These are the BEST M&M Cookies! Super soft, chewy, crispy edges and full of chocolate. These M&M cookies are a family favorite and taste like they came straight from a bakery!
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Table of Contents
Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies
These chocolate chip M&M cookies are one of the best classic cookies out there!
- Easy. This recipe comes together in 30 minutes in one bowl.
- Full of chocolate. These cookies are filled with chocolate chips & M&M’s adding the perfect balance to this chewy cookie.
- Variations. This dough also makes great mini m&m cookies and a M&M cookie cake! Use holiday colors for M&M Christmas cookies.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients need to make this easy M&M cookie recipe. Many of these ingredients are pantry staples that you already have on hand.
Scroll down for the printable M&M cookie recipe and video tutorial.
- Unsalted butter: I prefer to use unsalted to control the amount of salt.
- Baking staples: Butter, sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and eggs.
- Light brown sugar: I love mixing brown sugar into my cookies for the perfect flavor.
- Vanilla: I like to use a pure vanilla extract to bring out the flavor.
- Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet are my personal favorite for this recipe.
- M&M’s: I prefer to use the regular m&m candies, unless there is a holiday coming up.
How To Make M&M Cookies
- Using a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars for 1 minute in a large bowl using the paddle attachment. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix.
- Next add flour, baking soda and salt and whisk until combined. Fold in both chocolate chips and M&M’s to the flour mixture. Refrigerate dough for 15-30 minutes. By chilling the dough it helps them to not fall flat.
- Scoop cookie dough with large cookie scoop onto two baking sheets lined with baking mats or parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Place extra M&M’s on top.
- Bake M&M cookies at 375°F for 8-10 minutes, until tops are barely golden. Let set on pan for 2 minutes, then move to cooling wire racks.
Quick Tips
Before you get started baking, check out my tips below. Follow these simple tricks and you’ll have the BEST M&M cookies in no time!
- Refrigerate the dough, to help them stay thick and chewy.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop dough onto baking sheet. This ensures the M&M cookies are all equal size.
- Add extra M&M’s on top once the dough balls have been formed.
- Bake at 375°F to get them crispy around the edges, yet keeping them soft inside.
- Allow the M&M cookies to set on the pan for 2-3 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can use regular or mini baking m&m’s. They both work great!
The outside shell prevents them from melting into the cookie.
You may have not added enough flour. If your dough is too sticky, add a couple Tablespoons more flour. To make them not flat you can also refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. The oven could also be too hot. If your oven runs hot, bump it down 15 degrees.
Immediately when the cookies come out of the oven use a round cookie cutter or round glass placed directly over the cookie and use a circular motion to bump the edges of the cookie into a round shape. Just a reminder that your cookies must be warm!
Make Ahead and Freezing
Yes, these M&M cookies freeze very well. You can either freeze the baked M&M cookies or freeze the cookie dough. If freezing baked cookies, simply let cool completely then add to ziptop bag or freezer container. Store in freezer for about 2-3 months.
If you’d rather freeze the M&M cookie dough, simply scoop out dough and add to your prepared baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes, or until cookie dough balls have hardened. Then add to a ziptop bag and store in the freezer for about 2-3 months.
When ready to eat, add cookie dough balls to baking sheet while oven warms. The M&M cookies will most likely need to bake a few minutes longer than usual since the dough was frozen.
More M&M Desserts:
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M&M Cookie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter , just barely softened
- 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 salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup M&M’s , plus more for tops if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 60 minutes (up to 24 hours) 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 M&M’s on the top of the cookies if desired.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges are barely golden brown. Allow cookies to set on pan for 2 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
M&M cookies variations
We love to make different variations of these M&M cookies for all of the holidays. For some reason, the holiday M&M’s just taste better. IS IT JUST ME?! I feel like I’ve had a conversation about this with a few friends and we all agree.
We made these 4th of July cookies with red white and blue M&M’s and everyone loved them! You can also make holiday variations for Valentine’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween and Christmas M&M cookies. Sometimes I like to turn them into festive M&M cookie bars or even make a layered M&M cookie mix in a jar to give as a holiday gift!
The cookie dough spread out and ended in very thin crispy cookies. Since we prefer a thicker chewy cookie I recommend adding more flour to the dough- perhaps as much as 3/4 cup.
Also make sure you chill your cookie dough for about 30 minutes prior to baking so that the butter gets cold, creating thicker cookies that don’t spread as much :)
I love these sooooo much!! And all my family and friends love these!! They are a staple now and part of Christmas tradition using green and red smarties our Valentines tradition(with smarties actually!)!! Soooo great!! Thank you for this!! Genius!!!
Did not make these yet. My kiddos seen this on FB and wanted me to make these so gonna make them tomorrow I’ll let ya know how they turned out…. A few questions are the butter and eggs room temp and can I use stick of butter it is unsalted sticks that I have. I cant wait to bake these
Yes, I always use unsalted butter :) The butter should be just barely softened (you don’t want it melted).
Best m&m cookies!
24 cookies :)
Will the cookies still be fresh if I bake them today, put them in tins and serve Xmas day?
They will stay fresh at room temperature for about 3 days, so I think baking them in the next day or two would be fine!
I don’t have a cookie scoop, how big should we roll the cookie dough balls? And how far apart should we bake them?
Roll them into balls that are about the size of 3 Tablespoons and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet :)
So yummy!! Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, you could double it :)
They turned out amazing. I think they will be a hit at tomorrow’s Christmas party!
Thank you for the recipe!
Yay, I am so happy to hear that! Enjoy your Christmas party :)
Hello
Should I use semi sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips? TIA!
Either would work, but I prefer semi sweet chocolate chips :)
Love the cookie dough! Could I chill the dough overnight and then bake them the next day?
Yes, definitely!
Love this recipe for any season! M & M’s come in such festive colors! Recipe is absolutely delicious!
Aren’t holiday M&M’s so fun?! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Angela! :)
💗These are my all-time favorite M&M cookies! I make them all year around with different color M&Ms to fit the holiday. Everyone we’ve shared them with has loved them too!
Yay, I am so happy to hear that! We make them all year long too :) Thanks for your comment and review, Sara!
These cookies turned out amazing and all of my family and friends loved them! I’ll definitely be making them again!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for your comment and review, Destiny!
Just mixed up the cookie batter. I used a combination of dark and light brown sugars. We’ll see how they turn out. The battery is cooling off in the refrigerator now.
I hope you enjoy! :)
Great m&m cookie recipe -thank you!
Packed :)
Love this recipe! No fail and everyone loves them
I’m so happy to hear that!
Hi, I love this recipe but wondering, would those turn out if I use more m and ms and not chocolate chips?
Also I want to make smaller cookies (half the size) will that affect baking time?
I think that would be fine to add more M&M’s. The smaller cookies will most likely cook quicker. Just make sure to keep an eye on them. They are ready to remove when the edges are just barely golden.
Just made theese and they are delicious!!! I hadnt let the butter sit out so I microwaved it to melt it and it turned out AMAZING!! Thanks for the recipe😁
Yay, I’m so glad they were a hit!! :)
I’ve made this recipe so many times, it’s so delicious! I plan on making a DIY cookie making jar as a christmas gift where I put all the ingredients in a mason jar so they can just dump the ingredients in a bowl, add the wet ingredients, then bake. My question is would that work or do the ingredients have to be mixed at different times and not all at once?
Yes absolutely! Check out this post, it has all of the measurements/instructions for the cookie mix in a jar and a free printable tag to include :) https://www.iheartnaptime.net/cookie-mix-in-a-jar/
I made these using only chocolate chips (didn’t have m&ms). They are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had! I’ve taken them to 2 gatherings and people raved about them.
Yay, I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for your comment and review, Colleen :)
planning on a cookie exchange for the holidays on 12/20 do you think this recipe is fairly easy to bake?
Yes definitely!