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This chunky Cookie Monster treat has been our go-to family sweet for generations, blending traditional chocolate chip goodness with playful, bright add-ins that get smiles from grown-ups and little ones alike. These plump, soft cookies packed with chocolate chips and cookie bits create an unbeatable bite that reminds everyone of their favorite blue TV character.
I first baked these for my nephew's birthday bash last summer, and now they're what everyone asks for. There's something about blue dough with googly eyes that gets folks laughing before they've even had a taste.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Builds the right foundation for these thick treats while keeping them soft inside
- Cornstarch: My hidden trick for super soft cookies that don't get hard for days
- Room temperature butter: Helps mix properly with sugar for the best cookie feel
- Light brown sugar: Adds dampness and slight caramel notes that work well with chocolate
- Vanilla extract: Boosts all flavors without taking over
- Mini Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies: Add texture variety and that classic Cookie Monster look
- Blue gel food coloring: Turns plain cookie dough into a character everybody knows
- Candy eyeballs: Add the final touch that makes these cookies come alive
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare Your Space:
- Cover baking sheets with parchment and let your butter warm up for at least 20 minutes. Heat your oven to 350°F so it's hot enough by the time your dough is ready.
- Cream The Base:
- Mix butter with both sugars on medium for a full 2-3 minutes until it's light and puffy. This puts air in your dough for the right texture. Throw in eggs and vanilla, and keep mixing until it's all combined. Add blue gel color bit by bit until you get that perfect monster shade.
- Combine Dry Ingredients:
- Stir flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in another bowl. Slowly add this to your wet mix on low speed. This stops flour from going everywhere and mixes everything evenly.
- Add The Mix-ins:
- While the dough isn't too stiff yet, mix in both kinds of chocolate chips with a quick stir. Chop some Chips Ahoy roughly and toss them in with whole Mini Oreos. Having different sizes makes each bite more fun.
- Form Cookie Balls:
- Scoop dough into quarter cup balls about 3 ounces each. Roll the tops and sides in crushed cookie bits. This makes them look fuzzy just like Cookie Monster.
- Bake To Perfection:
- Put cookies at least 3 inches apart since they'll grow. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges look done but the middle's still a bit gooey. They shouldn't look wet or shiny in the center but should feel soft.
- Add The Eyes:
- Right after they come out of the oven, push candy eyes into the warm cookies. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.
My favorite thing about these cookies is seeing people smile when they first spot them. My kid once said they looked "too pretty to eat" right before she gobbled up three in one go. The mix of familiar cookie flavors with the fun look makes them impossible to turn down.
Make-Ahead Options
These fun monster cookies work great as a do-ahead treat. You can mix the dough up to three days early and store it in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, let it sit out for about 30 minutes to soften before shaping into balls. You can even freeze the shaped dough balls for up to three months. Just cook them 2-3 minutes longer when baking from frozen.
Customization Ideas
While Cookie Monster is always blue, you can switch things up for different events. Try red dough with red cookie bits for an Elmo version, or green with chocolate cookies for Oscar the Grouch. At Halloween, black coloring with orange chips makes a spooky treat, while red and green work great for Christmas cookies. The basic recipe stays the same, just change the colors and mix-ins to match your theme.
Serving Suggestions
Give these cookies when they're still a bit warm for the best melty chocolate experience. They go great with cold milk, making them perfect after school. For parties, lay them on a plate surrounded by regular chocolate chip cookies and milk bottles with blue straws. At birthday bashes, stack them on a tiered plate as the main dessert display. For something extra fancy, put vanilla ice cream between two cookies for a Cookie Monster ice cream sandwich.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do I keep the cookies chewy?
Using brown sugar, butter, and a touch of cornstarch helps to give the cookies their soft, chewy texture. Be sure not to overbake them—take them out while the centers are still soft.
- → Why are the cookies blue?
The vibrant blue shade comes from a mix of royal blue and light blue gel food coloring. Just blend it into the dough for that fun effect!
- → Do I have to use candy eyeballs?
Not at all! The candy eyeballs are just for decoration. Skip them if you want—it won't change the flavor one bit.
- → What's the best way to store them?
Pop them in an airtight container, and they’ll last for up to 5 days at room temp. For longer keeping, freeze them for up to 3 months.
- → Can I swap out the cookie toppings?
Totally! Use any cookies you love instead of Oreos or Chips Ahoy to tweak the flavor.
- → How do I stop the cookies from spreading?
Chill the dough before you bake, and leave plenty of space between the cookies. Using parchment or a silicone mat helps too!