Monster Mash Cookies (Vegan Chocolate Protein Cookies)
These chocolate Monster Mash Cookies are soft, chewy and perfect for Halloween with colorful candies and candy eyes. Made with sunflower seed butter and plant-based protein powder, they’re easy to mix by hand in one bowl.
QUICK LOOK: MONSTER MASH COOKIES
⏱️ Prep Time: About 15 minutes, including preparing the flax egg
🔥 Bake Time: 9–11 minutes
⏲️ Total Time: About 40 minutes, including cooling time
🍽️ Servings: 9 cookies
🔢 Calories: Approximately 264 per cookie
💡 Difficulty: Easy, no mixer needed
🥣 Key Ingredients: Sunflower seed butter, coconut sugar, flaxseed, chocolate plant-based protein powder, almond flour and chocolate candies
🌿 Dietary Info: Vegan when made with vegan chocolate candies, candy eyes and plant milk. Contains almonds.
✨ Make them for: Halloween parties, family baking and after-school treats
As a busy mom navigating the sugar-filled chaos of October, I’m always looking for fun treats that give my kids lasting energy instead of the dreaded sugar crash. These monster mash cookies have become one of our go-to Halloween cookies because they’re packed with protein, naturally sweetened, and still deliver that spooky-fun factor kids love.
I you prefer to bake without protein powder, you can make the homemade seed option I’ve listed in the ingredient notes below.
The dye-free candy coated chocolate chips add pops of color without the artificial ingredients I try to avoid, and the candy eyeballs makes decorating these cookies almost as fun as eating them. To keep the finished cookies vegan if needed, choose vegan chocolate candies and candy eyes too.
For another Halloween baking idea, try my vegan pumpkin spice mummy cookies. My Pumpkin Spice Protein Energy Balls, Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins, and Pumpkin Spice Protein Mug Cake are more great fall snack ideas.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Chocolate Protein Monster Mash Cookies
Key Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
1-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Protein Monster Mash Cookies for Halloween Ingredients (makes 9-12 cookies)
Homemade Seed Blend to use in place of protein powder
If you prefer baking without commercial protein powder, here’s a homemade seed blend you can try in place of the ⅓ cup chocolate protein powder:
3 tablespoons finely ground hemp hearts
1 tablespoon finely ground pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon oat flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Pulse the hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds in a spice grinder or small food processor until finely ground, stopping before they become a paste. Measure the seeds after grinding, then mix with the oat flour and cocoa powder. Use 1:1 for protein powder.
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Step-by-Step Instructions to Make My Monster Mash Cookies for Halloween
Time needed: 40 minutes
- Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (approximately 175°C) with a rack in the center. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
You’ll need enough space to leave about 2 inches between cookies. If they won’t fit on one sheet, use two sheets and bake one at a time. - Make the Flax Egg
In a small bowl, mix together 3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp ground flax. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until it forms a gel like consistency. Measure the remaining ingredients while you wait.
- Add the Wet Ingredients
Stir the sunflower seed butter in its jar before measuring.
Add the sunflower seed butter, coconut sugar, thickened flax egg and vanilla to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk or stir until evenly combined, with no separate streaks of seed butter or flax mixture.
- Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the chocolate protein powder (or the homemade seed protein powder listed in the ingredients), almond flour, baking soda and salt. Stir with a sturdy spoon or spatula until no dry pockets remain.
- Add Candy Pieces and Check the Dough
Fold in the candy-coated chocolate pieces and check the consistency of the dough. The dough should be thick enough to roll into a ball and hold together when gently flattened.
If it falls apart or feels crumbly, add milk of choice 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Use only enough to bring the dough together, up to 1–2 tablespoons.
Skip the milk if the dough already holds together.
- Shape the Cookie Dough
Using a small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into 9-12 balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll the dough together using your hands so that it all sticks together and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Gently flatten each ball into a thick cookie shape rather than leaving it in a tall mound. Keep the thickness similar across the batch and press any deep cracks around the edges back together.
TIP: For consistent sizes, weigh the finished dough on a kitchen scale and divide the total weight by 9. Weigh each portion to that amount.
- Bake
Bake 9-11 minutes, until set but still soft in the middle. They should look slightly underdone – they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan.
- Add the Candy eyes
Gently press 2–3 candy eyeballs into each cookie while they are still warm so that they’ll stick better. I like to also press in a few extra dye-free candy coated chocolate chips. Don’t press too hard or you will press right into the center of the cookie. Cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
Macros per Cookie, based on 9 cookies
- Calories: 264
- Protein: 9 g
- Carbs: 20 g
- Fat: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
Note: Nutritional information is approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
Trish’s Tips for Soft Chocolate Protein Cookies
- Stir the seed butter before measuring. Separated oil can make some portions too oily and leave others too dry.
- Add milk gradually. You can always add another teaspoon, but too much can make the dough sticky and difficult to shape.
- Keep the portions equal. Smaller cookies can dry out before larger ones finish baking.
- Flatten the dough evenly. Similar thickness helps the cookies bake at the same rate.
- Check the edges rather than the color. Chocolate dough makes browning difficult to see.
- Add the eyes after baking. Press them into the warm tops before the cookies firm up.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet. Moving them too soon can break the soft centers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! These cookies can easily be made nut-free by swapping the almond flour for oat flour. They’ll still turn out soft, chewy, and perfect for school-friendly Halloween treats.
Chocolate plant-based protein powders with a smooth texture work best. Brown rice, pea, or blended vegan proteins tend to bake well. Since protein powders absorb liquid differently, you may need to add 1–2 tablespoons of plant milk if your dough feels dry.
Protein powders absorb different amounts of liquid, and sunflower seed butter can vary in thickness. Make sure everything is fully mixed, then add plant milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough holds together when rolled and gently flattened.
Absolutely. These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week and freeze well for up to three months. You can even bake a batch before Halloween and thaw them for easy party snacks or school lunches.
Of course! While dye-free chocolate candies add festive pops of color without artificial ingredients, you can swap in regular candy-coated chocolate chips or chocolate coated candies such as M&M’s, Giggles or Smarties.
Avoid baking until the centers are completely firm. Take the cookies out when the edges look set and the centers are still soft, then let them finish firming up on the baking sheet.
Store them in an airtight container once completely cooled.
These are chocolate Halloween cookies decorated with monster faces. They’re a different style from the peanut butter and oatmeal cookies commonly called monster cookies.
Yes! If you prefer baking without commercial protein powder, here’s a homemade seed blend you can use instead:
3 tablespoons finely ground hemp hearts
1 tablespoon finely ground pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon oat flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Pulse the hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds in a spice grinder or small food processor until finely ground, stopping before they become a paste. Measure the seeds after grinding, then mix with the oat flour and cocoa powder. Use 1:1 for protein powder.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Mummy Cookies – Refined Sugar-Free Halloween Treats
- Carrot Cake Biscoff Energy Balls
- Refined Sugar-Free Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes with Date Paste & Vegan Cashew Frosting
- How to Make Date Paste (2 Easy Methods)
- Fudgy Cherry Chocolate Protein Brownies (Gluten-Free, Anti-inflammatory)
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies (Gluten Free & Refined Sugar Free)
1-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Protein Monster Mash Cookies for Halloween
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 1 cup sunflower seed butter or nut butter of your choice
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar or refined sugar-free substitute of your choice
- 1 large flax egg – see instructions
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup vegan chocolate protein powder
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup dye-free candy coated chocolate chips
- 24 –36 vegan candy eyeballs 2–3 per cookie
- Optional: 1 tablespoon milk oat, almond, or dairy, if dough feels dry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make flax Egg: In a small bowl, mix together 3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp ground flax. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until it forms a gel like consistency.1 large flax egg – see instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sunflower seed butter, coconut sugar, flax egg, and vanilla until smooth.1 cup sunflower seed butter, 1/3 cup coconut sugar, 1 large flax egg – see instructions, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add protein powder, almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a thick dough forms.1/3 cup vegan chocolate protein powder, 1/4 cup almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, Pinch of salt
- Fold in the dye-free candy-coated chocolate chips. The dough should be thick enough to roll into a ball and hold together when gently flattened.If it falls apart or feels crumbly, add milk of your choice 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Use only enough to bring the dough together, up to 2 tablespoons.1/3 cup dye-free candy coated chocolate chips, Optional: 1 tablespoon milk
- Using a small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into 9-12 balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll the dough together using your hands so that it all sticks together and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Gently flatten each ball into a thick cookie shape rather than leaving it in a tall mound. Keep the thickness similar across the batch and press any deep cracks around the edges back together.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set but centers are still soft.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the cookies on the sheet.While the tops are still warm and soft, place 2–3 candy eyes on each cookie, with the pupils facing up. Gently press each eye just enough for its base to sit in the surface of the cookie. Don’t push it deep into the center.You can also gently press a few extra chocolate candies into the tops.An adult should handle this step while the baking sheet is hot.24 –36 vegan candy eyeballs
- Cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
Video
Notes
- Protein powder: Absorption varies between products. Use the dough consistency to decide whether milk is needed.
- Vegan ingredients: Check the chocolate candies, candy eyes and protein powder, and use plant milk.
- Allergens: The recipe as written contains almonds.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality.
- Estimated nutrition per cookie, based on 9 cookies: 264 calories, 9 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat and 3 g fiber. Values vary with ingredient brands and decorations.
Going to have to make these!!
You definitely should! They’re so easy and always a hit. Let me know what you think after you try them!
These cookies are so cute! I love the little eye balls.
Thank you! The candy eyes make them such a fun treat, especially for Halloween.