster finds them!

Can I freeze cookie monster cookies?

Yes, these cookies freeze really well and I find it's a great way to store them if you want to keep them for a bit longer. They defrost really quickly so you can just get out what you need.

Once the cookies have cooled, pop them into a suitable freezer container or zip lock bag. If you're freezing a lot of cookies you might want to layer them up between sheets of baking paper so they don't stick together.

These cookies will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, just pop them on a plate on the countertop for an hour or so, or they can go straight into a lunch box and will be defrosted by lunchtime.

Can I make these cookie monster cookies in a different quantity?

Yes, it's super easy to amend the quantities for this recipe, if you want to make more or fewer cookie monster cookies.its always best to

Simply scroll down to the bottom of this page where you will find the recipe card. On the card is the number of servings, click or hover over this and a little slider will appear which you can move to get the number of cookies you want to make.

All the ingredients will update automatically with the new quantities so you're ready to go

As these cookies freeze so well I sometimes like to make double and put half or even three-quarters of them in the freezer. It's so nice to have homemade cookies to hand, ready for those impromptu after school playdates.

Can I make this recipe in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

If you have a stand mixer, you could use it mixer to make the dough for these cookie monster cookies.

Using the whisk or paddle attachment to soften the butter before beating in the sugar, and then the milk, egg, and vanilla extract.

You need to be more gentle once you add the dry ingredients, so either switch to mixing by hand, or use the paddle in slow bursts to fold in the flour, oats, and chocolate chunks.

How can I make sure these cookies are perfectly chewy and at the same time crunchy?

If you follow the recipe, accurately measuring the ingredients and closely following the method, you should get a great consistency to your cookies.

Cooking time is also important when baking cookies, but there's a little wiggle room. If you prefer your cookies chewy and soft, bake them for 8-10 minutes and if you prefer them crunchier leave them in for up to 12-14 minutes. I find 10 minutes is the perfect middle ground to get a chewy centre and a little crunch around the edge.

When baking, it's always best to wait for the oven to get up to temperature before you put your cookies in. This will ensure the cookies are baked at a constant temperature, giving you perfect cookies every time.

Why did my cookies turn out dry and burned?

As these cookies are quite small, they bake rather quickly. If your cookies turn out dry and burned, it could be that the oven was too hot or they were in the oven for too long.

The temperature dials on some ovens can be inaccurate and the actual temperature in the oven can be 10-20 degrees centigrade different. Next time, try setting the temperature lower and if you find that your oven is particularly problematic, you could invest in an oven thermometer which will give you an idea of the true temperature it's running at.

Make sure to set a timer when the cookies go into the oven so you don't forget about them.

Another reason your cookies may have turned out dry could be because too much oat or flour was added to the mixture. Try and be as accurate as you can when measuring the ingredients.

Why did my cookies turn out wet and underbaked?

If your cookies are too soft, this will probably be because they were taken out of the oven too soon. The cookies are done when they've spread out on the tray, have turned a golden brown colour, and you can see the chocolate on the top melting a little.

The cookies will also turn out wet if too much milk is added to the dough. Make sure to carefully measure all the ingredients to keep the right balance.

Why did my cookies melt and spread all over the baking sheet?

The sugar and egg in the cookies help make them spread a little and create that delicious soft chewy cookie centre. Make sure to leave plenty of space between each dough ball on the baking sheet, as they can spread to as much as double their uncooked width.

If the oven is too hot this will also make the cookie dough and chocolate melt too quickly and spread too fast. If you find it's a recurring problem, try setting the oven 10 degrees lower and make more space between the dough balls.

You might need to bake them in batches if there isn't enough space in the oven. Aim not to use more than two shelves at a time as more can affect the overall temperature and baking time.

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