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.
These cookies sound amazing, Chelsea! Love that they are flourless and healthier! My lil guy is a big fan of peanut butter and would totally devour these especially with the pretty pop of color from the M&M’s. They look gorgeous!
Look, I’m not an expert cook but I’m trying to be a good cook for my family. And, this go-to snack is perfect for my lovely kids, especially with the M&M’s topping. They love M&M’s. So I’d love to try this one tomorrow to add up to their school snack. But I really wonder, how about using whole wheat flour? You have very good recipes. I will now follow your blog.
I’m sorry, I haven’t tried whole wheat flour in these cookies. If you try the recipe as written, I think you’ll find they don’t need flour as they do really well with peanut butter and oats making up the base 🙂
Yeah. Peanut butter and oats are good too. I also tried using whole wheat flour as it’s also healthy. Thank you for the prompt response. I highly appreciate it. More power to this blog 🙂
Monster cookies are THE best, hands down. Something about peanut butter, oats, and MnM’s is just plain addictive! Who woulda guessed these were flourless? They’re so fun to look at, I can only imagine how good they taste!
Peanut butter and chocolate AND M&M’s, there is nothing better! These cookies are picture perfect! Can’t wait to try!
I love monster cookies as well, and a healthier version is always welcomed, since I can have more of them. Love the ingredients in these cookies, and the photos are beautiful and mouth watering!
I pretty much eat a spoonful of peanut butter or nutella every day! I just can’t resist it. These cookies look SO good, Chelsea! I love that they’re flourless and on the healthier side. Means I can have two (or five) more! Pinned!
Oh my gosh! This is just the kind of recipe I’ve been looking and longing for! You see, I too have gotten in to the habit go peanut butter with a sprinkle of crunchy M&Ms on top 🙂 lol! Anyway, I’ll be trying this sometime this week!
Been looking for a cookie recipe that does not require flour in its ingredients. Thanks for this Chelsea!
You are so welcome!! Hope you love these Martha!
I’ll take healthier cookies any day! Loving those dark chocolate chips and the coconut oil- yum 🙂 Pinning!
Ah yes, you can’t go wrong with peanut butter + chocolate! These cookies look perfect, so thick and peanut buttery 🙂