Her Modern Kitchen

Eating & Living in Austin, Texas

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St. Patrick’s Day Mint M&M & Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies

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Mint M&M’s and Oreo cookie crumbs come together to making a delicious St. Patrick’s Day treat.

Mint M&M and Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies

I don’t want to say these cookies are ‘kitchen sink’ cookies but the ingredient combination was a result of what I had hand  — which included an unopened bag of mint M&M’s from Christmas, Oreo cookies that <3M never finished, and a remaining bag of white chocolate chips that I had no use for.

Fortunately, the flavor combination of mint, chocolate cookie crumb, and white chocolate paired together deliciously and resulted in a cookie recipe that was too good not to share!

Mint M&M and Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies Bite

And, since we were nearing St. Patrick’s Day, I chose to make these cookies St. Patty’s day themed by picking out all the red mint M&M’s from the holiday mix (you on the other hand, can just go buy a bag of the dark & light green mint M&M’s to make these on your own).

If you’re a fan of chocolate chip cookies or adore the Andes mint cookies often made around the holiday season, then you’ll enjoy my mint M&M’s and Oreo cookie crumb cookies.  The recipe base is similar to a standard chocolate chip cookie but the flavoring is a crunchy light mint flavor, mellowed by the bits of white chocolate chips.

Mint M&M and Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies before baking

Cookies flattened slightly prior to baking.

Mint M&M and Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies cooling

Before baking the cookies, you need chill the dough for a quick 15-20 minutes then after forming the dough into ball you flatten the cookies to about half their original height. If you choose not to chill the dough before baking (or between batches), I found that the dough spreads a bit too much in the oven resulting in a very thin cookie. Once baked, the cookies should be slightly crisp which makes the Mint M&M’s and Oreo cookies perfect for dunking!

Mint M&M Oreo Cookie with Milk

So, whether you’re looking to clean out your pantry as I did, or looking for an easy St. Patrick’s Day treat, these cookies are sure to please with their mint M&M’s and Oreo cookie crumb flavors.

Mint M&M and Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies Pin

St. Patrick's Day Mint & Oreo Cookie Crumb Cookies
 
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Serves: 50
Ingredients
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup min M&M's
  • 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs*
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of stand mixer, beat the shortening and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy.
  3. With the mixer on medium, add in the eggs, 1 egg at a time, and mix to combine.
  4. Add in the vanilla extract and combine.
  5. Add in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low to combine, scraping down the sides as needed.
  6. Add in the mint M&M's and white chocolate chips and mix on low.
  7. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and using a spatula, gently fold in the cookie crumbs so they don't break. Place the dough in the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes**
  8. Using a 1.5 T scoop, place cookie dough balls on to the prepared sheet placing each 2 inches apart. Flatten the cookies to about half their original height. Bake for 8-9 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the bake time. While the cookies bake, place the remaining dough in the fridge to chill.**
  9. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan 2-3 minute before transferring to a baking rack to cool completely.
  10. Store cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
*Make the Oreo cookie crumbs by pulsing 1.5 rows of Oreo cookies in the food processor for 8-12 seconds. The crumbs should be more on the chunkier side than the sandy side.
**If you do not chill the cookie dough before baking or between batches, the dough spreads too much in the oven, resulting in very thin and crispy cookies.

 

The Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookie

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The Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookie is packed full of peanut butter flavor! Using both creamy and crunchy peanut butter plus peanut butter chips, these cookies are made for the PB fanatic.

Peanut_Buter_Lovers_Monster_Cookies_Overhead

I’ve had this Monster Cookies recipe in hiding for a quite a while now but wasn’t inspired to post it until I had a request from someone to make them the Pioneer Woman’s Monster Cookie recipe.

I had high expectations for the Pioneer Woman’s recipe but after one bite, I knew my own recipe was definitely tastier.

So, I offered a challenge to the original requester of the Pioneer Woman’s recipe — I’ll send you the cookies you requested but I’m also going to send MY version of Monster Cookies — the Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookie and she could tell me who’s recipe was better.

peanut butter lover's monster cookie cooling 2

You wanna know who won?

Well….I’m not going to tell you but let’s just say, I was inspired to post my Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookie recipe after the votes were tallied!

So, if you love peanut butter and if you love Monster Cookies, these Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookies were made for you! Oh, and they’re gluten-free, too — made with 100% rolled oats! That’s just an added bonus!

My Peanut Butter Lover’s Monster Cookies are packed with peanutty flavor starting with two kinds of peanut butter — both creamy and crunchy. Then to max out the peanut butter flavor, I added peanut butter chips.

Next up, I mixed in mini M&Ms for that traditional Monster Cookie speck of color and semi-sweet chocolate chips because PB & chocolate are besties.

peanut butter lover's monster cookie cooling

Lastly, for a lit chew, I’ve added soft, sweet raisins — which are totally optional if you’re a raisin hater.

After you make the batter, roll the dough into HUGE balls, flatten them slightly on the cookie sheet and let them bake for 12-14 minutes. Afterwards, your house will smell like the most scrumptious peanut butter-filled palace. Enjoy!

If you’re up for the challenge I’d love to have you weigh in on the Pioneer Woman’s version and my PB Lover’s Monster Cookie recipe and let me know who’s you like better and why!

Happy Weekending, Friends!

peanut butter lover's monster cookie

Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Pin

5.0 from 4 reviews
Peanut Butter Lover's Monster Cookie
 
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Jumbo peanut butter filled Monster Cookies
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Ingredients
  • ¾ cup butter flavored shortening, like Crisco
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ¾ cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 4 cups rolled oats**
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup peanut butter chips
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cups raisins
  • 1 cup mini M&Ms
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350* and line cookie sheets with a parchment paper and set aside
  2. In a mediums size bowl, mix together oats, baking soda, and salt, set aside
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy
  4. Add the vanilla extract and 1 egg at a time until fully combined with the mixer on medium-low followed by both the creamy and crunchy peanut butter
  5. Scrape down the sides and prepare to add the dry ingredients
  6. Add the dry ingredients (the oat-mixture) in three separate additions, ensuring each is fully combined before adding the next
  7. Add the peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, and raisins
  8. Gently fold in the mini M&Ms (or combine them with the mixer on low) so as not to break the M&M shells
  9. Using a 2-ounce scoop, place mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, allowing about 2 inches between each dough placement
  10. Using the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass, press down on the cookie dough mounds until they are about half their original size
  11. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown
  12. Once baked, let the cookies cool for an additional 3-5 minutes on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
  13. Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months
Notes
**Ensure the oats are Rolled Oats. These are not the same as Quick Oats and they are not Steel Cut Oats.

 

Holiday String Light Cookies: Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars

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Chocolate sugar cookies serve as a base for these Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars with a thick layer of fluffy, sweet peppermint buttercream and a simple yet adorable holiday string light decoration with mini M&M’s

Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars

It’s the holidays and as much as we all want to do #allthethings sometimes it’s just.not.possible. So when it comes to cookies, bar cookies are an easy way to create a homemade treat with minimal effort.  My Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars are easy to whip up and I’ve given you the cutest yet simplest way to decorate them so you can maximize your holiday fun and minimize your holiday fuss

Here are a few tips to ensure these treats go as smoothly, and as quickly as possible.

The cookies are a chocolate sugar cookie base so they’re lighter than a brownie but slightly crumbly.

  • Tip: When you put the dough into the pan, use your hands and a small rolling pin to gently push the cookie dough into the corners as it won’t spread easily.

Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars

While the Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars bake, whip up the peppermint frosting! It’s my standard vanilla frosting base with just a touch of peppermint extract.  Peppermint extract is dangerous. Even a drop too much can turn your treat from delicious to medicinal.

  • Tip: Measure the peppermint extract away from the frosting bowl and add it to the frost 1 drop at a time, tasting as you go to get your desired flavor.

Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars

Frost your Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars then cut them into squares. Sadly, cutting perfect squares are difficult in a 9×13 inch pan.  To achieve 2-inch by 2-inch squares, once baked, I cut a 1/2 inch of cookie off of each side of the pan before cutting it all into squares. It reduces the size of the pan to 8×12 inches which makes it easy to cut.

  • Tip: Use a ruler and mark every 2-inches (both across and length-wise) before making your hard cuts into the bars. As for the scraps, those are baker scraps that you can nibble on while you work!

When it comes time to decorate the Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars, don’t worry too much about making perfectly strung lights out of the M&Ms!

  • Tip: The less precise you are, the better the string lights will look — just like in real life, sometimes the lights hang a little low or a little high!

Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars

Enjoy these easy, quick treats and have a great holiday with your loved ones!

5.0 from 2 reviews
String Light Holiday Cookies: Peppermint Chocolate Cookie Bars
 
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Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup greek yogurt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup dutch cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups vanilla frosting, recipe below
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tube black Wilton Decorator's frosting**
  • ½ cup mini M&Ms
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375*F
  2. Line a 9x13 inch pan with a sheet of parchment paper
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium until creamy, 1-2 minutes
  5. Add in both the sugars and mix another minute on medium
  6. Add the egg, vanilla, and yogurt, beating until combined
  7. Add in the flour-cocoa mixture in 2 additions until all the dry ingredients are fully combined*
  8. Turn the dough out into the prepared pan and using your hands or a small rolling pin, evenly spread the dough into all corners of the pan
  9. Place in oven and bake for 13-14 minutes
  10. Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
  11. To make the frosting combine 2 cups vanilla frosting with ¼ teaspoon of peppermint extract, adding more as desired
  12. Frost the cookies using an offset spatula and cut into bars, remove cookies from pan & decorate
  13. To decorate, use the black frosting and a Wilton 2 tip to draw lines on to the cut bar cookies
  14. Adorn the cookies with mini M&Ms set on their side to look like holiday string lights
Notes
* You may need to use our hands to fully incorporate the dry mixtures as the electric mixer often leaves flour at the bottom of the bowl
** Alternately, you can color a ½ cup of the remaining vanilla frosting black and place it in a decorator's bag with a Wilton 2 tip rather than purchasing pre-made black frosting

5.0 from 2 reviews
Standard Vanilla Frosting
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ cup, 1 stick unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup vegetable shortening
  • 2 pounds confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extra
  • 4-6 tablespoons half & half
Instructions
  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and shortening.
  2. Add in 4 tablespoons half & half and the vanilla extract. Combine well.
  3. Add the meringue powder, salt and 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar and combine.
  4. Continue adding the confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time until it’s all combined into the frosting.
  5. Add the additional tablespoons of half & half to achieve the desired thickness.