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.
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
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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
- 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.
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!
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.
Categorized as: 4th of July, American, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cookies, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
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!