Delicious cookie bars packed with peanut butter, oats and chocolate — something everyone will love!
Can’t forget about the cookies!
This holiday season has me running in a hundred directions. It’s my daughter’s first proper Christmas — she was born on the 23rd last year, but we spent that day in the hospital, so this one feels like the real celebration. Between photos, gifts and the excitement, I nearly forgot to make our favorite holiday treat. Monster cookies are perfect for a cookie exchange: peanut butter, M&Ms, oats and chocolate chips all in one bite. I knew they would be a hit.
I’ve got to be honest with you.
These started as monster cookies, but while I mixed the dough my daughter got bored. The whisk I gave her wasn’t entertaining enough and she became fussy. I looked at the bowl of dough and had a simple thought:
Why make individual cookies when I could just spread it in a pan?
It worked brilliantly. Instead of scooping and baking dozens of individual cookies, I spread the dough into a pan, baked it and cut it into bars. The bars are just as tasty as the cookies and you can slice them to whatever size you want. They were a big hit at the cookie exchange and saved me a lot of time.
Yes, you can still make individual cookies if you prefer, but for busy parents (or anyone short on time) cookie bars are a convenient, crowd-pleasing solution.
And don’t worry — Santa won’t mind if his cookies are square, as long as there’s a glass of milk nearby!
Happy gluten-free baking!
Print Recipe
The Busy Mom’s Easy {Gluten-Free} Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup gluten-free peanut butter
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup M&M’s plus a few for the top
- 1/2 cup gluten-free chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).
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Cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth.
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Add the white sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
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Stir in the oats, baking soda and salt until evenly mixed.
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Fold in the M&M’s and chocolate chips.
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Spread the mixture into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan and sprinkle a few extra M&M’s on top.
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Bake at 325°F for 30–35 minutes, until set and lightly golden at the edges.
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Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.