Chewy Monster Cookies

Ingredients

• Dry ingredients

  2¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• Wet ingredients

  1 cup unsalted butter

  softened (2 sticks)

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 cup light brown sugar

  packed

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons milk

  optional — if dough seems dry

• Mix-ins

  1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

• 1½ cups M&M's

• ½ cup roasted salted peanuts

  roughly chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F

   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat so you can use one sheet for the whole bake and cleanup.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the old-fashioned oats and set the dry mixture aside.

3. Still using the large bowl (no extra dishes), beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and lighter in color. Stir in the creamy peanut butter until fully combined, then mix in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. If the mixture seems unusually stiff, stir in up to 2 tablespoons milk to loosen slightly. The dough should be thick and scoopable.

4. Fold the dry oat-and-flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined

   Fold the dry oat-and-flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined. Add the semisweet chocolate chips, M&M's, and chopped peanuts (if using) and stir until evenly distributed.

5. Use a cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to drop 2-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each mound with the back of the scoop or a spatula — these cookies spread a little but keep a thick, chewy profile.

6. Bake on the center rack until edges are set and lightly golden while centers still look slightly soft, about 10–12 minutes. For a chewier center, err toward the lower end of the time range. Rotate the pan once halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.

7. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes to finish setting (they firm up as they cool). Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely or serve warm. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.