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These double chocolate monster cookies are a real treat — and the recipe is simple to make! Soft and chewy with an almost fudgy brownie-like texture, notes of peanut butter and rich chocolate fill every bite of these flourless oatmeal cookies. Finished with chocolate chips and chocolate morsels too, they’re perfect for any chocolate lover!
In middle school, I became friends with a girl who lived across town. Because we were both in band (I played flute; she played tenor sax!), we ended up with similar schedules and a few of the same classes.
During many weekends throughout the years, my mom drove me to her house for sleepovers. She dropped me off mid-afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to decide what we wanted for dinner, flip through magazines, walk to the park, paint our nails… Or whatever else we felt like doing.
Regardless of what fun activities we picked, we always loved those nights without homework… Where we could sleep in the next day instead of waking up at 6 am for our A Period PE class!
However, our nights usually ended with desserts and a movie once we finished eating dinner. Although we started out by watching VHS tapes (remember those??) in the beginning of the year, my friend’s mom eventually rented DVDs a few times once we figured out that we could play the discs on their family’s computer.
On those evenings, we grabbed pillows and blankets, and we curled up on the few feet of floor space in their tiny office to watch the movies. We turned out the lights to make it feel like a theater, and sometimes, if we had eaten a bit too much chocolate and didn’t feel sleepy after the first film, we popped in a second.
Although we often gravitated towards movies with regular actors, one of our favorites was the animated “Monsters Inc.” By the end of middle school, we had watched it enough times to quote over half of the movie, and whenever one of us would squawk, “Mike Wazowski!” in the same voice as the character, both of us would dissolve into giggles.
Although monster cookies aren’t actually named after Sully, Mike Wazowski, or the other monster characters (or any monsters, for that matter!), I still think of that movie every time I bake them… Including when I whipped up a batch of these healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies a few weeks ago!
These cookies are extremely soft and chewy with lots of cozy oats, nutty peanut butter, and rich chocolate flavor. And if the flourless chocolate cookie dough wasn’t enough… hey also include chocolate chips and M&Ms!
Quite a delicious mouthful, in my not-so-unbiased opinion… And nobody who tasted them could believe they were healthier and lightened up!
WHAT ARE MONSTER COOKIES?
So what exactly are monster cookies? I’m glad you asked!
When I first heard of them, I imagined cookies decorated with googly eyes or fangs made out of candy… Or frosted to look like Sully and Mike Wazowski!
However, neither of those is correct. They’re not even Halloween-themed, which was my third guess!
Instead, monster cookies are peanut butter cookies with oats, chocolate chips, and candy-coated chocolate bits (aka M&Ms!). They actually earned their name because their creator, Dick Wesley, broke multiple stand mixers when trying to beat together all of the ingredients… So he called it a “monster” of a cookie dough, and the name stuck!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MONSTER COOKIES
Now with that out of the way… Let’s go over what you’ll need to make these healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies! This easy recipe deviates from the original in a few ways, including one key part… You don’t need a stand mixer or electric mixer to make them!
Instead, you just need a couple of bowls, a whisk, and a fork. I love any kind of recipe where I don’t need to pull out my mixer… Especially because that usually means I can stick everything in the dishwasher for easy clean up! 😉
Oats. In your first bowl, you’ll start with instant oats. They’re also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats. They’re not the ones sold in those individual brown paper packets with flavors like apple cinnamon or maple brown sugar!
Instant oats are simply smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. This means that they cook faster and soften better in cookie dough, which makes your flourless chocolate monster cookies perfectly soft and chewy!
Tip: You can use certified gluten-free instant oats to make your double chocolate monster cookies gluten-free!
Cocoa powder. The cocoa powder actually replaces the flour! You’ll need regular unsweetened cocoa powder. It’s also called “natural unsweetened” cocoa powder, and it’s one of the most common kinds used in baking recipes (including mine!).
I actually don’t recommend substituting Dutched or “special dark” cocoa powder. Both of those have a different acidity level than regular unsweetened cocoa powder, which means they behave differently in baking recipes and can change the texture of your treats. They also taste more muted compared to the extremely rich flavor of regular unsweetened cocoa powder… Especially in these flourless double chocolate monster cookies!
Egg white. This helps bind together all of the ingredients. It helps keep your flourless double chocolate monster cookies low calorie and low fat too!
Peanut butter. Next on the ingredients list is homemade creamy peanut butter. ← That’s my super easy recipe! You just need 5 minutes to make it. It turns out just as smooth, satiny, and creamy as store-bought jars… But for a fraction of the price!
Tip: If you’d rather use store-bought peanut butter, make sure it’s the drippy natural kind! The only ingredients on the label should be peanuts and salt (or just peanuts and no salt — either of those will work!).
Don’t substitute crunchy peanut butter! The peanut butter replaces the butter in this recipe (that’s right — no butter or oil in these flourless double chocolate monster cookies!), but it also contributes to the total liquid volume.
The peanut bits in crunchy peanut butter reduce the amount of creamy peanut butter available… Which then throws off the ratio of wet and dry ingredients, and that can make your cookies cakey, bready, or crumbly. So for the best soft and chewy texture, use natural-style creamy peanut butter!
Sweetener. Unlike the original recipe that called for refined granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies with pure maple syrup. You want the kind that comes directly from maple trees! The only ingredient on its label should be “maple syrup,” and it generally comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Tip: I don’t recommend pancake syrup or sugar-free maple syrup. They contain other added ingredients, so they often behave differently in baking recipes. This is especially true of sugar-free syrup! It’s typically water-based, and that tends to give your cookies a bready texture instead.
Chocolate morsels. Time for more chocolate! Just like Wesley’s original batch, these chocolate monster cookies also include chocolate chips and M&Ms. I save some of the M&Ms to press into the tops of the cookies right before baking. I think it makes them look even cuter and more irresistible, don’t you?
But wait… I’m getting ahead of myself!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE MONSTER COOKIES
Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients — and maybe even started to whip up the cookie dough! — let’s quickly go over how to make the best flourless chocolate monster cookies. Like I promised earlier, this recipe is simple and straightforward to make!
Measure correctly. Pretty, pretty please… Remember to measure the oats and cocoa powder correctly! Use this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out the dough and make your cookies taste cakey or crumbly, rather than soft and chewy. Too much cocoa powder will also make your cookies taster bitter.
I pinky swear promise it’s worth taking a few extra moments to measure correctly. It means you end up with the best soft, chewy, and almost fudgy brownie-like chocolate monster cookies imaginable!
Chill the cookie dough. Before baking these healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies, you’ll need to chill the cookie dough. If you’ve measured everything correctly (especially the oats and cocoa powder!), the cookie dough should be rather sticky. Chilling helps stiffen the cookie dough, and it also prevents your cookies from spreading into one giant blob on your baking sheet.
Not that there’s anything wrong with one gigantic monster cookie… 😉
Flatten + shape. Before sliding your baking sheet into the oven, gently flatten your cookies with a spatula. These cookies don’t really spread much — if at all! — so they’ll look exactly the same when they finish baking as they did before. Just… No longer raw. 😉
Hint: One of the most common questions I get hear is “How do you make your cookies look so perfectly round?” There’s no special trick! I just use a spoon and spatula to transfer the cookie dough to my silicone baking mat. Then I use a mini spatula (← those are my favorite!) to flatten the tops and smooth out the sides.
Do not overbake. Your healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies are actually done baking when the centers still look and feel slightly underdone — so do not overbake them! (Overbaking = dry and cakey cookies. Not good.) You’ll leave them on the warm baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, and that heat from the metal baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through… Just without the cookies drying out!
FAQS ABOUT FLOURLESS DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MONSTER COOKIES
Are these double chocolate monster cookies gluten-free, low calorie, low fat, or clean eating friendly?
Yes — to everything! These chocolate monster cookies are naturally flourless, so they’ll be gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats. They’re also low calorie and low fat (compared to many traditional recipes!), and I included how to make them clean eating friendly in the Notes section of the recipe.
Can I use old-fashioned rolled oats?
Kind of! Measure out the same amount, but pulse those old-fashioned rolled oats in a food processor or blender until they’re about ⅛ to ¼ of their original size. This makes them closer in size to instant oats, so your monster cookies should have a similar soft and chewy texture.
I have a peanut allergy. Can I make these monster cookies without peanut butter?
Yes! Creamy almond butter works just as well — whether my homemade creamy almond butter or the store-bought natural kind (with only almonds and salt).
Can I substitute a different sweetener?
You sure can! Honey and agave work just as well.
I don’t have M&Ms. What can I use instead?
That’s totally fine! Substitute more chocolate chips for the M&Ms.
How should I store these flourless double chocolate monster cookies? And how long will they last?
Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they’ll keep for at least two or three days. If refrigerated, they’ll last longer (often closer to a week or more — if they last that long!). Once baked and fully cooled, these cookies also freeze really well!
Then once they’ve cooled enough so you won’t burn your tongue… Feel free to eat as many as you’d like — I won’t judge! 😉
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy flourless chocolate monster cookies!
Healthy Flourless Chocolate Monster Cookies
© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 15 cookies
These cookies are deliciously soft and chewy, and they’re perfect for anyone who loves peanut butter and chocolate! They taste really rich and decadent with lots of strong chocolate flavors, and the sweet peanut butter taste shines through at the end of each bite. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator — if they last that long! (The fully baked cookies freeze really well, too!)
5 from 5 votes
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Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (113g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (64g) homemade creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature M&Ms, divided (see Notes!)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla. Stir in the peanut butter until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the miniature chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of miniature M&Ms. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with asilicone baking matorparchment paper.
Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten using a spatula. (They don’t spread much, if at all!) Gently press the remaining miniature M&Ms into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure both the oats and cocoa powder correctly using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the cookies and make them cakey instead of chewy.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING:Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, and they come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. (They’re not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal!)
In a pinch, to make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.
COCOA POWDER NOTE: Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutched or “special dark” cocoa powder. The latter two have a different acidity level and can change the taste and texture of your cookies.
PEANUT BUTTER NOTES: This is my favorite homemade creamy peanut butter recipe. You just need 5 minutes and a blender to make it! If using store-bought creamy peanut butter, make sure it only contains peanuts and salt — no other ingredients. It should be liquidy at room temperature. Do not substitute crunchy peanut butter.
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Alternatively, substitute ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar or light brown sugar and 4 ½ tablespoons (68mL) milk (any type!).
I don't recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. It's often water-based, and that can make your cookies turn out cakey, bready, or dry.
M&MS NOTE + CLEAN EATING OPTION: If you're not a fan of M&Ms, that's okay! Substitute additional miniature chocolate chips for the miniature M&Ms for a "clean eating" version.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use certified gluten-free instant oats. (Alternatively, in a pinch, use certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats to make your own "DIY" instant oats, following the tutorial above!)
CUTE "MONSTER" APPEARANCE: Press mini candy eyeballs into the tops of the cookies right after removing them from the oven. Alternatively, once the cookies have fully cooled, use small dots of chocolate icing (my super quick homemade recipe is here!) to attach the mini candy eyeballs instead.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they’ll keep for at least two or three days. If refrigerated, they’ll last longer (often closer to a week or more). Once baked and fully cooled, these cookies also freeze really well!
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page.
{gluten-free, low fat, clean eating option}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡The Best Healthy Classic Monster Cookies
♡Healthy Almond Butter Monster Cookies
♡Healthy Banana Monster Cookies
♡Healthy Pumpkin Monster Cookies
♡Flourless Triple Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
♡Flourless Chocolate Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡Flourless Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Protein Cookies
♡…and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
