M&M Cookies

Name: M&M Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 82 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup light brown sugar; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 3/4 cups plain M&Ms, divided

by Jenny Park · Published: Dec 5, 2021

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A simple and delicious M&M cookie recipe that will remind you of your childhood! Our easy to freeze, low maintenance cookies are soft and fluffy, a tiny bit chewy and packed with tons of m&ms. You won't be able to eat just one!

M&M cookie recipe on a plate with milk on the side.

M&M Cookies are a classic. I put them on the same level as chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies. They’re easy cookies to make and delicious! I remember having my first m&m cookie when I was in elementary school and a classmate brought them in for their birthday. I absolutely loved the crispy coated bits of m&m candies all over the cookies! They were so good!

Our recipe makes thicker cookies that are fluffy, soft and also a little chewy. I think it’s the best texture to compliment the crispy, chocolately m&ms. We think these are the best m&m cookies and love that they’re so easy to make! I also love using different colors throughout the year to make them festive for whichever holiday we’re celebrating!

M&M ingredients all laid out on a kitchen counter.

Process

Combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together.

Dry ingredients in a bowl for M&M cookies.

Dry ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together unsalted butter and both sugars.

Butter and sugar in a mixing bowl to be creamed together.

Butter and sugar creamed together in a bowl for M&M cookies.

Scrape down sides of the bowl and add eggs and pure vanilla extract.
Beat together until eggs and vanilla have mixed into the butter and sugar.

The start of making dough for M&M cookies.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat together just until an even dough forms.

Mix 1 cup M&Ms into dough until evenly distributed.

Using a 3 tablespoon scooper, scoop dough balls into a parchment lined baking sheet.
Top each dough ball with a few more M&Ms from remaining 3/4 cup.
Refrigerate dough balls for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.

M&M Cookies on a baking sheet being refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Transfer some dough balls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart (this will need to be done in batches on multiple baking sheets).
Bake cookies for 13 to 15 minutes or until just browned around the edges.
Remove cookies from oven and cool for a few minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to continue cooling.

Cooking dough on a baking sheet ready to be baked.

Freshly baked M&M Cookies on a cookie sheet.

Tools You Will Need

Variations for Our M&M Cookies

Aside from using different colored m&ms (for different holidays and events) there are so many fun mix-ins that you can add to these cookies! Some of our favorites are:

chopped peanuts or walnuts for some extra crunch and added nuttiness!
sprinkles to make these cookies even more colorful!
chocolate chips or chunks because there can never be enough chocolate in our opinion!
toffee bits for more crunch and a lovely toffee flavor!
white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips if you want to mix up the flavors!
use mini m&ms to switch things up!

M&M Cookies for Christmas using red and green M&M candies.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Make Ahead

Our m&m cookies can be baked 5 to 7 days in advance (for maximum freshness). Once they’re fully cooled, store them in an airtight container in a cool and dry area (away from direct sunlight).

Freezing

The cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place dough balls into a parchment lined cookie sheet, making sure they aren’t touching one another. Once frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. When ready to use, place some cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

The fully baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, place them into a resealable freezer bag and place in the freezer until ready to enjoy. These cookies can be enjoyed straight from the freezer, or they can sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes to thaw.

Tips and Tricks for M&M Cookies Success

Do not over-bake! Texture is so important here, so you want to avoid baking them, so you have soft and slightly chewy cookies!
Refrigerate the dough. Yes, it’s a little tedious, but chilling the dough will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much, which will then also affect the texture.
Make sure your brown sugar is soft and fresh. Since the cookies depend on some of the moisture from the brown sugar, the brown sugar should be soft and fresh. If your brown sugar is rock hard, no worries. Just add your brown sugar to an airtight container and top with a slice of bread. After about a day or so your brown sugar will be soft once again!