This recipe for gluten free monster cookies tastes just like the one I grew up with. They come together easily with oats and rice crisp cereal, and they are soft, chewy, and packed with chocolate candies in every bite.
Unlike a traditional monster cookie, which is usually a flourless peanut butter cookie, this version uses a gluten free flour base along with coconut and pecans. It has that same loaded, candy studded appeal, just with a different flavor I have loved since I was a kid.
These cookies are great for school lunches, an after school snack, or just an easy baking project with the kids. They freeze well too, so it is worth making a double batch.
If you are looking for more cookie recipes try my Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, my Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, my Gluten Free Oatmeal Scotchie Cookies or my Gluten Free Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies.
You can find all of my cookie recipes here: Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Loaded with oats, rice crisps, coconut, pecans, and chocolate candies
- Soft and chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges
- Kid friendly and great for school lunches
- Makes a big batch, perfect for a crowd
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten free flour: a 1 to 1 gluten free blend like Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure works well here.
- Rice crisp cereal: fold this in by hand rather than with a mixer, so the pieces stay whole instead of turning to dust.
- Coated chocolate candies: any brand of gluten free chocolate candy or chips works, so use whatever you like or already have on hand.
How to Store and Freeze
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Keeping them in the fridge will change their texture and can make them hard, so the countertop is the better spot if you'll eat them within a few days.
To freeze, bake and cool the cookies completely first. Freezing the raw dough causes the rice crisps to lose their crunch, so it's best to freeze the baked cookies instead. Store them in a freezer safe container for up to a month. This is a great one to double batch: freeze half for school lunches or a quick treat whenever you need one.
Top Tip
I get the chocolate candies at Trader Joe's. Their chocolate candies are made with all natural dyes! I've found it hard to find all natural alternatives so I was thrilled when I found these yummy candies. Unreal also makes milk chocolate gems that are dye free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your cookies should be a nice golden brown color. You may also notice that they are slightly darker brown on the bottom edges.
Yes. I like to freeze the cookies after they have been baked. I've found freezing the dough causes the rice crisps to not stay as crisp. I put the baked cookies in a freezer safe container and freeze them for up to a month.
I love to make a double batch of cookies and freeze half of them for lunches on days that I don't have any treats prepared.
I'm careful to use products that state they are gluten free. Rice cereal is something I would presume is gluten free, but it depends on how the manufacturer processes it. If the cereal is processed along with other products that contain gluten it becomes contaminated.
You should take this same precaution with the rolled oats and shredded coconut. Make sure you are using products that state they are gluten free. Just checking the label for ingredients that may have gluten isn't enough.
I like to store my gluten free cookies in a sealed container on our countertop. If they aren't going to get eaten before they expire I freeze them. You can place the cookies in the fridge, but this changes their texture and can make them hard.
If you are going to freeze the cookies, place them in a freezer safe container and store for up to a month in the freezer.
Most monster cookies are a flourless peanut butter cookie, but this version has been a favorite in my family for years using a gluten free flour base with coconut and pecans instead. If you're looking for a peanut butter based cookie, my Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are a great option.
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Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 48 cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These gluten free monster cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with oats, rice crisp cereal, coconut, pecans, and chocolate candies. They taste just like the recipe I grew up with, made completely gluten free.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Gluten Free Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Baking Soda
- 1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ cups Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 3 large Eggs
- 2 cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats
- 2 cups Gluten Free Rice Crisp Cereal
- 1 ½ cups Shredded Coconut
- 1 ½ cups Pecans, chopped
- 1 ½ cups Coated Chocolate Candies or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line four baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter until creamed together, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add this mixture a little at a time to the wet ingredients until it is mixed together.
Add the rolled oats, rice crisp cereal, coconut, pecans and chocolate pieces. Using a spatula combine these ingredients into your dough. Doing this step by hand will prevent you from breaking the rice cereal into tiny pieces.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon place the dough onto the cookie sheets. Press each cookie slightly so they are a disc shape rather than a ball before placing them in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
If you made this recipe please leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers find this recipe and means so much to me.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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If you make these gluten free monster cookies, I would love to hear how they turned out. Leave a comment and a star rating below, and snap a photo to tag me on Instagram @smallfarmbiglife. Looking for more cookie recipes to bake with the kids? Check out my other gluten free cookie recipes for more inspiration.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line four baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter until creamed together, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add this mixture a little at a time to the wet ingredients until it is mixed together.
Add the rolled oats, rice crisp cereal, coconut, pecans and chocolate pieces. Using a spatula combine these ingredients into your dough. Doing this step by hand will prevent you from breaking the rice cereal into tiny pieces.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon place the dough onto the cookie sheets. Press each cookie slightly so they are a disc shape rather than a ball before placing them in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
