Want to know what I did last week?

Ate this entire batch of cookies. By myself.

And these cookies are jumbo.  I’m talking, the size-of-my-face, that’s-a-normal-sized-plate, kind of jumbo.

Thank goodness there were only six.

But here’s a little background on these cookies:

Right after Audrey was born, I felt like there was something missing in my life. Maybe it was because I no longer had a job – something I hadn’t experienced since my early years of high school.  Or the fact that for much of those few months postpartum, I was unable to do much of anything now that I had a newborn and an incision that was just not healing correctly.  All I knew was that I needed to do something.  I needed to find a hobby that made me feel more like me.

So I turned to baking.

I have always enjoyed baking.  So much so, that I used to be part of a group called “the Daring Bakers” where I made my first soufflé and tried my hand at a Baked Alaska. So, it was no surprise to me that this was a hobby that I was drawn to.  One afternoon while Prince was being groomed, I baked the first of many cupcakes to come out of that kitchen on Poplar Forest: strawberry shortcake cupcakes and s’mores cupcakes.

They turned out beautiful.  Decorated with fondant, fruit, and fudge drizzles.  The only downside?  Now I had over two dozen cupcakes in my possession.  So, I started to give them to neighbors and friends.  I even packaged one up and brought it to the groomer when it was time to pick up Prince.  The number one feedback?  Sell them.

So I did.

I set up stand at the local farmer’s market and sold my cupcakes.  Unfortunately, the mid-summer heat in south central Virginia fought me each day I set up my booth and most of the time it won.  Creating mudslides of frosting on each cupcake.  That’s when I decided that each week I would slowly steer away from cupcakes and start providing options that were a little more heat-forgiving: flavored marshmallows, caramel apples, and cookies.

Like these jumbo monster cookies.

The first day I made them, I sold out within twenty minutes.  They are THAT good.

Chock-full of peanut butter, oats, chocolate, and M&M’s, there’s not much else I could ask for in a cookie.

Except for it to be a small-batch, so when I do finish them within a week, by myself, I don’t feel as guilty!

Small Batch Jumbo Monster Cookies

makes 6

• 8 oz. peanut butter
• 1/4 c. butter, softened
• 1 c. coconut sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. M&Ms

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

In the mixing bowl to your stand mixer, add the peanut butter, butter, and coconut sugar.  Using the paddle attachment, beat together until smooth.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat together until combined.

Beat in the oats and baking soda until fully combined.

Mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, scoop dough out and place on cookie sheet. You can use the back of the measuring spoon to flatten cookie slightly. Repeat with remaining dough, placing two more cookies on this baking sheet, and the remaining three on the second baking sheet.  This will ensure there is enough room for the cookies to spread.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes.  Press the cookies down a little more with a fork and bake for another six minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until they are completely cooled.