These easy, one-bowl vegan monster cookies are a nourishing take on the classic recipe! Egg free, tender and not-too-sweet, these maple syrup sweetened flourless cookies are packed with peanut butter, rolled oats and hemp hearts.
I did not grow up with monster cookies but they have been an essential part of a Nielsen family holiday since my hubs was little and now, I couldn’t imagine the season without them. Every year, I watch my mother in law make giant batches of these filling, peanut butter and oat cookies. And I mean giant: she uses like 10 cups of oats!!!
So when I went vegan, I knew I was gonna have to figure out an egg-free version of these cookies so I wouldn’t miss out…and it went so well I decided to include them in my cookbook, Plant Magic. I wanted to stay as true to the classic recipe as possible, but I did make them a little more ME.
I use flax “eggs’ and sweeten with maple syrup. And I couldn’t resist adding a nutrient boost with hemp hearts. So while they’re not exactly breakfast cookies…they’re not NOT breakfast cookies. I mean, we eat chocolate chip pancakes and syrup for breakfast and I’d say that these are even more nutrient dense (can you feel me justifying one of these with my morning tea ha ha??)
But the most me thing about them is that they’re actually super easy to make – I don’t have the energy to fuss over holiday cookies – which means you can also whip them up for a last minute hosting or holiday gift. Sound good? Less talking, more making!!
A few wee tips and tricks to make these monster cookies the best ever
One of the things I love about these cookies is that they’re mostly pantry ingredients and made in one bowl…if you’re vegan, the only potentially tricky thing is sourcing vegan m+m style candy so I’m gonna save you the search: there are two brands, UnReal and No Nos.
In the US, you can find them on Amazon. Need to find them in Canada? Vegan Supply ships. Of course, if you’re not vegan, just use regular m+ms or smarties!
Dietitian Tip: These are so perfect for holiday get togethers because they’ll suit a wide variety of eaters: while they do have peanuts, they’re otherwise nut free, gluten free, nut free, egg free and of course vegan and vegetarian.
Because there are no eggs, these cookies are very soft until they cool fully. Resist the urge to touch them before they’re cool. I mean it! You’ll think they “didn’t work” but they will. Patience, my friend!
More naturally plant-based holiday cookies for every eater:
- Crinkled Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Quick Vegan Snowball Cookies with Almond Flour
- Tender Cardamom Orange Shortbread
- Vegan Gingerbread Cookies with Almond Flour
- Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Flour
Easy Vegan Monster Cookies with Hemp Hearts
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 2 cups natural peanut butter make sure it’s well-stirred and runny!
- ⅔ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup hemp hearts
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup mini dark chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup m + m style candies I use No Nos or Unreal
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the water and flaxseed and let sit for 5 minutes.
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Whisk in the peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth. Then, sprinkle in the rolled oats, hemp hearts, baking powder, and salt and mix thoroughly to combine.
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Fold in the chocolate chips and candies.
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Using wet hands to minimize sticking, scoop about ¼ cup of dough per cookie. Roll and shape into firm disks, about 2 ½ inches in diameter.
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Place the cookies on the baking sheet, evenly spaced. The cookies won’t spread so you can fit them all on the baking sheet.
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Bake until the tops and dry and golden, 13-16 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
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If the cookies crack, you can gently press them together while they’re still warm but otherwise don’t touch them until they are cool as they won’t firm up until fully cool.
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Store, loosely covered, on the counter for up to 4 days or in the freezer.
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