Red, White & Blue Monster Cookies

Red, White & Blue Monster Cookies bring a festive twist to the thick, chewy cookies everyone reaches for first. Each cookie has a soft peanut butter center, lightly crisp edges, hearty rolled oats, and plenty of chocolate in every bite.

Red, white, and blue candy-coated chocolates add cheerful color, while semisweet and white chocolate chips make every cookie extra rich. A short chill keeps the dough thick, and cornstarch helps the centers stay tender after cooling.

These colorful monster cookies are perfect for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or any summer celebration. Better still, the dough can be prepared ahead and baked whenever the craving arrives. Serve the cookies slightly warm while the chocolate is still soft. Just do not expect the platter to stay full for long.

Recipe Yield: 18 large cookies

INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup red, white, and blue candy-coated chocolates, divided
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
⅓ cup white chocolate chips, divided
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup no-stir creamy peanut butter
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
Flaky sea salt, for finishing, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the baking sheets:
Line two large, light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cream the butter mixture:
Beat the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the wet ingredients:
Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.

4. Combine the dry ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

5. Finish the dough:
Mix the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Then fold in the oats, reserving about ¼ cup of the candies and a small handful of each kind of chocolate chip for topping.

6. Chill the dough:
Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7. Shape the cookies:
Scoop the dough into heaping 3-tbsp portions, about 65 g each. Roll gently, arrange 3 inches apart, and flatten each mound slightly into a thick disk.

8. Finish the tops:
Press the reserved candies and chocolate chips onto the cookies, keeping the red, white, and blue colors visible.

9. Bake the cookies:
Bake one sheet at a time for 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and set. The centers should still look soft and slightly underdone.

10. Cool and serve:
If needed, use the back of a spoon to gently nudge uneven edges inward while the cookies are still hot. Sprinkle lightly with flaky salt, then cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.

HELPFUL TIPS TO PERFECT THIS RECIPE

• Use conventional creamy peanut butter: No-stir peanut butter gives the dough consistent moisture and structure. Natural peanut butter may make the cookies oily, dry, or more likely to spread unevenly.
• Measure the flour lightly: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it without packing. Too much flour can make these oat-filled cookies dry or crumbly.
• Keep the portions consistent: A heaping 3 tbsp, or about 65 g, produces thick bakery-style monster cookies that bake evenly. Smaller cookies will need less time.
• Remove them while the centers look soft: The cookies continue setting on the hot pan. Baking until the centers appear completely firm can leave them dry after cooling.
• Freeze shaped dough for later: Freeze the portions until firm, then store airtight for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 2 to 3 minutes.