Nut Free Monster Cookies Perfect for Halloween
Boo! I’ve got a spooky little treat for you today: Nut Free Monster Cookies.
When the weather turns cool, er “cooler,” you’ll find me in the kitchen baking up a bunch of festive treats. I absolutely love fall flavors, and I am a huge fan of all things Halloween. There are so many fun themes for cookies, candies, cakes, drinks and more. Ghosts, goblins, witches, black cats, graveyards . . . there is no end to the spooky, spectacular treats I can conjure up in October. (Dare I say, fall baking might even be more fun than Christmas?)
And these nut free monster cookies are absolutely perfect for Halloween.
Why you’ll love them
Nut free monster cookies are quick, easy, fun, and loaded with lots of flavors. The cookie base is an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. But then we take things up a notch with the addition of white chips, candy pieces, sprinkles, and even candy eye-balls!
But the best thing about these nut free monster cookies is right in the name. They are, of course, completely nut free! Traditional monster cookies are made with peanut butter, which is a no-go for my family. Although, I should experiment with sunflower butter. I’ve baked with it before (these sunflower butter cups are soooooo good) and had great success. Maybe next year . . .
Nut free monster cookies are simple drop cookies. No rolling, cutting, or decorating involved. Well, except for placing a few eyeballs strategically on the finished cookies. But that’s easy, trust me. Even a fledgling baker can master these cookies. And there’s no pressure for them to look perfect. They are supposed to be monsters after all.
How to make nut free monster cookies
These nut free monster cookies do have a pretty long ingredient list. But don’t let that scare you. They are easy to make.
Start by preheating your oven to 325℉. The line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper. This helps the nut free monster cookies brown evenly and prevents them from sticking. Plus, it saves valuable time on clean up. I never bake without parchment paper.
Then, in a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 cups quick oats. You want to use quick oats in this recipe. Quick oats are more finely cut whole oats and will give the monster cookies a more uniform texture. Quick oats also act as a binder since the consistency is more powdery. If you don’t have quick oats, pulse your whole oats in the food processor a few times to break them down.Set the dry ingredients aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large, deep bowl you can use with a hand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup sugar. Using the paddle attachment or your hand mixer, beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then dd 2 eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Finally, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix well.
Once the mixture has come together, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and continue mixing on low until the flour is incorporated.
Then add ½ cup chocolate chips , ½ cup white chips, ¼ cup Halloween sprinkles and 1 cup candy coated pieces and mix again until all ingredients are combined. I use Skippers from Vermont Nut Free Chocolate.*** I picked through the candy pieces and only used the “Halloween” colors. But you don’t have to do this.
Shape the nut free monster cookies using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop. This will give you uniform size dough balls and prevent you from getting cookie dough under your nails. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2″ apart.
Chill unbaked nut free monster cookies in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. DO NOT skip this step. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
Bake chilled cookies in a 325℉ oven for 11-14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and immediately add the candy eyeballs before letting the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes. Cookies will continue to cook on the pan. Do not add the candy eyeballs before baking, or they might melt.
Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Serve nut free monster cookies immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Enjoy!
Nut free monster cookies are delicious with a glass of milk or a cup of tea.
They also freeze really well. Baked and cooled cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months too. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
If you can’t find nut-free candy pieces or don’t have them on hand, increase the chocolate and white chips to 1 cup each. The sprinkles will still give you lots of monster colors.
FREE Nut Free Cookie Guide
Do you love cookies as much as I do? Want more delicious nut free cookies recipes just like this?
Check out my FREE Nut Free Cookie Guide. It includes seven safe and delicious cookie recipes free from peanuts and nuts. These cookies are all easy to bake and sure to be a hit with any crowd. From drop cookies to bar cookies to I know you’ll find a new favorite today.
Off we go!
*** It goes without saying that you should read every ingredient label every time before baking nut free treats. There are a lot of brands out there and not all chocolate chips, sprinkles, candy pieces are safe.
Nut Free Monster Cookies Perfect for Halloween
Equipment
- baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- oven
- Large mixing bowl
- stand mixer or handheld mixer and large bowl
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chips
- 1 cup candy coated chocolate pieces like Skippers from Vemont Nut Free or Unreal
- ¼ cup Halloween sprinkles
- Mini candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 cups quick oats. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, add 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 2 eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Add ½ cup chocolate chips , ½ cup white chips, ¼ cup Halloween sprinkles and 1 cup candy coated pieces and mix again until all ingredients are combined.
- Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to create dough balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2″ apart. Chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. This prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
- Bake in a 325℉ oven for 11-14 minutes, or until lightly golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and immediately add the candy eyeballs before letting the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes. Cookies will continue to cook on the pan.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
If you can’t find nut-free candy pieces or don’t have them on hand, increase the chocolate and white chips to 1 cup each.
Be sure to read the ingredient labels to make sure the sprinkles are safe.
Do not add the candy eyeballs before baking.
Use quick oats in this recipe. Quick oats are more finely cut whole oats and will give the monster cookies a more uniform texture. Quick oats also act as a binder since the consistency is more powdery. If you don’t have quick oats, pulse your whole oats in the food processor a few times to break them down.
To freeze Monster Halloween Cookies: Baked and cooled cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months too. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
