This recipe is one that I hold close to my heart. This is not my own, but a shared recipe that I was gifted from a sweet woman named Shauna, who was like my mom away from home when I lived in Peru.

Shauna and her husband Daniel were like parents who watched over us in Peru. We did not live with them, but they were the first people we would call in case of emergencies or if we ran into trouble. I shared a special bond with both of them while I was in Peru.

We were a big group of young adults (typically within 18 – 23 years old) and we would gather at their house once every few months. Shauna would always make us her special cookies, and it was the most anticipated moment of the visit! Everyone was allowed only one cookie, though sometimes the boys would try to sneak another.🤭

There was never a case of homesickness that couldn’t be cured with one of these magical treats!

When it was time for me to leave Peru and return home, Shauna gave me the recipe for these delightful cookies. I never want to forget the things I learned and experienced in Peru, especially the times spent visiting this lovely home and enjoying these wonderful cookies.

This is a large batch recipe for parties or big groups, so I recommend using a stand mixer to ease the workload.

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Peanut Butter
2 1/3 Cups Brown Sugar loosely packed
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cups Butter softened
6 Eggs
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
10 Cups Oatmeal
1 Teaspoons Salt
4 Teaspoons Baking Soda
12 Ounces Chocolate Chips
12 Ounces M&Ms

Preheat your oven to 350°. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In your stand mixer, add peanut butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and butter, and mix until creamy and smooth. Add your eggs and vanilla and mix until well-combined.

like this…

In a separate large bowl, mix oatmeal, salt, and baking soda until well-combined. Add this mixture to the stand mixer and mix until the oats are no longer dry.

Dump your cookie dough onto a large pan or into a very large bowl for more mixing by hand. Stir in your chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Scoop your cookie dough into round balls about 1.5 inches in diameter (see photo):

In the photo above, we were preparing to freeze these dough balls for later, which is why they were so close together. For baking, give the dough at least 1.5 inches of space on all sides, as they will spread out.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges, but still soft in the middle. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-7 minutes, or until set. When set, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!