Monster cookies

Ingredients

• 120 gsoft unsalted butter
• 100 gsugar
• 50 gsoft brown sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
• 1egg, at room temperature
• 140 gplain flour
• 30 gblack cocoa powder or regular cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp (15 ml)cornflour
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml)baking powder
• to tasteedible sugar eyes, for decoration
• 30 gcoloured sugar sprinkles of your choice

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   For the standard method, heat the oven to 175 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. 2

   Cream the butter

   Beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar with a mixer or food processor on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.

3. 3

   Mix in the egg

   Add the vanilla extract and egg to the butter mixture, then beat until evenly combined.

4. 4

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.

5. 5

   Make the dough

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until you have a slightly sticky dough.

6. 6

   Add the sprinkles

   Stir some of the sugar sprinkles into the dough.

7. 7

   Shape the cookies

   Scoop out even portions of dough with a spoon or ice-cream scoop and place them on the prepared tray. Add extra sprinkles and, if they are suitable for baking, sugar eyes on top.

8. 8

   Bake and decorate

   Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies have risen but are still soft. Remove them from the oven and add the remaining decorations while they are warm so they stick, then leave the cookies to cool.

9. 9

   Preheat for Thermomix

   For the Thermomix method, heat the oven to 175 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

10. 10

    Cream in Thermomix

    Put the butter, sugar and brown sugar in the mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes on speed 4.

11. 11

    Add egg and vanilla

    Add the vanilla extract and egg, then mix for a further 30 seconds on speed 4.

12. 12

    Mix the dry ingredients

    Add the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder to the mixing bowl. Mix for 30 seconds on speed 4; if needed, scrape the mixture down with the spatula and mix for another 10 seconds on speed 4, until combined.

13. 13

    Fold in sprinkles

    Add the sugar sprinkles to the mixing bowl and fold them in for 10 seconds on speed 2.

14. 14

    Shape the cookies

    Scoop out even portions of dough with a spoon or ice-cream scoop and place them on the prepared tray. Add extra sprinkles and, if they are suitable for baking, sugar eyes on top.

15. 15

    Bake and decorate

    Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cookies have risen but are still soft. Remove them from the oven and add the remaining decorations while they are warm so they stick, then leave the cookies to cool.

What are monster cookies?

Monster cookies are American-style biscuits known for their colourful, eye-catching decorations. This version uses cocoa in the dough and sprinkles for a bright finish, with sugar eyes giving them their playful look.

The creamed butter and sugars help make the cookies tender, while a short bake keeps the centres soft. Black cocoa gives a particularly dark colour, but regular cocoa works too.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 187 calories, 3g protein, 42g carbs, 1g fat.

The flour and sugars provide most of the carbohydrate, while the butter contributes most of the fat and the egg adds some protein. Pair a cookie with fruit or yoghurt if you would like something more substantial alongside it.

Choosing the cocoa

Black cocoa: this gives the dough its deep, dark appearance and a distinctive cocoa flavour.

Regular cocoa: use it instead if that is what you have; the cookies will still be chocolatey, though their colour will be lighter.

Creaming the butter and sugars

Standard method: beat the soft butter with both sugars for about 3 minutes on medium speed, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.

Thermomix method: mix the butter and sugars for 2 minutes on speed 4. Starting with soft butter helps the mixture come together smoothly.

Getting the dough right

Dry mix: combine the flour, cocoa, cornflour, salt and raising agents separately before adding them to the butter mixture. This helps distribute them through the dough.

Texture: the finished dough is meant to be slightly sticky. Add the dry ingredients gradually in the standard method, or scrape down the Thermomix bowl if needed to finish mixing.

When to add the decorations

Sprinkles: mix some into the dough, then use extra on top if you like. In the Thermomix, fold them in briefly on speed 2 so they remain distinct.

Sugar eyes: put them on before baking only if they are suitable for the oven. Otherwise, press the decorations onto the cookies while they are still warm so they adhere.

Baking and serving

Bake at 175 °C for about 12 minutes, looking for cookies that have risen but remain soft. They will firm up as they cool, so avoid waiting for them to feel crisp in the oven.

Serve once cool enough to handle, with tea, coffee or a glass of milk. Keep the cookies in a single layer until their decorations have set.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bring the egg to room temperature before mixing it into the creamed butter.
• Measure the dry ingredients before starting so they can be combined evenly.
• Use a consistent scoop size to help the cookies bake at the same rate.
• Leave space between the dough portions on the tray.
• Add decorations that are not oven-safe after baking, while the cookies are still warm.

Variations

• Regular cocoa: use standard cocoa powder for a lighter-coloured chocolate dough.
• Rainbow finish: choose a mix of colourful sprinkles for a bright decoration.
• Extra eyes: add more edible sugar eyes after baking for a more animated look.
• Simple tops: leave off the sugar eyes and finish with sprinkles alone.
• Small cookies: scoop smaller, even portions and keep an eye on them as they bake.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Butter too firm: use softened butter so it can cream properly with the sugars.
• Overmixing the dough: stop once the dry ingredients are combined to avoid working the mixture more than needed.
• Uneven portions: use a spoon or ice-cream scoop to keep the cookies a similar size.
• Baking until firm: take the cookies out when they are risen but still soft, as the recipe directs.
• Decorating too late: add non-bake-safe decorations while the cookies are warm so they can stick.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If they soften in storage, warm them briefly in a low oven and let them cool before serving.

Frequently asked questions