by Kelly J. Larson

Monster cookies have become a favorite of mine in the past few years. My friend, Judy, shared her recipe and I am pretty sure she’s turned me into a Cookie Monster, since I have made these awesome cookies into more color combinations than I can count.Judy has been baking her monster cookies long enough that she doesn’t measure some of the essential ingredients. To skip the guessing, I cracked the code for what seems to be my friend’s formula — and downsized it to make half as many.Also, let the record show that I love M&Ms. Ever since Mom was in a bowling league in Oklahoma City when I was a little girl, my dream was always to score a pack of M&Ms from the super slick vending machine any time I was there.Since M&Ms come in seasonal colors, monster cookies can look so exciting and festive throughout the year as shelves are stocked with the latest holiday M&Ms. I’m a sucker for their marketing. Instead of a little bag from the vending machine, I grab a family sized package in plain and peanut varieties. I have been known to order personalized M&Ms for special occasions such as our daughter’s high school graduation party and our son’s birth. The sky’s the limit on colors and greetings for customized M&Ms, but they are kind of pricy. If I only want a few to make specific colored monster cookies, I can easily hit up a candy store at the mall nearby that sells all the colors. How convenient!Judy’s monster cookie baking extravaganza produces a monstrous sized bowl full, too much to fit in my Kitchen Aid. I cut her recipe down quite a bit. (No wonder her arms look so toned, come to think of it, although she is also an avid tennis player.)After baking, each cookie gets exactly SIX M&Ms placed on top, and slightly pressed in place.  Sometimes people put seven (gasp!) M&Ms on top and it looks so weird. Five does too. I don’t know why this is such a big deal, but I love the uniformity of six M&Ms for each monster cookie. Be a rebel just for kicks now — make your cookies any way you want and I’ll try to act like it doesn’t bother me. (No promises.)Some people are thrilled that these are gluten free.  I simply appreciate that they taste amazing and are super cute.

Monster Cookies

• 1-2/3 cups (12 ounces) peanut butter
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1-1/8 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 3 eggs
• 4-1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cups semisweet mini chocolate chips
• M&Ms for right after baking

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Mix everything together (except the M&Ms) in a stand mixer in the order listed. Use a large scoop (1/4 cup) to put six cookies onto a Silpat-lined perforated baking sheet.

Helpful tip: Before baking, smash each dough ball down to form what slightly resembles a hamburger patty.  Flatten each one somewhat, but allow for spreading. Bake for about 11 minutes, then remove from the oven and press the six M&Ms into each cookie. Cool slightly before transferring cookies.Don’t feel you have to wait for a holiday season to make monster cookies. They are just as special from a regular, plain bag of classic M&Ms.

Makes about 30 cookies, 245 calories each.

I like to individually wrap the monster cookies.

For smaller cookies, using a medium stainless steel scoop, drop and a dozen (instead of six) balls of dough onto cookie sheet to bake. Bake for about 11 minutes (adjust baking time if needed), then press three candies on top of each cookie while still hot. Cool slightly then remove from tray.