These homemade 4th of July cookies bring the red, white & blue to your dessert table. They are soft, chewy treats studded with festive M&Ms for a crowd-pleasing celebration!

Close up of m&m cookies.

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4th of July M&M Cookies

These red white and blue cookies are soft, chewy, and made similar to my M&M cookies but with the simple swap of patriotic M&Ms. In every bite, you’ll get the perfect ratio of cookie to chocolate candy!

There is nothing better than the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked homemade cookies, but when you’re making fourth of July cookies, well, that just makes life a little extra sweet. We also love these red white and blue rice krispies for an easy 4th of July dessert!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • One-bowl prep for bakers of all ages
  • Soft-chewy centers with crisp edges and plenty of festive candy
  • Fourth of July cookies are always a hit with both kids and adults
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“These are so festive and everyone loves them! The perfect chewy texture too!”

Katie

Ingredients Notes

These 4th of July M&M cookies are full of patriotic colors that are perfect for celebrating the holiday!

M&M cookie dough in bowl.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Butter: Unsalted butter works best since we are adding salt to the dry ingredients. The butter needs to be at room temperature to help make the cookies soft and creamy.
  • Brown sugar: Light brown sugar packed into the measuring cup helps give the 4th of July cookies a chewy texture.
  • Granulated sugar: Adds that extra sweetness!
  • Eggs: Helps bind the cookie dough together.
  • Vanilla: Just a splash for an extra flavor.
  • All-purpose flour: This is going to give the cookies their texture and thickness.
  • Baking soda: Raises the cookies as they are being baked in the oven.
  • Sea salt: A thicker salt that gives an extra texture as well as a sweet and savory taste.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Perfect touch of chocolate.
  • 4th of July M&Ms: A color full of patriotic M&Ms.

How to Make 4th of July Cookies

Take your July celebration to the next level with these 4th of July cookies! They are filled with chocolate chips plus M&M’s and every bite has all three colors showing through.

M&M cookie dough on pan.
  1. Combine. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Mix until creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.
  2. Dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix just until combined. Do not over-mix.
  3. Mix and store. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. Refrigerate dough if time allows.
  4. Drop cookies. Using a large cookie scoop that is about 3 Tablespoons. Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Place extra chocolate chips or M&M’s on the top of the cookies if desired.
  5. Bake time. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the edges are barely golden brown. Allow cookies to set on the pan and then remove to a cooling wire rack to cool.

Tips & Variations for Making Fourth of July Cookies

  • Refrigerate the dough. Place the dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 15 minutes if you can. It will keep the cookies from spreading a bit.
  • Do not overmix. You want to just gently fold the dough before you add in the M&Ms and chocolate chips that way you keep the consistency soft and chewy.
  • Nonstick mat. Use a Silpat baking mat for nonstick, easy cleanup.
  • Cookie scoop. A large cookie scoop is ideal for getting each cookie the same size. Uniform sizes not only present nicely, but it makes for even baking.
  • Extra M&Ms. Just before baking, place some extra M&Ms or chocolate chips (or both) into the top of the cookie for a pop of added color and cuteness. If you forget, you can actually do this as soon as they come out of the oven as well.

Storing & Freezing

  • To store: Any leftover fourth of July cookies should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can keep them covered on the counter the day you make them, just make sure to transfer them into the fridge before you go to bed at night.
  • To freeze: Once completely cooled, place in a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
M&M cookies on table.

More festive patriotic desserts include flag fruit pizza, Jello poke cake and strawberry shortcake bars.

More Delicious M&M Recipees

close up of m&m cookies

4th of July Cookies

5 from 14 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Refrigerate: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24
Homemade 4th of July cookies stand out amongst the dessert crowd! Decorated in red, white, and blue M&Ms, these soft and chewy cookies are a delicious addition to your festive dessert table!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , more if desired
  • 1 cup 4th of July M&Ms , more for tops if desired

Optional: Sprinkles (stars would be fun)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars. Mix for 1 minute, or until creamy and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined. Next add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 60 minutes if time allows.
  • Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 Tablespoons), scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place extra chocolate chips or M&M’s on the top of the cookies if desired.
  • Place pan in oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden brown. Allow cookies to set on pan for 2-3 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack to cool.
  • Once the cookies are cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

M&M’s: Feel free to replace with rainbow M&M’s or any other seasonal variety. 
To store: These cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can keep them covered on the counter the day you make them, just make sure to transfer them into the fridge before you go to bed at night.
To freeze: Once completely cooled, place in a freezer-friendly bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 158mg, Potassium: 58mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 276IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to melt the butter?

I use barely room temperature butter which gives me flexibility on how long I chill my dough. If you are using melted butter, you will definitely NEED to chill your dough for a minimum of 1 hour. Otherwise, your cookies will likely come out flatter and crispier but if that’s your thing, go for it.

What happens if you do not chill the cookie dough?

Placing your cookie dough in the fridge allows the cookies to combine and stick together. This is allowing the fats in the dough to chill essentially. If you do not allow the chilling time, the dough will expand quickly in the oven and lose its shape and texture. They will be flat rather than chewy.

How do you decorate 4th of July cookies?

These Fourth of July cookies are already decorated with red, white, and blue M&Ms. They are considered chocolate chip cookie or drop cookie that does not need to use a rolling pin. If you are looking for a cookie recipe to decorate for the fourth use this sugar cookie recipe.

Can I use this 4th of July M&M cookie recipe for other occasions?

Yes, please do! This versatile recipe is perfect for any occasion! Christmas M&M cookies are an example of using red and green. Think pink and red for Valentine’s M&M cookies or rainbow for a birthday party! Only green for St Patrick’s Day or orange for Halloween. See, there really is no limit!