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    Home » Dessert

    BEST Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

    Published: Aug 18, 2022 · Modified: May 27, 2023 by Jamie · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    These thick bakery-style Gluten-Free Monster Cookies are made with shredded coconut (or gluten-free quick oats), peanut butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and M&M's. We love the chewy texture with crunchy candy pieces! This recipe is made in one-bowl, has a tested dairy-free option, and is well-loved by kids and adults.

    Many gluten-free monster cookies laid out on a table, ready to eat!
    [social_warfare ]

    Gluten-Free Monster Cookies are the perfect gluten-free dessert recipe to make year-round! They are super versatile for the holidays and we love substituting chopped Cadbury Mini Eggs for Easter, Christmas colored M&Ms for the winter holidays, and festive candies and M&M colors for Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Fourth of July!

    For more amazing gluten-free cookie recipes, check out our Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies, Coconut Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you're making these for the holidays, check out our incredible Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake, Paleo Molasses Cookies, Christmas Rocky Road, and Dairy-Free Tiramisu!

    New to a gluten-free diet? Be sure to also check out our post on how to go gluten free.

    Jump to:
    • Gluten-Free Monster Cookies Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Fun Variations
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Expert Tips
    • Other Gluten-Free Cookie recipes to consider...
    • BEST Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

    Gluten-Free Monster Cookies Ingredients

    This gluten-free monster cookies recipe uses simple and easy-to-find ingredients.

    The 10 ingredients you need to make gluten-free monster cookies.
    • butter - Regular butter and dairy-free vegan buttery sticks, softened at room temperature both work great in this recipe.
    • peanut butter - Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth monster cookie dough. I like to use unsweetened so I have more control over how sweet they are.
    • sugar - I used coconut sugar but regular white sugar or other granulated baking sugar can be swapped 1-for-1.
    • gluten-free all-purpose flour - I recommend a gluten-free rice flour blend like Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 or Pamela's All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour.
    • shredded coconut - Choose an unsweetened variety, otherwise your cookies could be too sweet.
    • M&M's - Plain M&Ms are considered gluten-free and celiac-safe in the USA. Check our substitutions below if you need a dairy-free version or one with cleaner ingredients.

    See the recipe card for the full ingredients list and quantities.

    Substitutions

    The following substitutions can help you fit these healthy gluten-free monster cookies to your diet and preferences:

    • Oats - Instead of using shredded coconut, substitute the same amount of gluten-free quick oats.
    • Grain-free Flour - Make this recipe grain-free by substituting the gluten-free flour blend for cassava flour with a one-to-one ratio.
    • Dairy-free - Use vegan butter in this recipe and No Whey Choco No No's as a dairy-free M&M substitution for dairy-free. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and vegan. Regular M&M's are gluten-free but not dairy-free. Also, choose dairy-free chocolate chips.
    • Certified Gluten-Free M&Ms - UNREAL Milk Chocolate Gems are a cleaner version of M&M's with a strict gluten-free guarantee (all recent batches are now certified gluten-free).
    • Peanut-Free - Use sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or another nut butter spread of your choosing. M&Ms do not have peanuts as an ingredient but may contain peanuts, so you will want to consider one of the above M&M substitutes.
    A hand holding half of a gluten-free monster cookie to show the chewy texture with M&M's, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips.

    Fun Variations

    Try a new variation of Gluten-Free Monster Cookies each bake by choosing alternative ingredients!

    • Almond Butter Monster Cookies - Use almond butter instead of peanut butter and change one of your mix-ins to almond slivers.
    • Peanut Butter Chip Monster Cookies - Switch the chocolate chips for peanut butter morsels and the M&M’s for Reeses Pieces.
    • Christmas Monster Cookies - Use green and red Christmas M&M's, gluten-free pretzel stick pieces, and white and dark chocolate chips.
    • Easter Monster Cookies - Use chopped Cadbury mini eggs in place of M&Ms, or M&Ms in spring colors.
    • Other Mix-ins - This is a great opportunity to get creative and use what you like. You can switch out the chocolate chips for peanut butter or white chocolate chips, add walnuts or mini marshmallows, the sky is the limit for this gluten-free cookie recipe!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Our step-by-step instructions with photos will make sure you get these cookies just right on the first try!

    Step 1. Prep: Grease or line two cookie or baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

    Step 2. Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and use an electric mixer to cream until smooth. Add peanut butter and sugar and cream again for at least one minute until well-mixed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.

    Mixing the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, and then adding in the dry ingredients.

    Step 3. Add dry ingredients: Add gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until just combined. 

    Step 4. Add mix-ins: Add coconut, M&M's or alternative, and chocolate chips. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

    Gluten-Free Monster Cookie Dough with mix ins in a bowl and being scooped onto a cookie sheet.

    Step 5. Make dough balls: Use a large ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) ice cream or cookie scoop to make balls. Lightly compact each one with your hands before placing on the baking sheet, allowing a couple inches between them for spreading.

    Step 6. Bake: Bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the dough has a light brown crust.

    A baking sheet of freshly baked cookies and a hand pressing a cookie down with the back of a measuring cup.

    Step 7. Flatten if needed & enjoy: If the cookies have not spread, use the back of a measuring cup to press them down slightly to flatten. This will occur if you used cold (rather than room temperature) butter and eggs. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

    Hint: Use the back of a measuring cup to press them down slightly to flatten as soon as they are removed from the oven.

    Many gluten-free monster cookies arranged on a table to show the chewy texture and fun mix-ins!

    Recipe FAQs

    How do you store gluten-free monster cookies?

    Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

    Which gluten-free flour is best for cookies?

    A gluten-free rice flour blend is best for cookies because it tastes most like traditional flour. Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 and Pamela's All Purpose Flour are both excellent options for gluten-free cookies.

    What are monster cookies made of?

    Monster cookies are a flour and peanut-butter-based cookie that is chock full of mix-ins like chocolate chips, M&M's, oats, and other seasonal favorites. Other optional mix-ins include shredded coconut, peanut butter chips, pretzel pieces, or seasonal favorites like Cadbury mini eggs.

    Expert Tips

    Use these tips to make your perfect gluten-free monster cookie:

    • If using a silicone pan liner, increase the baking time. When we tried this recipe with silpat, the baking time was 3-5 minutes longer.
    • Don't Overbake. These cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are golden brown and the center is still soft, but not wet or gooey.
    • Don't overstuff these cookies with mix-ins. It can be tempted to get creative pile in more of your favorite mix-ins! But to keep the structure of this cookie, make any swaps 1-for-1 with a similar sized mix-in. For example, swap mini marshmallows for the M&Ms or chocolate chips, oats for dried coconut, etc. We made sure to add as many fun mix-ins as possible to this recipe!

    Other Gluten-Free Cookie recipes to consider...

    • A cooling rack full of freshly baked vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
      Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Coconut sugar chocolate chip cookies arranged on a kitchen counter and sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
      Coconut Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Side view of a plate of large soft almond flour chocolate chip cookies with a glass of dairy-free milk.
      The BEST Soft Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • A side view of a stack of paleo ginger molasses cookies with one laying in the front to show the crackly top and chewy texture!
      Cozy Spiced Paleo Molasses Cookies

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & if you really like it, consider a comment in the field further down. Thank you!

    Print

    BEST Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

    Many gluten-free monster cookies laid out on a table, ready to eat!
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 5 reviews

    These thick bakery-style Gluten-Free Monster Cookies are made with shredded coconut in place of oats, peanut butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and M&M's. We love the chewy texture with crunchy candy pieces!

    • Author: Jamie
    • Prep Time: 25
    • Cook Time: 10
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 12 giant cookies 1x
    • Category: Dessert, Baking, Holiday
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Wet Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter or dairy-free butter, softened at room temperature
    • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
    • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 and ⅔ cups gluten-free all purpose flour (I recommend Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 or Pamela's All-Purpose)
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Mix-Ins

    • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (or gluten-free quick oats)
    • 1 ¼ cup M&M's or alternative (see notes)
    • 1 cup mini chocolate chips

    Instructions

    1. Prep: Grease or line two cookie or baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and use an electric mixer to cream until smooth. Add peanut butter and sugar and cream again for at least one minute until well-mixed. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.
    3. Add dry ingredients: Add gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix until just combined. 
    4. Add mix-ins: Add coconut, M&M's or alternative, and chocolate chips. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    5. Make dough balls: Use a large ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) ice cream or cookie scoop to make balls. Lightly compact each one with your hands before placing on the baking sheet, allowing a couple inches between them for spreading.
    6. Bake: Bake for 9-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the dough has a light brown crust.
    7. Flatten if needed & enjoy: If the cookies have not spread, use the back of a measuring cup to press them down slightly to flatten. This will occur if you used cold (rather than room temperature) butter and eggs. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Storage: Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    See the blog post for step-by-step photos of the process.

    Dairy-free - Use vegan butter in this recipe and No Whey Choco No No's as a dairy-free M&M substitution for dairy-free. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, peanut-free, and vegan. Regular M&M's are gluten-free but not dairy-free. Also, choose dairy-free chocolate chips.

    Certified Gluten-Free M&Ms - UNREAL Milk Chocolate Gems are a cleaner version of M&M's with a strict gluten-free guarantee (all recent batches are now certified gluten-free).

    See the blog post for additional substitutions notes.

    Keywords: gluten-free monster cookies, oat-free monster cookies, dairy-free monster cookies

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in comment field further down. Thank you!

    « Gluten-Free Blueberry Scones
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janice P

      July 17, 2023 at 10:06 am

      Made these with shredded coconut and loved them! We dos not miss the oats or the gluten. Really glad I stumbled across this blog and I can’t wait to try some more cookies!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        August 06, 2023 at 12:21 pm

        I hope you love the other cookies too! I'm glad you enjoyed them Janice!

        Reply
    2. Jen

      May 29, 2023 at 3:00 pm

      I love how these turned out! I ate a ton of the dough and prefer coconut over oats. I’ll be making these again for a bake sale next month!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        July 12, 2023 at 1:07 pm

        A bake sale sounds so fun! I'm glad you enjoyed them 🙂

        Reply
    3. Margaret Fortier

      November 08, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      These were by far one of the best GF cookies I have made ! I am so thankful for your recipes ! Even my husband ( who is not GF ) loves them ! Thank you ❤️

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        November 13, 2022 at 4:21 pm

        I am so glad your family loved them Margaret! Thank you so much for your kind review.

        Reply
    4. Ashley

      August 29, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      I love that these are made without oats since I can’t have them. My whole family loves these. And a note for other readers, it’s so worth it to get the big cookie scoop. It feels like they came from a real bakery but are so easy. Thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Asha

      August 18, 2022 at 8:24 pm

      Made these as soon as I saw them for my son with celiac and we all gobbled them up! They are every bit as good as a traditional monster cookie.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    About Jamie

    A headshot of Jamie, the blogger behind Vibrantly G-Free, outside in a forest wearing a blue top.

    After a celiac diagnosis, I went from a food lover to eating because I had to. Then, with the help of this blog and community, I re-worked my life and my recipes to love food again. Thank you for being here.

    More about my journey →

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    A side view of many gluten-free monster cookies arranged on a table to show the chewy texture and fun mix-ins!