One-Bowl Monster Cookie Bars with Almond Butter
As a recipe developer and busy mom, I love a dessert that’s both nostalgic and fuss-free—and these one-bowl monster cookie bars check every box. They bake up thick and chewy with a soft, blondie-style center and pockets of melty chocolate chips and colorful candies. This gluten-free cookie bar is also dairy-free and refined sugar-free, but you’d never know it. It’s the kind of treat that brings everyone to the kitchen before they’ve even cooled.
The Monster Bar Obsession Is Real
I’ll be honest—once I made these monster cookie bars, I didn’t look back. They’ve got that magical mix of soft, chewy blondie texture with the crisp edges of a bakery-style cookie, and the chocolate-to-dough ratio? Perfection. If you’re more of a classic cookie fan, though, my thick and chewy Monster Cookies hit that same nostalgic flavor in handheld form.
I swap in almond flour, nut butter, and coconut sugar so they’re naturally gluten-free but still irresistibly buttery. It’s the kind of cookie bar that makes you pause mid-bite and say, “Okay, this one’s a keeper.”
Monster Cookie Bar Ingredients
- Almond Flour - This is the gluten free flour that provides a soft and fudgy texture.
- Coconut Sugar - Used to sweeten the cookie bars. Substitute with light brown sugar if needed.
- Egg - This helps to bind everything together.
- Coconut oil - This is only used to provide some fats and a deep fudgy flavor. The bars won't taste like coconut! Swap with melted butter if needed.
- Almond butter - Adds a hint of nutty flavoring! Swap with creamy peanut butter or cashew butter if desired but make sure to use the kind that needs to be stirred.
- M&Ms - What would monster cookie bars be without M&Ms?! I love naturally colored candies taht are made with real ingredinets.
Expert Tips for the Best Monster Cookie Bars
- Go for natural creamy almond butter. Trust me, this makes a huge difference. You want the kind with that little bit of oil separation on top—the kind that lists only almonds (and maybe a pinch of sea salt) on the label. It gives the batter richness and that subtle nutty flavor we love. Skip the “no-stir” jars; they’re usually too thick and can make the dough dry.
- Mix up your mix-ins. Monster cookies earn their name for a reason—they’re packed with all the goodies. Think M&Ms, chocolate chips, oats, peanut butter chunks, even pretzels if you’re feeling wild. I like using at least two types of chocolate since the almond butter already brings plenty of that nutty depth.
- Start with the wet ingredients. Just like with classic cookies, whisk together the wet stuff first before folding in the dry. The dough will look thick—almost like a blondie batter—so keep mixing until everything’s fully combined. It’ll be worth the arm workout, promise.
Storage Tips
Allow the cookie bars to cool down completely before slicing them into squares. Store them in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a week on the counter or 10 days in the fridge.
For more yummy bars, check out my:
Recipe
Easy Gluten-Free Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ½ cup almond butter - or nut butter of choice
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil - melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoon milk of choice
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cup almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate candies - or M&Ms
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl, mix together the egg, almond butter, coconut sugar, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla until creamy.2 cup almond flour, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Gradually fold in the almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt until no flour clumps remain. The batter will be pretty thick. Fold in the chocolate candies and chocolate chips.1 egg, ¼ cup coconut oil, ½ cup almond butter, ½ tablespoon vanilla
- Pour batter into an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper or greased with oil and bake for 18 - 20 minutes until the edges turn a golden brown.
- Let cool before cutting into squares and enjoy!
Super yummy and definitely nailed the sweet tooth I was having! I’m curious however if I didn’t cook them long enough because they were still very doughy and never firmed up even after cooling so they were more or less a chocolatey blob 🤪. Still good, just wondering if I did something wrong!
Hmm they should turn golden brown and set after 18 - 20 minutes. I would check your oven calibration to see if it runs a little cool. If it does, then just add a few more minutes to the bake time.