Monster cookie lovers, this recipe is for you. I’ve had so much fun perfecting monster cookie recipes over the past few years like these energy bites and these (actual) cookies, and I knew a delicious bar packed with all of the yummy add-ins was in order.
These tahini monster cookie bars are filled with all of your favs like oats, chocolate chunks & chocolate candies, plus some extra special add-ins that make the out-of-this-world delicious. They just so happen to be gluten free thanks to almond flour and rolled oats, and are easily dairy free as well. Just LOOK at those golden edges, ooey-gooey middles, and puddles of dark chocolate.
The team and I made these amazing bars last month and truly became obsessed. They’re, of course, perfect straight from the oven but they’re also SO delicious right out of the fridge! Any way you enjoy them you might want to make a double batch because everyone around you will be swooning.
What are monster cookies?
Monster cookies are sort of a kitchen sink cookie, meaning they’re all about the mix-ins. Traditional monster cookies like my famous recipe have:
- Peanut butter
- Oats
- M&M’s
- Chocolate chips
These amazing monster cookie bars swap the peanut butter for tahini and include a few special add-ins.
Everything you’ll need to make these monster cookie bars
You seriously won’t be able to tell that these healthier monster cookie bars are both gluten free and dairy free. They’re SO fudgy but are made with wholesome ingredients you’ll love! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Eggs: you’ll need 2 eggs to help the monster cookie bars bake up properly.
- Coconut sugar: I love the caramel-like flavor that coconut sugar adds to these bars.
- Coconut oil: for the perfect amount of moisture you’ll need a little coconut oil.
- Tahini: we’re skipping the traditional peanut butter and mixing tahini into these monster cookie bars instead! Use the code ‘ambitiouskitchen’ to get 10% off my favorite brand, Soom.
- Flour: we’re using fine, blanched almond flour to keep the bars gluten free.
- Oats: you’ll also need some rolled oats to give them the perfect thickness. Remember to use gluten free rolled oats to keep the bars gluten free, too!
- Shredded coconut: you’ll mix in some unsweetened shredded coconut with the dry ingredients for that true monster cookie flavor.
- Baking staples: don’t forget the baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt. Learn how to make your own vanilla extract here.
- Delicious add-ins: we’re folding in dark chocolate chunks (or chips) and chocolate candies for melty chocolate in every bite. Remember to use a dairy free brand of chocolate to keep the bars dairy free — use the code ‘AMBITIOUSKITCHEN’ for 20% off Hu Kitchen chocolate. Don’t forget the sprinkle of fancy sea salt on top!
Simple ingredient swaps
I highly recommend sticking to this monster cookie bar recipe as closely as possible in order to get the best results! However, here are a few ingredient swaps I can recommend:
- For the coconut sugar: feel free to use brown sugar instead. Learn how to make your own brown sugar here!
- For the coconut oil: if you’re not dairy free, you could also use melted butter.
- For the tahini: peanut butter or almond butter would also work well!
Can I make them vegan?
Please note that I have not tested these monster cookie bars with flax eggs. Let me know in the comments if you do, and be sure to use a dairy free/vegan chocolate & chocolate candies as well.
Looking for thicker bars?
If you like your monster cookie bars more “oat-y” and thicker, feel free to use 3/4 cup of rolled oats instead of 1/2 cup. I personally prefer using 1/2 cup.
Monster cookie bars made in one bowl
- Prep your pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and lining a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Mix together the eggs, coconut sugar and tahini until they’re smooth, then mix in the melted & cooled coconut oil and vanilla. Be sure you mix everything well so that there’s no oil separation.
- Add the dry. Mix in the almond flour, oats, coconut, baking soda & salt until well combined.
- Add the mix-ins. Fold in the chocolate chunks and chocolate candies, reserving half for sprinkling on top.
- Bake & enjoy. Add the dough to your prepared pan, sprinkle on the rest of the chocolate and bake! When they’re done sprinkle with sea salt, cool & then cut and devour.
The key to perfect monster cookie bars
The key to making perfect monster cookie bars that are gooey and delicious is to slightly underbake them. Take them out as soon as the edges are getting barely golden brown. They’ll set more as you let them cool.
Storing & freezing tips
- In the fridge: I’d recommend leaving the monster cookie bars on the counter for no more than a day or two, and then storing them covered in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: allow the bars to cool completely, then cut them as directed. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then in foil or a reusable bag such as Stasher bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More brownies and bars you’ll love
- Ooey-Gooey Tahini S’mores Bars
- The Best Zucchini Brownies You’ll Ever Eat
- Salted Tahini Caramel Millionaire Bars (vegan + paleo)
- Blueberry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan & gluten free)
- Ooey-Gooey Salted Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Get all of my brownies & bars here!
I hope you love these tahini monster cookie bars! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Tahini Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup coconut sugar (or sub brown sugar)
- 3/4 cup tahini (or sub peanut butter or almond butter)
- 1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup packed fine almond flour
- ½ cup rolled oats (if you want them thicker/more oat-y you can do ¾ cup but I prefer ½ cup)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut (i use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the mix-ins:
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (dairy free if desired), divided
- ½ cup chocolate candies (I used Unreal brand candies), divided
- Fancy maldon Salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, coconut sugar and tahini until smooth and creamy. Next add in the melted and cooled coconut oil and vanilla and mix together again until it is very smooth and well combined. This should take at least 30 seconds to mix until smooth, you do not want any oil separation.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well combined: almond flour, oats, shredded coconut, baking soda and salt. Finally fold in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chunks/chips and ¼ cup of chocolate candies; you’ll reserve the other half of each for sprinkling on top.
- Add the dough to the prepared pan and evenly spread out with a spatula towards the edges. Sprinkle the top with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips and ¼ cup chocolate candies. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are BARELY golden brown. The trick with these blondies is to slightly underbaked them so they stay nice and fudgy and gooey. Once done baking, sprinkle with sea salt. Allow blondies to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into so they don’t fall apart. Cut into 16 squares.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
22 comments
Made these today with the help of my kiddos, we used PB in place of tahini and used m&ms…they turned out AMAZING! We will definitely be making them again 🙂 thank you for sharing this recipe, Ambitious Kitchen!! ❤️
Yay!!! So happy they came out amazing 🙂
These were so good and easy to make! Easy to please some tough critics about “healthier food”. I used hue baking gems and they awesome. I will definitely make these again!
Hahah NICE I’m so glad everyone loved them!! Thanks for the review!
Um YUM! Made the peanut butter version and went with 3/4 cup oats since I didn’t have shredded coconut. Topped with peanut butter M&Ms. Big hit!
Love it! So glad you enjoyed!
Another winner. I did make changes… I used 1/2 tahini and 1/2 natural peanut butter. I used almond flour and 1/2 Kamut flour.
Delicious !!! I have made the s’mores tahini bars exactly as the recipe and delicious.
I made these yesterday and they were quickly devoured! I used two flax eggs and Hu baking gems (didn’t have any chocolate candies on hand) and it turned out great! I love the chewy texture and the chocolate gooey goodness. Will be making this again soon!
YAY!! Glad they turned out delish!
I omitted the coconut shavings as I don’t like them, I’m not sure if I undercooked them as they remained gooey and not fully cooked/baked though the corners were. It tasted really good but I’m wondering if the going without the shredded coconut affected the texture so much
Hi! Yes, the shredded coconut is essential for the proper texture. You might like this recipe instead 🙂
What I love about your recipes is how easy they are to adapt to ingredients you have on hand, and they still turn out great. I cut the sugar in half, and did flax egg, I was low on tahini so did both tahini and almond butter. Turned out delicious. Highly recommend cutting the sugar, it’s still sweet but slightly healthier.
So happy to hear all those changes worked well and that you enjoyed them, Kelly!!
As a gluten free vegan I’m unsure why I subscribed. Just FYI oats, even if they claim to be gluten free, are still a no no for anyone allergic to gluten. It’s something to do with storage.
So I’m disappointed to get a recipe containing eggs and will unsubscribe. I’m sure you understand.
AMAZING. My whole family devoured them! (I even cut the sugar by half and they were still sweet enough!) And I made mine vegan/Paleo by using flax eggs, subbing 1/4 cup coconut flour for the oats, and using vegan YumEarth M&Ms. The flaked salt on top was a nice touch, too! New favorite dessert!
These were delicious! Family gobbled them up too fast!
These are FREAKING FANTASTIC. Seriously, they exceeded my expectations, and my expectations were very high. I made these for my wine club and came home with an empty container and multiple requests for the recipe. I pretty much stuck to the recipe, but used half tahini and half almond butter. For chocolate chips, I used Hu’s new keto chocolate chips and I highly recommend those, as they are all natural, sugar- and sugar alcohol-free, and delicious. I also mixed in some ChocZero white chocolate chips because I had some on hand. I also went with the dark chocolate version of the Unreal candies, because I just think dark chocolate is the better chocolate. I’ll be making these again this week to bring to work, to share the love. Thanks for another wonderful healthy delicious recipe!
Excellent! This is simply the best. I am so glad this recipe is a hit, thank you for your comment I really appreciate it!
Hot DAMN! These are so freaking good. I followed the recipe to a T and baked for 20 minutes and they are slightly underbaked perfection! Thank you!
LOVE! Glad this recipe is a hit, love these cookie bars, the perfect treat ❤️
May I use an 8 x 8 with this? I’m working on baking in my air fryer and 8 x 8 is the largest size that fits! Thank you – these look UNbelievable!
That should work, you might need to increase your baking time a bit. Let me know how they turn out!