If you’re like me and love cookies that are a little gooey, packed with protein, and easy to whip up in a small batch, then you’re going to adore this Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe. These cookies are not only deliciously soft with a fun, spooky twist, but they also skip the flour and sneak in some nourishing ingredients to keep things a bit healthier. Whether you’re making these for a quick snack or a playful treat to share, this recipe is seriously a winner — and I can’t wait to share all my tips and tricks so you get that perfect monster-eye gooeyness every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flourless & High Protein: Perfect for those looking to cut down on carbs but still crush their protein goals.
- Small Batch, Big Flavor: Makes just the right amount – no waste or extra cookies haunting your kitchen.
- Fun & Festive: Those monster eyes turn these cookies into a playful treat for any season or party.
- Easy to Throw Together: You’ll appreciate how quick the mixing and baking come together for busy days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting the balance of protein powder, oats, and peanut butter right is what makes these cookies gooey and satisfying. I find using quality grass-fed beef isolate protein powder really helps keep the texture soft but protein-packed. Plus, the mix-ins like chocolate chips and M&Ms bring in that nostalgic cookie vibe.
- Chocolate grass fed beef isolate protein powder: Choose one with a mild chocolate flavor for the richest cookie base without any grittiness.
- Gluten free oats: Adds a little texture and heartiness; you can blitz them slightly if you prefer a smoother dough.
- Baking powder: Just a touch for subtle lift, so your cookies don’t turn out too dense.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors, balancing sweetness perfectly.
- Natural peanut butter stirred well: Creamy peanut butter blends best, but chunky works if you want extra texture.
- Maple syrup: Adds natural sweetness and moisture, which keeps the cookies nice and gooey.
- Almond milk: A bit of plant-based milk helps loosen the batter to perfect cookie consistency.
- Vanilla extract: This little flavor booster makes all the difference in cookie depth.
- Chocolate chips: Melty pockets of chocolate yum that everyone loves.
- M&M type candies: Adds a pop of color and playfulness—plus a crunch.
- Candy eyeballs: The star of the monster eye theme, piped on right after baking so they stick perfectly.
- Sprinkles: Optional, but they add such a cute finishing touch.
Variations
I love how versatile this Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe is. You can tweak the mix-ins or the nut butter and still get great results. Feel free to get creative and make these your own!
- Nut Butter Swaps: I’ve swapped peanut butter for almond or cashew butter before, and it changes the flavor profile beautifully without affecting texture.
- Mix-in Madness: Try adding chopped nuts or dried berries instead of chocolate chips if you want a less sweet twist – my family actually loved the nutty crunch!
- Sweetener Options: If you don’t have maple syrup, honey or agave work just fine, though it might slightly change the moistness.
- Protein Powder Variations: Looking to make this vegan? Pea or rice protein powders can work here, but be prepared for a slightly different texture.
How to Make Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe
Step 1: Mix Your Dry Ingredients
Start by combining your protein powder, gluten free oats, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. I like using a fork to mix them thoroughly, making sure all those dry bits are well blended before the wet ingredients come in. This is key to an even dough texture without pesky clumps of protein powder stuck in one spot.
Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients and Mix
Next, stir in the peanut butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract. The batter will be thicker than your usual cookie dough and slightly sticky, which I learned to expect after trial and error with different protein powders. Use a fork or sturdy spoon to fold everything together until smooth and evenly combined.
Step 3: Fold in Your Chocolate Chips and Candies
Gently fold in chocolate chips, your M&M type candies, and sprinkles if you’re using them. This part is the fun bit—getting a little burst of color and sweetness in every cookie bite. Don’t overmix here; just enough to incorporate everything evenly.
Step 4: Scoop and Shape Your Cookies
I find an ice cream scoop works perfectly here for portioning, making three large cookies. If you prefer bite-sized, a smaller cookie scoop makes about six. Either way, press each mound down gently with your palm or the back of the scoop, because these cookies won’t spread much during baking. Giving them a little shape will help achieve that perfect gooey texture.
Step 5: Bake and Add Monster Eyes
Bake your cookies at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until they’re golden around the edges and set. I used to worry about overbaking, but here’s what I learned: if your cookies still feel slightly soft, resist the urge to bake longer and just pop them in the fridge for 5 minutes instead – that chills them just right to set with minimal dryness. Press the candy eyeballs into the cookies immediately after baking, while they’re still warm, so they stick perfectly without sliding off.
Pro Tips for Making Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe
- Choose Quality Protein Powder: I found that grass-fed beef isolate powder with a smooth texture helps avoid gritty cookies.
- Don’t Overbake: Cookies will firm up after cooling or chilling, so pull them out when edges are golden but centers are still soft.
- Press down dough before baking: This ensures flatter, more appealing cookies since they don’t spread much on their own.
- Add candy eyeballs right after baking: Warm cookies help the eyes stick without sliding off, making decorating a breeze.
How to Serve Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe
Garnishes
I like to add a sprinkle of extra mini chocolate chips or colorful sprinkles on top just before serving for that extra pop of fun. The candy eyeballs steal the show, but a few bright sprinkles give them an inviting look that my kids go crazy for!
Side Dishes
These cookies pair wonderfully with a cold glass of almond milk or your favorite cup of coffee or tea. For a Halloween party or themed snack, I’ve served them alongside fresh fruit skewers to balance the sweetness.
Creative Ways to Present
One year, I laid these out on a platter with some green-tinted coconut shredded “grass” and tiny edible spiders for a spooky forest vibe at a party. Mini cupcake liners also work well for individual servings if you’re gifting or making these for little hands.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They stay soft and gooey, but I always recommend a quick chill before serving to bring back some firmness without drying them out.
Freezing
These cookies freeze great if you want to batch make ahead. Just freeze them flat on a tray first, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you want one, thaw at room temp or warm gently in a microwave for 15 seconds—the gooey magic comes right back.
Reheating
Reheating takes just a few seconds in the microwave (10-15 seconds) or 3-5 minutes at low oven heat. I avoid overheating because then the cookies can dry out and the gooey texture disappears—slow and gentle is the trick.
FAQs
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Can I make these cookies vegan?
Absolutely! You can swap the beef isolate protein with a vegan protein powder like pea or rice protein. Also, make sure your peanut butter and mix-ins don’t contain animal-derived ingredients. Keep in mind the texture might be a little different but still delicious.
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What if I don’t have candy eyeballs?
No worries! You can use chocolate chips, nuts, or even small candies as eyes, or get creative with edible markers on white chocolate discs to draw your own monster eyes.
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How do I prevent the cookies from drying out?
The key is not to overbake and to store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Adding a slice of bread in the container can help maintain moisture as well.
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Can I double the recipe?
Definitely! Just be mindful of your baking sheet space and adjust bake times slightly if making larger batches to ensure even cooking.
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What kind of protein powder works best?
I highly recommend a high-quality chocolate beef isolate protein powder for the best flavor and texture, but high-quality plant-based powders can work if you adjust moisture slightly.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe turns out every time. It checks so many boxes—quick, delicious, fun, and packed with protein. When I first tried this, I was amazed at how soft and gooey the cookies stayed, even without flour. Plus, adding those monster eyes just makes it a crowd-pleaser for both kids and adults. Give this a try—it’s like having a secret weapon for a healthy-ish cookie fix that feels like a treat. I’m confident you’ll enjoy making (and eating) these as much as I do!
PrintSmall Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies (Flourless, High Protein) Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 3 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These Small Batch Gooey Monster Eye Cookies are a fun and delicious flourless treat packed with high protein from grass-fed beef isolate protein powder. Perfect for a quick snack or a spooky dessert, these cookies blend gluten-free oats, natural peanut butter, and sweet add-ins like chocolate chips, M&M-like candies, and colorful sprinkles. Topped with candy eyeballs, they offer a playful twist on classic cookies while staying gluten-free and high in protein.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons chocolate grass fed beef isolate protein powder
- 3 tablespoons gluten free oats
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter (stirred well)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Add-Ins
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons M&M type candies, plus more for decorating after baking
- Candy eyeballs for decorating
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to ensure cookies don’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, add the chocolate grass fed beef isolate protein powder, gluten free oats, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a fork until combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the natural peanut butter, maple syrup, almond milk, and vanilla extract to the dry mix. Use a fork to mix everything together until a thick, sticky batter forms, resembling traditional cookie dough but slightly stickier depending on your protein powder.
- Fold in Add-Ins: Gently fold in the chocolate chips, sprinkles, and M&M type candies into the batter for bursts of flavor and texture.
- Scoop Dough: Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the lined baking sheet. Make 3 large cookies or 6 smaller ones, leaving room between each for spreading. Press each scoop gently with your palm or the back of the scoop to shape into cookie rounds, as they don’t spread much during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes until set and golden brown. If the cookies are still slightly unset after baking, instead of longer baking, place them in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to help them firm up.
- Decorate: Immediately after removing from the oven, press the candy eyeballs into the centers of the warm cookies in pairs to create the monster eyes. Add extra sprinkles or M&Ms if desired for festive decoration.
Notes
- The batter will be sticky, which is normal due to the protein powder used.
- Do not bake the cookies longer than 10 minutes; refrigerate if they need more setting.
- Press the candy eyeballs into the cookies right after baking while still warm to help them adhere properly.
- You can customize the amount and type of add-ins based on preference.
- These cookies are gluten-free but not suitable for those with peanut allergies due to peanut butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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