A sweet bite-sized treat that’s easy to make and tastes just like everyone’s favorite monster cookie!
Wow! I just realized it’s been a month since I’ve posted. With the end of the school year, preparing for our trip to Asia, traveling for 2-1/2 weeks, and jet-lag getting the best of me for the past week, I guess I took a little unintentional break from the blog. I had planned to have all these recipes ready to post before, during and after our trip, but it just didn’t happen and that’s okay. Life happens sometimes and priorities take precedence. It’s felt great to have a little break, but now I’m ready to get back in the swing of things and share all these yummy recipes I have up my sleeve.
Like these monster cookie balls! They’re one of our favorite treats right now. The boys love helping me make them and of course, we all love eating them!
SEE HOW THEY’RE MADE:
Just six simple ingredients is all it takes to get these balls rolling…
No eggs, flour or white sugar yet they still have all the flavor of everyone’s favorite monster cookie. If you’re like me, you might even sneak a few bites from the spoon before rolling them into bite-sized balls that are easy to store and easy to eat…
We keep a container of these yummy little balls in the refrigerator for a quick treat any time of the day. We love eating them cold, especially in the heat of the summer, but you could certainly let them come to room temp and they’ll still hold their form just fine.
They’ve got it all going on. Chewy, crunchy, sweet, a little salty and lots of little bits chocolate. So much yum!
Enjoy!
xoxo,
- 2-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup mini M&M candies
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, peanut butter, honey and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M candies. Roll dough into 2-tablespoon sized smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or enjoy right away. Once the balls have set, transfer them to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Ginny says
July 5, 2015 at 9:45 amWe’ve got a peanut allergy over here. Think almond butter would work?? Or any other suggestion?
Maegan says
July 6, 2015 at 10:22 amHi Ginny! Almond butter should definitely work. Enjoy!
Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says
July 8, 2015 at 7:41 amMaegan, I just loved following along on Instagram! That trip looked AH-MAZING!! I kept showing my hubby pics, and said, “See, they have little kids, and look at the trip of a life time they are taking! We can do that too!!” Seriously, that is so awesome how y’all took that time for yourselves!
And these little cookie balls will be a beloved treat in my house!!
Maegan says
July 11, 2015 at 2:36 pmThanks Jaren! It was certainly the trip of a lifetime. We sure missed our boys, but feel so blessed that they were in such great hands and that we got to spend such quality time with each other. I’m sure your cute crew would love these cookie balls! xoxo
Tonia says
July 12, 2015 at 2:41 pmAny tip on rolling these so that they don’t stick to your hands and fall apart? Love them just a bit messy to roll.
Maegan says
July 12, 2015 at 8:32 pmHi Tonia! That’s weird. The oil from the peanut butter or nut butter should coat your hands after rolling the first one so they don’t stick to your hands. You could try spraying your hands with non-stick cooking spray before rolling them to prevent them from sticking. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
brit says
February 18, 2018 at 2:25 pma few years too late lol but I refig the dough first and roll 30 min later
hope this helps 🙂
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Ronda says
August 5, 2015 at 3:16 amI have a legume (tree nuts and all beans) I use Sunbutted (sunflower seed butter) in place of peanut butter and it works just as good. Can get all types chunky and smooth. Sunbutter.com…..most grocery and health food stores carry just not all varieties.
Maegan says
August 5, 2015 at 7:18 amThat’s great, Ronda! Thanks for sharing!
Melanie says
August 10, 2015 at 4:20 pmThese are great! It was so much fun making these with my son. We didn’t have mini m&ms so we used mini Reece’s pieces instead. Using a cookie scoop was an easy way to make a ballish shape without getting messy hands 🙂 thanks for a great recipe!!
Maegan says
August 10, 2015 at 10:19 pmI’m so glad you and your son had fun making and eating these, Melanie! And thanks so much for the cookie scoop tip! Enjoy! 🙂
melissa ortega says
August 11, 2015 at 12:30 pmIf you dont want to use peanut butter it works well with Trader Joes Cookie Butter it has the same texture as peanut butter and is a good replacement. It tastes like ginger cookies
Maegan says
August 11, 2015 at 1:18 pmLove it! Thanks for sharing, Melissa! 🙂
Felicia says
August 13, 2015 at 9:47 amHi,
We just love these! Thank you so much! My question is, I was having a hard time while mixing them all together, they didn’t stick together very well. Do you have any suggestions to help them form easier.
Thank you!
Maegan says
August 13, 2015 at 10:11 amHi Felicia! I love that you love them! That’s so weird they’re not sticking together well for you. Are you using peanut butter or an alternate butter? Maybe try adding a little more peanut butter until you can easily form the mixture into balls. Hope this helps!
Lisa Lucito says
August 21, 2015 at 9:56 pmCan you provide the nutritional facts. I need protein, sugar amounts, carbs, fibers, calories.
Thanks.
Maegan says
August 22, 2015 at 7:28 amHi Lisa! I don’t provide nutritional facts, but you can google “nutritional calculator” as there are several great calculators out there for you to calculate it yourself. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
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Jana Brown says
September 6, 2015 at 9:13 pmI came across this recipe on facebook and decided to give it a try. I only had peanut butter with honey and wasn’t sure if I should cut back the honey, but just followed the recipe. They turned out great! I have an idea that I’m going to try. I’m going to make them with just the oats, honey, peanut butter, and vanilla. Then dip them into chocolate, sort of a variation on a peanut butter ball.
Maegan says
September 7, 2015 at 5:00 pmLove that idea, Jana! Enjoy!
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Desiree' says
January 19, 2016 at 12:05 pmHave you ever tried freezing these. I make many things in advance for my kids school lunches. Just curious! Thank you!
Maegan says
January 19, 2016 at 1:21 pmHi Desiree! Yes, they freeze great! Just freeze them first on the parchment lined baking sheet until frozen and then transfer to a freezer-safe container or baggie to store until ready to eat. Let thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes or we even love to eat them frozen! Enjoy!
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Robin says
February 29, 2016 at 11:01 amAny thoughts on shipping these?
Maegan says
February 29, 2016 at 1:28 pmHi Robin! As long as they’re sealed and packed well and not shipped in extreme heat, they should ship just great! Lucky recipients! 🙂
Lauren says
April 19, 2016 at 7:32 pmHi,
I used quick cooking oats by accident will that ruin the recipe? Thanks!
Maegan says
April 19, 2016 at 10:28 pmHi Lauren! No, they should still taste great. They’ll just have a slightly different texture and taste compared to the old-fashioned oats. Enjoy!
Jody says
April 24, 2016 at 3:20 pmMy kids absolutely love these for an after school snack! This is also an easy no-bake recipe that my older ones can make themselves!
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Annie says
June 15, 2016 at 12:31 pmHello! I am new to baking, and I was wondering that when it says vanilla, would vanilla extract work?
Maegan says
June 15, 2016 at 11:09 pmHi Annie! Yes, I’m referring to vanilla extract when I say vanilla. I’ll clarify in the recipe. Thanks for asking! Enjoy! 🙂
Daniela says
June 29, 2016 at 7:07 pmHi Maegan!
They look delicious and I’m planning to make them this weekend!
My only doubt is whether to use all natural or regular peanut butter, which one do you suggest?
Thanks!
Maegan says
June 29, 2016 at 10:01 pmHi Daniela! I’ve made them with both and they turn great either way, but I usually use the no-stir natural peanut butter. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Shannon says
July 22, 2016 at 9:00 pmSo, I just made these and I’m wondering how do you roll them without them sticking to your fingers? Do you dip your fingers into something? It is really hot and humid here in Michigan, so that may play into it a bit too, but just wondering if you have any tips!
Maegan says
July 25, 2016 at 9:46 amHi Shannon! Yes, the heat might make the dough stickier than normal. You could try spraying your hands with non-stick cooking spray before rolling them or place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to harden it up a bit before rolling into balls. Hope this helps. Enjoy! 🙂
Ashley McDonnell says
July 29, 2016 at 9:17 pmI have made this recipe probably 6-8 times in the last two months! It’s so easy and everyone loves them. Easy to take to barbecues and I’ve given them as part of neighborly thank you’s as well. A crowd pleaser for sure! And, they “keep” well because there isn’t really much that can go bad if left out in the counter etc. They are a good substitute for “regular cookies” also because they aren’t loaded with sugar. Love them!
Maegan says
July 30, 2016 at 7:40 amYay! I’m so happy you make and enjoy them as much as we do, Ashley! They’re a great go-to sweet treat, aren’t they?! Always a huge hit! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
amanda says
October 31, 2016 at 7:19 pmWhat is the calorie count for these balls?
Maegan says
November 1, 2016 at 11:12 pmHi Amanda! I don’t calculate nutritional values for the recipes on my blog, but you can easily plug the ingredients you use into an online nutrition calculator. Just google “free online nutrition calculator”.
Monica says
July 24, 2017 at 8:11 pmSomeone PLEASE tell us calories per bite!!!! Thanks!! 🙂
Maegan says
July 25, 2017 at 3:11 pmHi Monica! You can easily plug the exact ingredients you use to make the balls into a free online nutrition calculator to get the calories per bite. I would recommend using: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Holly says
November 29, 2016 at 4:45 pmSo just curious if I can bake these into cookies? Or are they just to be ate as is?
Maegan says
December 1, 2016 at 7:08 amHi Holly! I’m not sure how they would hold together when baked as individual cookies, but I have pressed the mixture into a baking pan and baked them as bars and they turn out great! Just bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
DEW says
December 19, 2016 at 2:53 pmJust wondering if you have an alternative for the peanut butter for those with allergies?
Maegan says
December 22, 2016 at 1:55 pmHi DEW! I suggest another nut butter such as almond butter, if you can eat it. Otherwise, sunflower seed butter or cookie butter would work great too. Enjoy!
Chaylean says
December 20, 2016 at 1:59 pmSo, I don’t have any vanilla extract. Would that affect the taste or the outcome?
Maegan says
December 22, 2016 at 12:32 amHi Chaylean! The vanilla is for added flavor, but they’ll still taste great without it. Enjoy!
Leeann says
January 30, 2017 at 1:43 pmI find these really stick to my hands and alot gets wasted. Also once rolled they don’t hold well together. Maybe I am missing something?
Maegan says
January 31, 2017 at 12:15 pmHi Leeann! Oh goodness, that shouldn’t be the case. What kind of peanut butter are you using? Maybe if it has a lot of oil in it, try stirring it really really well. Or you could add more oats until it’s of the right consistency for rolling. Hope this helps!
Leeann says
February 6, 2017 at 5:55 pmWhat kind of peanut butter do you suggests?
Maegan says
February 6, 2017 at 7:28 pmHi Leeann! I use the no-stir peanut butter. Usually, natural creamy. I’ve used several different brands to make these.
Lauren says
May 26, 2018 at 9:34 pmI didn’t have good honey to use, so I subbed the 1/2 cup of honey for a 1/2 cup of sugar and added 1/4 cup of butter. Turned out great!
Megan says
April 5, 2019 at 9:29 pmMy kids love love love these!! Thank you for the recipe!