Description
These Halloween Monster Mash Cookies are a fun and festive treat combining chewy oats, crunchy pretzels, colorful Halloween M&M’s, and gooey chocolate chips. Decorated with candy eyes, these cookies bring a spooky twist to your dessert table, perfect for Halloween parties or festive snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (or more dark brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
Add-ins and Decorations
- 1 1/4 cups Halloween M&M’s
- 1 cup mini pretzel sticks, crushed
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Candy eyes, for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the room temperature salted butter, dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt to the wet mixture. Beat until just combined.
- Incorporate Oats and Mix-ins: Stir in the old fashioned oats until evenly distributed. Then fold in 1 cup of the Halloween M&M’s, crushed mini pretzel sticks, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Scoop Dough: Roll the cookie dough into balls, each about 1/4 cup in size, and place them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow space for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the baking sheet for even cooking and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add Toppings and Finish Baking: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently press the remaining 1/4 cup of M&M’s and candy eyes onto the tops of the warm cookies. Return to the oven and bake for another 2 to 3 minutes until set.
- Cool and Store: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to firm up as they cool. Enjoy warm or once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- For chewier cookies, you can slightly underbake and allow them to set on the baking sheet.
- Use room temperature butter to ensure smooth mixing and better texture.
- The crushed pretzels add a wonderful salty crunch that balances the sweetness; don’t omit them!
- If you don’t have Halloween M&M’s, regular M&M’s can be substituted but won’t have the festive colors.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for best freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Halloween cookies, monster cookies, festive cookies, Halloween dessert, oatmeal cookies, candy cookies, chocolate chip cookies
