Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

A few months ago when my parents came to visit my mom made us a big batch of monster cookies. I couldn't believe how delicious they were... especially because they were flourless! I asked her for the recipe and altered it a bit so that the cookies baked better here in Utah (the altitude is an issue with lots of recipes). For some reason hers came out a tad bit flat and fell apart, not that I minded... I gobbled them up in just a few days! I mean what's not to love about peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&M's?! Some my adjustments included adding quick cooking oats to help "glue" the cookies together, an extra egg yolk to create a thicker/chewier cookie, slightly less butter to prevent them from spreading, and letting the dough chill to allow the oats to absorb some moisture. All of my little tricks worked- they came out looking beautiful and tasting just as good as the ones she made :) I seriously would make these cookies on a daily basis if I could, they're that amazing!!! Happy gluten-free baking!

Gluten-Free Monster Cookies

Ingredients

2¼c. old-fashioned oats*
¼ c. quick cooking oats
½ c. sugar

½ c. brown sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

1/3 c. (¾ of a stick) butter, room temperature

¾ c. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

¾ tsp. vanilla

½ c. chocolate M&Ms 

½ c. chocolate chips

½ c. peanut butter chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats, set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla. With mixing speed on low, add one egg at a time, mixing until incorporated. 

3. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine oats, baking soda and salt. Whisk together. With mixing speed on low, add dry ingredients, mix until combined. Remove bowl from stand and fold in M&Ms, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Place dough in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

4. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop cookies onto the prepared sheets using a standard size scoop, gently pat down to slightly flatten. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes (they will look soft) before removing from oven. Allow to cool on sheets for 3 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTE: DO NOT SKIP parchment or a mat... seriously, it really is a key part to making these cookies bake perfectly! Also be gentle with the cookies when you are transferring them to the rack to cool, they will probably break apart a little, but just push them back together and let them cool for a good hour or so and they'll be firm and sturdy!

*Please make sure that your oats are gluten-free. Bob's Red Mill Oats are gluten-free, Quaker Oats are not guaranteed to be gluten-free.

Life Made Simple family recipe adapted from The Amish Cook's Baking Book | Makes 24 standard size cookies

Apple Harvest Muffins

I woke up the other day feeling like baking a batch of muffins for breakfast. Instead of the usual blueberry or banana muffins, I wanted something spiced and packed full of fruit. This was the perfect choice, especially since apples are one of my favorite fruits. I literally eat one every day. These muffins started out with a thick batter, so thick that I thought I must have made a mistake when measuring the flour. I was worried that they would be dense and wouldn't rise. I wrong! Turning the heat of the oven to a much higher temperature for the first few minutes of the baking process really gave these a beautiful rise, domed and crusty on top! Inside the apples moistened the muffins creating a tender buttery crumb. They were absolutely delicious- I couldn't stop at one!!!

Apple Harvest Muffins
Ingredients
2 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar, packed
½ c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
¾ c. buttermilk
¼ c. plain applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. apple pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla
2 small apples, peeled and diced in ¼" cubes

Topping:
¼ c. brown sugar, packed
¼ c. rolled oats
¼ tsp. cinnamon
½ tbsp. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with papers or spray the wells generously with baking spray, set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars for about 2-3 minutes on medium-high. Add egg, applesauce, and vanilla, mix on low until just combined.
3. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and apple pie spice. With mixing speed on low, alternate buttermilk and dry ingredients, adding about ⅓ of each mixture at a time, until remaining ingredients are gone. Remove bowl from stand and gently fold in apples. Scoop mixture in to prepared muffin tin (note: the batter will be to the rim, so make sure you fill them generously).
4. To prepare the topping, in a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Sprinkle over each individual muffin. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 6-10 minutes. The muffins should have a little spring to them and the topping should be golden brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Adapted from King Arthur Flour, Apple Muffins | Makes 12 standard size muffins

Raisin Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for a good oatmeal cookie. I know that there are a lot of people out there who really dislike raisins and nuts in their cookies, but I'm a fan! Today's recipe is really similar to my mom's oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but has a few adjustments that help make them slightly more thick and chewy. The one main addition is an extra yolk, but also chilling the dough before baking it helps the cookies hold their shape and stay thick and chewy. The dough itself is perfectly spiced and the brown sugar really helps give these cookies the soft center and crisp edges that I love so much. If you're feeling extra adventurous you can always add coconut or even switch out the raisins for cranberries. I will definitely be making these cookies time and time again!

Raisin Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. all-purpose flour

1¼ c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 c. brown sugar

8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1½ tsp. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1½ tsp. vanilla

¾ c. raisins

½ c. chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat, set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar and vanilla for 3-4 minutes on medium-high. Add egg, mix, then egg yolk, mixing for an additional minute on medium-high.

3. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until no flour pockets remain. Remove bowl from stand and fold in raisins and walnuts. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before baking.

4. Scoop chilled dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Gently pat down each ball. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown in color. The centers should look slightly underbaked, they will firm up once cooled. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Inspired by a Life Made Simple Family Recipe | Makes approximately 24 cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Sometimes I find myself needing to eat something other than cereal, fruit or eggs for breakfast. Does anyone else feel like that? Usually if I get up early enough I'll scavenge our kitchen for things that I can toss into a batch of muffins. Since we had a single spotted banana I decided to mash it up and make this "half batch" of muffins. It only yields 6 muffins, but honestly that's the perfect amount for a small little family like ours. Instead of doing a plain muffin, I tossed in a few chocolate chips and some old-fashioned rolled oats. The muffins smelled wonderful and tasted delicious too! It was kind of like eating a healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie :) Next time I might try tossing in some strawberry chunks or even swirl in some peanut butter... the options seem endless! 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
⅓  c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
⅓ c. brown sugar
1 egg
6 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. sour cream (or buttermilk)
½ c. mashed ripe bananas, from one large banana
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray or line six wells of a standard size muffin pan, set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together melted butter and sugar. Add sour cream (or buttermilk) and mashed bananas, mix on low for 30 seconds. Add egg and vanilla, mix until just combined.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together then with mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Remove bowl from stand and fold in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop, fill each well ¾ of the way full (or a little more if you have some extra).
4. Place in oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. The tops should be lightly golden brown and they should be nice and firm. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pans for 2-3 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTE: You will want to double this recipe for 12 muffins
Life Made Simple Original Recipe | Makes 6 standard size muffins

M&M Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

The other day I had a HUGE craving for oatmeal cookies! I turned to my mom's oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and halved it. I decided to adjust a few of the ingredients, using only brown sugar and adding an extra egg yolk to keep the cookies extra moist, chewy and thick. Since I'm a big fan of vanilla I also increased the amount to help flavor the cookies a bit more. Now you don't have to chill the cookie dough, but ever since I made these cookies, I've been obsessed with refrigerating my dough! I just think that it helps create a nice stiff dough which allows the cookies to better hold their shape during the baking process. Being the M&M lover that I am, I loaded mine up with them, and chocolate chips too :) These cookies definitely hit the spot- it's a recipe I'll be using time and time again!

M&M Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients

1 c. all-purpose flour

1¼ c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 c. brown sugar

8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1½ tsp. vanilla

½ c. chocolate chips

½ c. M&Ms

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat, set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar and vanilla for 3-4 minutes on medium-high. Add egg, mix, then egg yolk, mixing just until combined.

3. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until no flour pockets remain. Remove bowl from stand and fold in chocolate chips and M&Ms. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before baking.

4. Scoop chilled dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Gently pat down each ball. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown in color. The centers should look slightly underbaked, they will firm up once cooled. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from my Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies | Makes approximately 24 cookies

Monster Cookie Bars

Stephen and I just returned from a nice little vacation in California. While we were there my brother brought us a bag of gluten free monster cookies from a local bakery. I was surprised to find out that both my mom and Stephen had never tried monster cookies. As a peanut butter, oatmeal and M&M lover, I had just assumed that everyone had tasted this delicious combination. I was wrong. I made it my goal to bake up some kind of "monster treat" when we came back home. My first thought was to do my own gluten free cookie version but since I was short on time and didn't have the necessary ingredients, I turned to bars. Let me start off by warning you: these are not your typical monster cookie bars. Mine are ultra moist and topped with a creamy peanut butter spread that really puts them over the top! If you like your bars extra gooey, go ahead and stick to 15 minutes of baking time, they'll be even more soft and chewy! I took these to a picnic dinner and they were a huge hit- I hope you'll think so too!

Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
1½ c. quick rolled oats
1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar
⅔ c. peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. chopped peanuts
¼ c. chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini)
¼ c. M&Ms (a mix of regular and mini)

Peanut butter topping:
⅔ c. Reese's peanut butter
1½ c. confectioner's sugar
⅓ c. milk (more if needed)
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. vanilla

½ c. chocolate chips (a mix of regular and mini)
½ c. M&Ms (a mix of regular and mini)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or cover with parchment) a full size cookie sheet with sides.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together peanut butter, butter and sugars for 1 minute. Turn speed to low and add one egg at a time. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Remove bowl from stand mixer. Fold in dry ingredients, then chopped peanuts, chocolate chips and M&Ms. Pour onto prepared pan and pat down until even. I like to use a my hands to get it all spread out, and then a spatula to make it smooth and even. Place in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. 

5. While the bars are baking, in a medium size mixing bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Using a hand mixer, beat until smooth (it should be a spreadable consistency, but will it will also melt and get shiny on contact). Set aside until needed.

6. Remove bars from oven and place pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 8 minutes before spreading the peanut butter topping over the entire sheet. It should become smooth and melty, spread until even. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and M&Ms over top, allow to cool for 30-40 more minutes before cutting into bars.

Life Made Simple Original Recipe | Makes approximately 30 bars

Gooey Caramelita Cookies

A few months back my sister in law posted about these delicious caramel chocolate oatmeal bars that she saw on LuLu the Baker called caramelitas. I was immediately smitten and knew I had to save the recipe for later. Well, this morning I felt like baking and decided to make caramelita inspired cookies instead of bars. I used my mom's oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe and altered it to include caramel sauce, walnuts and Rolos. They turned out better than I could have hoped for! Gooey, soft and full of chocolate caramel goodness. I took a few to my husband and they were gone in minutes! Enjoy and happy baking ♥

Gooey Caramelita Cookies
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. quick rolled oats
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 egg
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. caramel sauce
¼ c. finely chopped walnuts
16 Rolo candies, chilled and chopped
½ c. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in egg, then vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until combined. With mixing speed on low, slowly add into the creamed mixture until just blended.
4. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in the oats, caramel sauce, walnuts, Rolo chunks and chocolate chips. Using a standard cookie scoop, drop onto prepared baking sheets.
5. Place in oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn light golden in color. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Created using a Stephen + Natalie family recipe | Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

No-Bake PB Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ahh, the perfect on-the-go treat. These little guys only take 15 minutes to make, start to finish! They're great if you don't have a lot of ingredients around and there is absolutely no need to turn on your oven. Awesome, right?! Another thing I love about this recipe is that you don't have to have chocolate chips on hand. For me it seems like I always think I have chocolate chips on hand when in reality I don't... wishful thinking perhaps? However, you can substitute the cocoa powder for them if you really want to. Anyway, I'm really glad I made these and that they tuned to be so tasty! I'm always looking for yummy no-bake recipes and this one is definitely a keeper.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
4 tbsp. (¼ stick) butter
¾ c. sugar
¼ c. milk
2 tbsp. cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
¼ c. peanut butter, heaping
1½ c. quick cooking oats
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add salt and sugar, cook for 2-3 minutes or until sugar has dissolved (for the most part).
2. Add milk and cocoa powder, whisk until smooth. Bring mixture to a low simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in vanilla. Then add peanut butter. Mix until smooth. Add oats and mix until completely coated with the peanut butter chocolate mixture.
3. Using a small cookie scoop, place balls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Pat down with the palm of your hand to flatten (if desired). Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until cookies are set.
Adapted from Morgan Moore, Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Cookies | Makes approximately 12 cookies

Biscoff Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ever since I made those Biscoff cupcakes, I've been thinking of ways to incorporate the spread into other treats. Since it has such a nice sweet and spiced flavor to it, I thought it would be the perfect little kick in some oatmeal raisin cookies. When I was making the dough, I started off by adding a few tablespoons and then quickly realized that in order to really taste it I needed to add a few more. I'm glad I did! Don't be alarmed by the shape of these as they do not bake flat. They're puffy with crunchy exteriors and have centers that are moist and full of juicy raisins (think scone-like). They'd be perfect for an early morning snack or a late night treat. Enjoy!

Biscoff Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Ingredients
1½ c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
14 tbsp. (1 ¾ sticks) butter, room temperature
½ c. Biscoff spread
2 eggs
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cinnamon
3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ c. raisins

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter, Biscoff spread and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until combined. Add vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix until incorporated.
4. With mixing speed on low, gradually add in dry ingredients. Once combined, remove bowl from stand and fold in raisins.
5. Using a large cookie scoop, place 2" balls of dough approximately 2" apart from each other on the prepared sheet. Slightly pat down with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass cup. Place in oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating the sheet half way through the baking process. Do not over bake!
6. Remove from oven and let cool on pan for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Adapted from The New Best Recipe, Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies | Makes approximately 20 large cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some times you just need some warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies to remind you of home.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! We love you!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2¼ c. all-purpose flour

1 c. (2 sticks) butter or margarine, room temperature

1 c. sugar

1 c. light brown sugar

2 eggs

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. quick rolled oats

2 c. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

3. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until combined. With mixing speed on low, slowly add into the creamed mixture until just blended. 

4. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Using a standard cookie scoop, drop onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops begin to turn light gold (this will depend on how you like your cookies, if you like them gooey, bake for 10 minutes, if you like them on the crunchy side, bake for 12 minutes). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies

I've had a craving for oatmeal cream pies for quite a while now. There's just something I love about oatmeal cookies, especially cream filled ones. So yesterday afternoon when I had some free time I decided to bake a batch of them. They're a little time consuming to make, but they turned out really well. I'd even go as far as to say they taste a little better than their Little Debbie counterpart. They are less sweet and have a lot more flavor to them. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cream Pies
Ingredients
1 c. + 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. quick rolled oats
¾ c. dark brown sugar
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. molasses
½ c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2 eggs
¼ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream filling:
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 c. whole milk

¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. To make the cream filling, whisk together the flour and milk in a small saucepan placed over medium heat. Whisk continuously until it begins to thicken... really watch it. Let it cook for a couple of minutes, until the mixture has the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat, whisk out all clumps, and place in refrigerator to cool completely. The mixture must be chilled all of the way thorough before adding it to the butter, or it will melt it.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt for 2 minutes on medium-high speed, using the whisk attachment. Add flour and milk mixture. Beat on high for 6-8 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy (and slightly resembles whipped cream). Chill in refrigerator until needed.3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mat, set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat butter, sugars, molasses, vanilla and eggs until creamy, about 2 minutes..
5. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, oats, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture. Once incorporated, remove and  place dough into the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
6 Scoop dough using a standard size scoop (I use a #20, or approximately 3 tbsp.) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges- they will look moist in the center, so don't overcook.
7. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling (10 minutes or so).
8. Use knife or piping bag to spread the cooled filling on the flat side of one cookie, press second cookie on top. Continue until remaining cookies and filling are gone.
NOTE: I prefer these cookies after they have sat overnight. I think that the flavor really intensifies once the cookie has been sandwiched with the filling!
Life Made Simple | Makes approximately 12 pies