Monster Cookies

Yesterday morning I found out that one of my coworkers's daughters fell in cheer practice and split her head open! Michele immediately said that she was so brave and tough, didn't cry, and was excited to get back! Of course, I had to make her some cookies! I mean, what else do you do for someone when something good, bad, or indifferent happens?
Since she's only 12, I wanted to make something that a kid would enjoy, nothing too refined and nothing plain. I remembered back to my days working at Starbucks, and all of the kids always wanted the Monster Cookies when their mom's got a latte. I looked up a few recipes to see what exactly a monster cookie is, and basically, it's a garbage cookie. It has a peanut butter/oatmeal/brown and white sugar butter base with any and every mix-in and usually M&M's on top. As I sifted through some recipes, I saw that many of them only had oats and no flour. I know from experience that my only oat and no flour cookies ALWAYS pancake, spread, and crumble apart.
Since I make cookies so often, I'm pretty comfortable going off on my own with no recipe these days, so that's just what I did. I'm really happy with how these came out, I made them really large and they had just the right balance of peanut butter/oatmeal raisin/chocolate chip cookie flavor. They just might be my new favorite!

Monster Cookies

Makes about 24 large cookies

1/2 lb butter, softened

8 oz. peanut butter, creamy or crunchy

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 c. AP flour

3 c. quick cooking or old fashioned oats

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

2 c. M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add butter and peanut butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, beat on medium for 3-4 minutes, until well mixed and light.

Add sugars, continue to beat for another 3-4 minutes.

Turn speed to low, add vanilla and eggs, one by one until they are incorporated.

Add baking soda, flour and oats, mix until just combined.

Add half the M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

Touch dough, if it's sticky and pulls away, add another 1/4 c. flour until it's loose but rolls into a ball.

Place dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.

Line baking sheet with parchment.

Roll cookies into 4 oz. balls, a little bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis ball.

Press onto the cookie sheet and press 3-4 M&M's on the top of each.

Bake for 13 minutes.

Remove and place on a cooking rack. Store in an airtight dish.