No-Bake Fudgy Monster Cookie Bars
A monster cookie bar with a chocolatey, fudgy center. This delicious and easy treat is packed with oats, peanut butter, chocolate, and mini m & m’s
Sometimes you just need a sweet treat quickly and without all the fuss. No oven to heat up, no sifting, no serious baking just a cookie STAT! No-bake desserts are perfect to fit the bill, no-bake cookies in bar form are even better. This easy recipe combines quick-cooking oats, with creamy peanut butter and a little bit of mini m&m’s to create the cookie dough mixture. Then chocolate chips and more creamy peanut butter are combined to make a fudgy, peanut butter-y center. These are super simple to make and will satisfy your sweet tooth in no time!
Simple Ingredients used to make No Bake Monster Cookie Bars:
Cookie Dough:
- Quick oats
- Pure maple syrup or honey
- Salt
- Creamy peanut butter
- A little water
- Pure vanilla extract
- Mini m&m (if you don’t have mini m&m’s more chocolate chips are a good substitute)
Fudge Center:
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- additional peanut butter
How to Make our No-Bake Monster Cookie Bar Recipe – Just a few simple steps!
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the maple syrup, 1/3 cup peanut butter, water, and vanilla until smooth. Or you can use a mixer at medium speed.
- Stir in the oats, salt, and m&m’s. Transfer about 2/3 of the mixture to the pan, and press down very well, using a second sheet of parchment to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In a separate small bowl, carefully melt the chocolate and 1/2 cup peanut butter. (Make sure it is a microwave-safe bowl of course!) Stir until smooth. Pour this evenly on top of the crust in the pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat crumbles on top of the chocolate layer, sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of m&m candy. Once you sprinkle on the m&ms. press down to ensure they will stick to the cookie dough. Refrigerate or freeze until firm enough to cut squares.
FAQS
How to store Monster Cookie Bars
For best results, once you have cut the cookies into bars, either cover them with plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container for 4 days at room temperature. Or up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Can I use Old-Fashioned Oats in this recipe?
You can it will just be a much chewier texture that isn’t quite as appealing.
Can I make these Gluten Free?
Yes! Just sub gluten-free oats for the quick oats and you have a gluten-free treat!
Can I use another nut butter instead of peanut butter?
Of course! It will change the flavor a bit, but give almond butter or cashew butter a try.
If you want a big batch of cookies you can double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan instead.
Recipe Card
No Bake Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 2 3/4 cup Quick oats
- 1/2 cup Pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Creamy peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp A little water
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Mini m&m if you don’t have mini m&m’s more chocolate chips are a good substitute
Fudge Center:
- 4-8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup additional peanut butter
Instructions
How to Make our No-Bake Monster Cookie Bar Recipe – Just a few simple steps!
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the maple syrup, 1/3 cup peanut butter, water, and vanilla until smooth. Or you can use a mixer at medium speed.
- Stir in the oats, salt, and m&m’s. Transfer about 2/3 of the mixture to the pan, and press down very well, using a second sheet of parchment to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In a separate small bowl, carefully melt the chocolate and 1/2 cup peanut butter. (Make sure it is a microwave-safe bowl of course!) Stir until smooth. Pour this evenly on top of the crust in the pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat crumbles on top of the chocolate layer, sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of m&m candy. Once you sprinkle on the m&ms. press down to ensure they will stick to the cookie dough. Refrigerate or freeze until firm enough to cut squares.