Gluten-Free Monster Cookies made with swaps like coconut oil instead of butter and quick oats and peanut butter instead of flour. Soft, chewy, and packed with flavor!
author’s note
Soft, Chewy, Chocolatey… and Totally Gluten Free!
I come from a big family, and over half of them are now gluten or dairy free. So when I host, I go all out to make sure everyone still gets delicious food they can enjoy.
After prepping a batch of M&M cookies, I realized I needed a gluten free version for those who couldn’t have the original.
Using my regular recipe as a base, and after five batches with plenty of tweaks, I created the most delicious cookies ever. You’d never guess they were gluten free, and honestly, they disappeared just as fast as the regular ones!
Gluten Free Monster Cookies Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps & Tips |
|---|---|
| Peanut Butter | Use no-stir creamy peanut butter for best texture. Almond butter also works but changes flavor. |
| Brown Sugar | Swap part with coconut sugar for a deeper flavor. |
| Coconut Oil | Use solid coconut oil, not melted. Butter works if dairy isn’t an issue. |
| Egg + Egg Yolk | A flax egg can be used, but cookies won’t be quite as chewy. |
| Quick Oats | Don’t use instant, steel-cut, or old-fashioned oats—they’ll throw off the texture. |
| M&Ms + Chocolate Chips | Use dark chocolate chips or dairy-free candy-coated chocolates if needed. |
How To Make Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Wet Ingredients: Eggs at room temp blend better into the dough.
- Dry Ingredients: Chilling helps cookies hold their shape.
- Shape: A cookie scoop makes even-sized cookies that bake the same.
- Bake: Take them out a little early to keep them soft and chewy. Enjoy!
Flourless Monster Cookie Tips
- Measure Accurately: Spoon and level off the flour for the best results.
- Use a Liner: Silicone mats or parchment paper help cookies bake evenly, prevent burning, and make cleanup easy.
- Top Cookies: Press on top after baking for a bakery-style look and extra chocolate in every bite!
- Cool Pan: Let cookies sit for a few mins before moving them so they don’t fall apart.
More Gluten Free Treats:
Breakfast
Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
Desserts
Gluten Free Apple Muffins
Desserts
Gluten Free Brownies Recipe
Desserts
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake
Gluten Free Monster Cookies
Gluten-Free Monster Cookies with a healthy twist—made with coconut oil, quick oats, and peanut butter instead of flour. So good, you won’t miss the butter or flour!
Equipment
- Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil firm, unmelted
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/4 cups quick oats not instant, steel-cut or old-fashioned, see note 1
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet, milk, or dark (use dark chocolate as a healthier substitution)
- 1/2 cup M&M’s
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone liner and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, and coconut oil. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, baking soda, salt (omit salt if you plan to add flaky sea salt to the top), and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s. Beat until combined. Chill the dough for 10 minutes.
- Roll dough balls (about 3 tablespoons in size; around 2 ounces in size) and place on the prepared sheet pan. Fit 6–8 per cookie sheet—these cookies do spread a bit.
- Bake 9–12 minutes, until they’re just starting to turn golden around the edges. Be careful not to overbake these cookies, as it will take away from the softness of them. Allow to set on the sheet pan for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat until all the dough has been used.
- If desired, sprinkle a tiny bit of flaky sea salt on hot cookies.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Make sure the oats are certified gluten-free if you’re gluten-intolerant. Do not use instant, old-fashioned or steel-cut oats in this recipe.
Storage: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies are best within 1–2 days, but will last for about 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Storage
- Store leftover gluten free monster cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to an airtight bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen adding on 2-3 extra mins.
Hi! I have Celiac Disease and I am so excited to try these- I typically keep on hand gluten free rolled oats, but I saw this calls for quick oats…any recommendations for gluten free quick oats? A brand that you know of? I don’t think I’ve seen them. I may try it with my rolled oats and hope for the best
If you already have old fashioned, you can pulse your old fashioned oats into quick oats! Just add to a food processor and pulse a few times until they resemble quick oats; I hope you love these cookies!
So delicious! I added shredded coconut and refrigerated the dough overnight and they turned out perfectly.
So glad you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for the comment and review 🙂
These look AMAZING! I love the idea of a sprinkle of sea salt on top. Genius!
Thanks Suzanne! 🙂
Anyone tried using coconut sugar?
These were so good! To make them vegan, I used a flax egg. I also cut down the fat by replacing half of the peanut butter with powdered peanut butter. Both substitutions worked great! I will definitely be making these again! 🙂
I just made these as instructed (minus the m&ms because I never have candy in the house) and they are so good!!!! I had to read the recipe a few times because I kept thinking I messed up somewhere since the dough was crumbly and hard to form into balls, but once I put them together the best I could and into the oven they came out perfect. I will definitely be making these again! The only complaint is that they are so good and made with healthy ingredients that I convince myself that it is okay to have a third and fourth cookie haha, but thank you so much for this recipe!
Haha!! I definitely have the same problem — I always eat way more of a treat when it is healthy 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment; I’m so glad you loved these!
I can’t believe how healthy these are! these look SO tasty! I love m&m’s they are my weekness! 😉 well cookies are my weekness too lol
Chelsea these cookies look amazing! Love that you used healthy ingredients! Cannot wait to try them!!