Last week, our usually quiet neighborhood experienced a bit of excitement when a fleet of cop cars drove through… And stopped directly behind my backyard to arrest somebody. As soon as I saw that police SUV with its flashing lights screech to a stop just inches away from my fence, I grabbed my dog and ran upstairs. I felt a little safer from that vantage point!
While peeking through the blinds from my bedroom and keeping an eye on the scene unfolding below, I grabbed my phone to text my neighbor and check on them. Yet before I could type a single word, my phone started ringing… She was calling me!
We talked for a few minutes, sharing details of what we each could see from our bedroom windows, until I heard her three-year-old daughter in the background. Once her little girl realized the police cars were right beside my fence, she apparently asked her mom to call and check on me—she was that worried about me!
How sweet was she??
I spoke to the little girl for a bit on the phone, reassuring her that my dog and I were both safe and sound. A few minutes later, once the cops waved up at all of us watching from our bedroom windows to give us the “all clear” (what a funny sight that must have been, to see a half dozen houses’ worth of people staring down at you from their second stories!), we all ventured out into our yards and stood on patio chairs to talk to each other over the fences.
I waved at the little girl, and she called out to me, “Would you like to come over? I’ll share chocolate with you!”
She loves chocolate as much as I do, and since she always asks me if I have chocolate to give her whenever I see her… That was the most precious thing for her to offer her own prized chocolate to me!
A couple of days later, I baked a batch of these Healthy Almond Butter Monster Cookies to bring her to say thank you. They’re soft and chewy with plenty of chocolate—exactly the way we both love our cookies! Yet unlike traditional monster cookies, these contain no refined flour and only 112 calories!
And her health-oriented personal trainer mom definitely appreciated that! ?
Let’s go over how to make these healthy almond butter monster cookies!
You’ll start with instant oats (this kind—or these for a gluten-free version!) and whole wheat flour (or my favorite gluten-free blend that’s in the Notes section!). Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, which makes them perfect for these chewy healthy almond butter monster cookies because they soften much faster!
Remember, it’s extremely important that you measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out your oatmeal cookie dough and make your cookies taste cakey, rather than chewy. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up as much moisture as they can!
While traditional monster cookies are peanut butter oatmeal cookies with various mix-ins, we’re using homemade creamy almond butter for this healthy version! This is my go-to almond butter recipe. You just need 10 minutes and a blender to make it!
Hint: If you’re using store-bought almond butter, make sure it’s the natural drippy-style kind where the only ingredients are almonds and salt. It should be somewhat liquidy at room temperature!
To keep these healthy almond butter monster cookies low-calorie, you won’t add any butter, oil, or egg yolks. Yet they still taste extremely soft and chewy and indulgent—I promise!
Then you’ll sweeten your healthy almond butter monster cookies with pure maple syrup (like this!). You want the kind that comes directly from maple trees. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it’s generally sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).
Time for the best part… The chocolate! You’ll use mini chocolate chips (I’m obsessed with these!) and mini M&Ms (this kind!) in your healthy almond butter monster cookies. Two types of chocolate definitely made my chocoholic little neighbor (and me) really happy! I always save some of the M&Ms to press into the tops of the cookies just before baking. I think it makes them look even more irresistible!
Although looking this irresistible might be dangerous… ? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your healthy almond butter monster cookies!
| Healthy Almond Butter Monster Cookies | | Print |
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (64g) homemade creamy almond butter
- ½ cup (120mL) pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature M&Ms, divided
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla. Stir in the almond butter until fully incorporated. Stir in the maple syrup. Add in the oat mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the miniature chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of miniature M&Ms. Chill the cookie dough for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten slightly using a spatula. Gently press the remaining miniature M&Ms into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 10-12 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will also work, if measured like this.
Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal. To make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.
This is my favorite homemade creamy almond butter recipe. You just need 10 minutes and a blender to make it! If using store-bought creamy almond butter, make sure it only contains almonds and salt—no other ingredients. It should be liquidy at room temperature. Do not substitute crunchy almond butter.
For a clean-eating version, substitute additional miniature chocolate chips for the miniature M&Ms.
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ page.
{gluten-free, low fat, clean eating option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Classic Monster Cookies
♡ Healthy Banana Monster Cookies
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Monster Cookies
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy oatmeal cookie recipes!
Yikes! So so glad you’re safe; and what a delicious thank-you treat. Love the almond butter addition to classic monster cookies.
Thanks so much, Liz!! You’re the sweetest! 🙂
That would be a scary sight if it was all going down in your backyard. The cookies sound delicious! We love all things monster cookies so I’m sure they will be a big hit.
Thanks so much, Karly! I’d love to hear what you and your family think of these cookies if you decide to try them! 🙂
Hi there Amy! I would love to make these but I can’t have oats ? Any suggestions on substitutions?
Thanks so much!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Briana! If you can’t have oats, then I’d recommend this chocolate chip peanut butter cookie recipe of mine instead. You can easily substitute almond butter for the PB and mini M&Ms for some of the chocolate chips! Another option would be to use barley flakes (this kind!). With the barley flakes, pulse them in a food processor or blender until they’re less than 1/8th of their original size. They don’t soften while baking nearly as well as oats, so I highly recommend sealing the cookies inside of an airtight container for 24 hours after they’ve baked and cooled to help the barley soften a bit more. (That extra “resting” time makes a huge difference in the texture!) 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try either of those options!
Hi Amy, Your recipe is looking so yummy. I always love to make something new. This time I found this, and I am interested in making this. I can’t wait to try this. Hope so my kids also love it. Thanks for the sharing this yummy recipe tips.
Thanks so much Jennie! I can’t wait to hear what you and your kids think of these cookies! 🙂
I was curious as to why only the egg white is used?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Liz! Since many of my family members have high cholesterol, I try to minimize egg yolks wherever possible. If you prefer to use the whole egg, that should work for this particular recipe. 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of these cookies if you try making them!
Hello! I’m wondering if I can use regular butter instead of almond butter? And how much if so?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Carolyn! I don’t recommend using regular butter as a replacement for almond butter to make these cookies. If you’re looking for an alternative using peanut butter, you might like our classic monster cookie recipe! We also have a few other varieties of monster cookies you can see here.
If you’re wanting to make an oatmeal cookie without any nut butter, I’d recommend using our oatmeal raisin cookie recipe, and replace the raisins with the M&Ms and chocolate chips from this almond butter monster cookie recipe!
I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try making any of these cookies, Carolyn! 🙂
My husband loves the taste of these cookies, however, they seem to get super sticky and fall apart after day 1 of making them. Did I do something wrong?
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, Janelle! I’m glad your husband at least enjoyed their flavor. They shouldn’t fall apart though, so I’m happy to help figure out why that’s happening! In order to do so, I have some questions for you. 🙂
What was the texture of your cookies like on the first day? Did they hold together then?
How did you store your cookies? (For example, in an airtight container on the counter, an airtight container in the refrigerator, zip-topped bags, etc!)
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure all of the ingredients — especially the oats, flour, and pure maple syrup?
What brand of instant oats did you use?
Did you use whole wheat flour or the homemade gluten-free blend provided in the Notes section?
Did you use my homemade almond butter or store-bought? If the latter, what’s the exact brand + product name of the one that you used?
What brands of mini chocolate chips and M&Ms did you use? Did you add any extra of either one?
How long did you bake your cookies?
How thick were they after baking, and how much did they spread?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them! 🙂