The BEST M&M Cookies that are soft and chewy with crispy edges and packed full of chocolate chips and M&Ms. This recipe is family favorite and so easy to make!
You’ll also love my mini m&m cookies and chocolate M&M cookies.
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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.
- Versatile. Make miniature sized cookies or this M&M cookie cake! Make M&M Christmas cookies with red and green candies or try your favorite M&M variety.
Ingredients
Scroll down for the printable M&M cookie recipe and video tutorial.
- Unsalted butter: I prefer to use softened unsalted butter to control 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 chocolate chips are my favorite for this recipe. Use mini chocolate chips if you like more in each bite!
- M&M’s: I prefer to use the regular M&M candies, unless there is a holiday coming up.
Recipe Variations
- Holiday M&M cookies: Make 4th of July cookies with red white and blue M&M’s or use pink and red for Valentine M&M cookies and M&M Christmas cookies.
- Gift. Gift this M&M cookie mix in a jar at the holidays.
- Bars: Make festive M&M cookie bars.
- Loaded: Add peanut butter and oats for monster cookies.
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.
Recipe Success Tips
After countless times making these, here are the tips I have found helpful to make the best M&M cookies.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator. The cookie dough is soft! To help the cookies stay thick and chewy and not spread, chill the dough for 15 minutes or best overnight.
- Use a large cookie scoop. This ensures the M&M cookies are all equal size.
- Add extra M&M’s on top. Once the dough balls have been formed, press a few extra M&M’s on the top before baking. Don’t press too hard, you do not want to flatten the cookie.
- Do not over bake: For a soft and chewy cookie remove just prior to being done. They will finish baking on the cookie sheet and you will have chewy centers with crisp edges
Thicker or Thinner Cookies
One thing I have learned over the years is that everyone has a personal preference when it comes to how they like their cookie!
- For thin cookies: Do not chill the dough and use a medium cookie scoop which is about 1 1/2 Tablespoons.
- For thicker cookies: Use a large 3 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls and then chill for up to 24 hours. This leads to less spread and a cookie with a center that is thick and chewy. You can also add in 2 teaspoons cornstarch for a thicker dough.
Shaping Techniques for Round Cookies
If you have ever wondered how to achieve a perfectly round cookie, it’s easy to do! Both of these methods must be done immediately after removing the cookies from the oven.
- Swirl a glass around cookie. Immediately after removing the cookie from the oven, place a glass that is slightly larger than the cookie (or use a bowl, cookie cutter, mason jar lid) around the edges of the cookie. Moving quickly, circle the glass around the warm cookie to push the edges of the cookie upwards.
- Use the back of a spoon. Alternately, instead of using a glass, take the rounded part of the back of a spoon and move quickly around the edges of the cookie pushing it inward.
More M&M desserts to try include M&M brownies or m&m cupcakes.
More Cookie Recipes
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
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup granulated sugar for 1 minute. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients then chill dough. Add 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt and stir mix just until combined. Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup M&M’s. Refrigerate dough for 15 to 60 minutes (up to 24 hours) if time allows.
- Scoop dough. 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. 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.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Frequently Asked Questions
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. Remember to refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or longer. The oven could also be too hot. If your oven runs hot, bump it down 15 degrees. Last, try to add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the dough to thicken it. I suggest trying one of these at a time to find the perfect M&M cookie for you!
It’s easy to freeze the cookie dough. Simply scoop out M&M cookie 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.
Yes, these M&M cookies freeze very well. Simply let cool completely then add to Ziptop bag or freezer container. Store in freezer for about 2-3 months, thaw on counter and enjoy. If you would like to reheat the cookie, place in the microwave for a few seconds.
Nancy
They are soft chewy and delicious. I used gluten free flour (King Arthur) and you’d never know the difference. Had a wonderful time making them with my 4 yr old granddaughter
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad to hear they work well with gluten free flour. Thanks for your comment Nancy. :)
Helen Atkinson
The perfect M&M cookie. Sightly crisp (8 minutes in oven) on outside, soft/chewy on inside.
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
jen
i’m a first time baker, the recipe was super easy to follow and they came out great! my boyfriend asked me to make them with reese’s pieces next time ;)
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Reeses pieces would be delicious.
Krysta
The recipe name does not lie- literally the best M&M cookies. After making these for the first time we got rid of all other m&m cookie recipes. We make these once a week and they’re gone within days. The only complaint I have is that they’re addictive and not good for my figure. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Jamielyn Nye
Your comment made my day! I’m so happy to hear how much you love them! :)
Logan
The best ever
Kailee Lacroix
My dough was crumbling and dry therefore I could not use an icecream scoop or spoon, instead I had to press into hands into a ball nd when they came out of the oven they were still in shape of a ball and not flat like cookies. I did use have golden hair dark brown sugar, would that have made a difference or over mixed?
Jamielyn Nye
I wouldn’t think the brown sugar would make a difference in the consistency. Everyone measures flour differently, so my guess would be that there was too much flour!
Robyn
Turn out terrific every time. And yes, I have made them more than a couple times. Good clear directions.
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad to hear you love them! :)
Sheri m
Just made these and they are perfect! Very easy fun recipe🙂
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
Noelle
This is our go to recipe and we just LOVEEEEEE it, soft chewy cookies, everytime!
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so happy to hear it’s your go-to!! Thanks for your kind comment and review Noelle. :)
T
When my mom taught me how to bake…the golden rule was to slowly cream the sugar and butter/ shortening…your instructions call for only
1 minute of creaming…how would it change the cookies if you were to cream longer than a minute…thanks!
Jamielyn Nye
Hi! I have found that if you over mix your dough, you will have a crispier/flatter cookie.
Deb
cookies were a huge hit with grandkids – and adults! Thanks!
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad to hear they were a hit!!
pam
********great cookie , did have to bake for 12 min to get center cooked more and on second batch i added 1 cup of oatmeal {quick oats, or old fashion] in place of 1/2 cup flour. with butterscotch chips and the husband was very pleased. been looking for a good base cookie dough to bake with.
thanks for sharing
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your substitutions!
Hydie
I haven’t made these yet but I’m wondering if the temperature needs to change for non stick pans
Jamielyn Nye
You could bump it down to 350!
Molly
I decided to branch out from my usual cookie recipe and gave this one a go….it’s safe to say this will be new go to! They literally melted in my mouth and are the perfect combination of chewy but crisp on the edges…WOW. I also cut this recipe in half so that I could experiment with it first and it still turned out perfect!
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so happy you loved them! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Molly!!
Fabby
Can I use margarine instead of butter ? Hope so. There is a shortage of butter where I order my food. I’m 65 and in shut in. Thank you.
Jamielyn Nye
Hi Fabby! Yes, margarine should be fine. It will turn out a little differently, but still should be delicious!
A
Does the butter need to be left out to soften?
Jamielyn Nye
I typically leave it out to soften, but you can soften it in the microwave as well.
Margaret
Ok…these cookies are phenomenal. The taste and ratios are perfection. For some reason though, I CANNOT get them to spread like your photos. I’ve made them a handful of times now, each time tweaking my technique while still following the instruction/ingredients exactly, and my result is always the same…puffy cookies. I know others have had this same result based on the comments. What could possibly be going wrong?! I’m almost ready to cut the flour back to 2 cups next time to see if it makes a difference.
Jamielyn Nye
Hi Margaret! You could try skipping the refrigerating step to get them to spread more! :)
Margaret
I actually did try that the last time and it didn’t seem to make a difference. The dough was more pliable but they still didn’t spread. What about cutting back on the baking soda? Once I mix in the flour etc. the dough does become very stiff, with or without refrigeration. That’s why I thought maybe less flour would help.
Jamielyn Nye
I would try using 2 Tablespoons less flour next time. I feel like everyone measures flour differently and some flours weigh different amounts depending on the brand. Hope that helps! XO
jenna
Best mm cookie
Hannah
These were so easy!! And came out great!! I have never been able to make cookies and I finally did it!!
Jamielyn Nye
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!