Patriotic Monster Cookies (Printable)

Festive chewy cookies loaded with oats, peanut butter, chocolate chips and red-white-blue candies.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 4 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1 1/2 cups red, white, and blue chocolate candies
12 - 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
13 - 1 cup mini pretzels, lightly crushed

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
03 - Blend in creamy peanut butter, then add eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together old-fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, combining just until incorporated.
06 - Gently fold in red, white, and blue chocolate candies, semisweet chocolate chips, and mini pretzels if using.
07 - Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion two inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden while centers remain soft.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The pockets of red, white, and blue candies look impressive without any special decorating skills.
  • One batch easily feeds a whole picnic or potluck crowd, and the cookies stay soft for days.
02 -
  • If you overmix after adding flour, the cookies get stubbornly dense—stop as soon as it comes together.
  • Adding extra candies on top before baking makes the cookies bakery-pretty every single time.
03 -
  • Bake one test cookie first to check spread and doneness—it saves a whole batch from over- or underbaking.
  • For extra shine and color, gently press a few candies into the tops of the dough balls right before baking.

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