Gooey Monster Cookies Recipe

These playful cookies blend a rich cake mix with sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips for a soft, gooey texture. Topped with candy monster eyes and colorful sprinkles, they become a delightful, festive treat perfect for any occasion. Their vibrant charm and mouthwatering taste invite smiles from kids and adults alike.

I recently came across this recipe for Gooey Monster Cookies and thought I’d share it with you. These cookies combine a box of devil’s food cake mix (or funfetti if you prefer a brighter look) with 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1/2 cup water.

I add in a can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt for that perfect texture. I also fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for extra flavor.

These cookies are decorated with candy monster eyes and a handful of colorful sprinkles making them perfect as Halloween monster snacks and easy treats for school parties. They offer a decent nutritional mix while keeping the fun and festive feel of a little monster cake.

I love that these gooey cookies turn out great for any Halloween candy treat ideas you want to whip up quickly. Enjoy baking and sharing these fun desserts with friends!

Why I Like this Recipe

1. I love how easy it is to put together, even when I’m in a hurry and just wanna whip up something sweet without a ton of hassle.
2. I really dig the mix of rich devil’s food cake and sweetened condensed milk – it gives the cookies a super moist, gooey texture that always surprises me.
3. Decorating them with monster eyes and colorful sprinkles is so much fun and lets me get creative, making every batch feel fresh and quirky.
4. The recipe kinda reminds me of being a kid where everything felt bright and playful, and its unique flavors always carry that nostalgic vibe.

Ingredients

• Devil’s Food Cake Mix: Packed with carbohydrates and sugars, its what gives cookies rich chocolate flavor.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: Creamy, heavy in sugar, adds moist texture and intense sweetness.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Offers bits of melted chocolate, mainly sugar with a hint of cocoa.
• Vegetable Oil: Provides fat for moisture, making the cookies delightfully gooey and tender.
• Funfetti Option: Using funfetti mix brightens cookies, adds playful colors and a festive twist.
• Eggs: Enrich texture and protein content, binding ingredients for a perfect cookie structure.
• Baking Soda and Salt: Balance sweetness, contributing to leavening and flavor enhancement.
• Water: Aids in achieving the perfect dough consistency, hydrating dry ingredients.
• Colorful Sprinkles and Candy Monster Eyes: Adds fun and visual appeal, turning cookies into monsters.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 box (15.25 oz) devil’s food cake mix (you can use funfetti if you want a brighter cookie)
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Candy monster eyes and a handful of colorful sprinkles for decorating

How to Make this

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the devil’s food cake mix, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup water.

3. Pour in 1 can of sweetened condensed milk then add 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt and mix until everything is just combined.

4. Gently stir in the 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed in the batter.

5. Scoop out rounded spoonfuls of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet leaving some space between each cookie.

6. Flatten each scoop slightly with a spatula or the back of a spoon to help them bake evenly.

7. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 12-14 minutes until they look set but are still soft in the middle.

8. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

9. While the cookies are still a bit warm, decorate them with candy monster eyes and a handful of colorful sprinkles.

10. Let the cookies cool completely so the decorations stick, then serve and enjoy your gooey monster cookies!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350°F)
2. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Whisk or sturdy spoon for mixing
6. Can opener (for the sweetened condensed milk)
7. Cookie scoop or regular spoon for placing batter on the sheet
8. Spatula or back of a spoon to gently flatten the cookie dough
9. Cooling rack for letting the cookies cool

FAQ

Gooey Monster Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• If you dont have devil’s food cake mix, you can use a brownie mix instead though the texture might be a bit denser
• If no vegetable oil is available, melted butter or even coconut oil can be a good swap, but it might add a slight coconut flavor
• For eggs, you can replace each one with 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/2 mashed banana if you’re looking for a dairy-free option
• If you cant find sweetened condensed milk, try mixing 1 cup evaporated milk with 1 1/4 cups sugar and simmering it down a bit for that thick consistency

Pro Tips

• Make sure your eggs and water are at the right temps – room temp eggs mix better and help keep things even, plus it’ll give u a more consistent batter.
• Don’t overmix the batter once you add the sweetened condensed milk and other ingredients – stir just until everything’s combined so your cookies stay soft and gooey instead of turning tough.
• When adding chocolate chips, fold them in gently. Over stirring them can break up the chips too much, and u want those bursts of chocolate in every bite.
• After baking, let the cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them. This helps ’em firm up a little, making it easier to decorate without falling apart.