Monster Cookies

Monster cookies! (With guest appearances by a drool-worthy Zeiss 50mm lens and my OCD.)

Last weekend, the boyfriend went to visit a few friends in Lake Placid. Since I couldn’t make it, I offered to send along something yummy instead. Two of the aforementioned friends were running a half marathon that Saturday, so it was suggested that I keep the treats semi-healthy. (I personally imagine that, after running a half marathon, I’d want an entire pound of bacon washed down by a dozen beers. But I haven’t done any running of any kind since high-school soccer practice, so I suppose I can’t exactly call myself an authority on post-marathon food.)

Anyway, when healthy baked goods were suggested, these cookies immediately came to mind. I discovered them on What Megan’s Making around a year ago, and was very intrigued. (Fact: M&Ms make anything look and taste 50% yummier.) They have since become one of my favorite cookies!

I made a few adjustments to the recipe this time. First: I couldn’t find white chocolate chips at the store, so I opted for Reese’s peanut butter chips instead. And I was cursing City Market for not having something as basic as white chocolate chips right up until I opened the peanut butter chips and tasted one. Hoo-leee cow—those things taste like Reese’s Pieces! They are officially replacing white chocolate whenever I make these. Deeeelicious! Second: I added a bunch of shredded coconut. Because, well, why not? It’s healthy, it’s yummy, and it definitely worked in these cookies. It gives them that, “mmmm, what’s the other thing I taste?” flavor. All in all, this batch was my favorite so far. Please make them immediately. Feed them to your picky children. Eat them for breakfast yourself. They’re so good!

(Also, a million thanks to my friend Aaron of Vegan Vermonter for letting me borrow his wonderful array of lenses this past weekend! I’ve been using a Canon 50mm f/1.8 for all my photos, which, granted, is probably the best bang-for-your-buck lens you can buy. But his Zeiss 50mm lens makes that thing feel like a Fisher-Price toy. And it certainly takes some lovely pictures!)

Monster Cookies
(adapted from What Megan’s Making)

yield: approx. 4 dozen cookies

• ⅔ cup of butter
• 1¼ cups of dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup of granulated sugar
• 1½ cups of chunky peanut butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups of rolled oats
• ½ cup of shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ cup of dark chocolate chips
• ¾ cup of Reese’s peanut butter or white chocolate chips
• ¾ cup of M&Ms

Melt the butter and pour into a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and peanut butter. When the mixture is cool enough that it won’t cook the eggs, add in the eggs and stir until just combined. Then, in order, stir in baking soda, coconut, peanut butter chips, dark chocolate chocolate chips, and M&Ms. Add the oats one cup at a time, stirring until the oats are mixed in before adding the next cup. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Drop dough on parchment-lined baking sheets with a large spoon, making sure the dough is fairly well packed. (I used my hand to form the dough on the spoon, and then placed it on the sheet.) Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown. (Keep on eye on them, as they can burn rather easily.) Let them rest for a few minutes on the sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.