Cookie Monsters

When I was pregnant with my first, I craved baking.  Like, I couldn’t get enough.  I wanted to bake ALL the dang time.  Mostly cookies…MONSTER cookies to be exact.  It’s no surprise that this Paula Deen recipe drew me right in and I’ve been happily baking these bad boys ever since.  My oldest…and youngest, too!…LOVES these cookies!!!  He excitedly calls them “Cookie Monsters!!!!!” whenever he sees a batch.  Cookie Monsters, Monster Cookies.  Tuh-MAY-toe, Tuh-MAH-toe.  You get the picture ;)

MONSTER COOKIES {aka:Cookie Monsters}

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 12 oz. jar creamy peanut butter

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup M&M’s

1/2 cup chocolate chips

2 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats (not instant)

1/2 cup raisins, optional {I didn’t use these!!}

Here’s the lineup.

I have two sticks of butter here because I made two batches.  Let me just tell you that this recipe makes A TON of cookies!!!! 

In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs & sugars until well combined.

Add salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter & mix well.

Stir in the chocolate chips, M&M’s {& raisins if you’re using them}, baking soda, & oats.  I like to stir this part by hand because the batter is so dang thick.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and drop the cookie mix by tablespoons 2 inches apart. Bake for about 8-10 minutes at 350 and DON’T overcook!!  When you remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool for about 3 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

This is a terrible, horrible, no good picture, but I guess it’s the only one I got!  SO flippin’ good!!!

I could eat these by the fistfuls, and normally, I do.  Like I said, this recipe makes A TON of cookies.  I baked a couple of batches at the end of the school year and gifted them to my sweet room moms.  Of course, I included a recipe card and packaged ‘em up real cute like this…

I put them inside that cute tissue paper from Hobby Lobby and then wrapped that in some extra leopard print fabric I happen to have in my craft stash.  Then I tied it all together with some jute and I thought it looked pretty dang cute.  Heck, it would’ve been cute enough on it’s own, but I went ahead and painted pots for my mommas, too and stuffed the cookie packages inside of that.  And I sorta love ‘em.

Yummy cookies make the best gifts!!!!!