Monster cookies

I've been holding out on you. I made these cookies for my thesis defense party several weeks ago and haven't gotten around to sharing the recipe until now. I wanted to space out the dessert recipes a bit, but it's been a month since the last one, so I think it's about time for some sweets! The recipe for these cookies came from the Baked cookbook. I had never heard of monster cookies before I came across this recipe, but apparently they are well known in certain areas. If you are unfamiliar with them, monster cookies are peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and M&Ms. According to the authors of the recipe, they are called monster cookies because they are the Frankenstein's monster of the cookie world - a mashup of different components. (Also, I got 60 largeish cookies when I made this, but the recipe says it yields 36, so the cookies that they serve at the Baked shop must be pretty monstrous in size). Now, I think oatmeal chocolate chip cookies beat oatmeal raisin every time, and I love peanut butter, so mixing it all together sounded great to me!

To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with these cookies when I first made them. They were good, but not amazing. But then I stuck a bunch of leftover cookies in the freezer after the party and ate them over the following weeks, microwaving them briefly to thaw them. Well, microwaving did the trick and made me love these - it softened them up slightly and made them a little warm, but left the chocolate chips and M&Ms solid, just the way I like it. Perfect with a glass of milk as a snack or dessert. Too bad I finished the batch - I could really go for one right now...

Monster cookies
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
Yields 60 cookies

Note that this recipe requires that the batter be refrigerated for 5 hours before baking.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbs baking soda
Pinch of salt
5 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 tsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&Ms

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the oats and mix until well combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and pale. Add the brown and white sugars and beat at low speed until just incorporated into the butter.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and beating until batter is smooth before each addition. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and add the peanut butter. Beat on low speed until just combined. Add the oat mixture in three separate additions, beating on low speed each time until oat mixture is just incorporated into the batter.

Fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms with a wooden spoon until well distributed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the batter for 5 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 deg F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Scoop dough in heaping 1 1/2 tablespoonfulls (I used a 1 1/2 tbs cookie scoop) onto baking sheets, placing balls 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until the cookies just start to brown.  Cool cookies in the pans for 8-10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days and freeze very well. As noted above, cookies are best after being microwaved briefly.