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 down. 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.
Have you made M & M cookies using a yellow cake mix? I have made several cookies witth the cake mixes and find they turn out great; especially the peanut butter amd lemon drop and oatmeal cookies which turn out fabulous and get eaten very quickly.
Thanks for the suggestion, check out all our boxed cake mix recipes, you will love them!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! My entire extended family LOVES these M&M Cookies and always requests them! I always make the dough a day ahead of time and refrigerate it, but it’s challenging to scoop when that cold. Can I scoop it right away and refrigerate the balls for 24 hours? I’d probably wait to add the extra M&Ms until just before baking. 😊❤️
I’m so glad your family has enjoyed the recipe! Yes, you can scoop the cookie dough balls and line a pan (just cover tightly so they don’t dry out).
Can you use this recipe for a cookie cake and how to bake. Thanks much
Not this recipe, but I have a cookie cake recipe specifically for that!
Making mine right now but added oats!
Thanks for making! I also have a oatmeal M&M cookies recipe to check out!
These were seriously the best cookies ever! They were so soft and flavorful they were gone in seconds! Everyone loved them!
This is one of my absolute favorite cookie recipes! I want to make them for my daughter’s teacher’s birthday – she loves chocolate chip cookies & she loves peanut butter M&Ms. Think these would work with peanut butter M&Ms??
Hi Shannon! I think peanut butter M&M’s would be delicious :)
I can confirm – they ARE delicious with Peanut Butter M&Ms! ☺️ My daughter’s teacher absolutely loved them!
Best gluten free cookie recipe I have found! My family loves them! I have celiac and keep my kitchen completely gluten free. My son does not have any gluten issues and loves M&M chocolate chip cookies. He was very skeptical and is very difficult to please when it comes to food (think 19 yr old version of Gordon Ramsey 😊). He absolutely loves these, and asks me to make them for any of his special occasions. He just asked to make them for his upcoming birthday in leiu of the traditional gluten containing cookie cake from a popular bakery that he usually requests because he likes this recipe better.
I’m so glad you love this recipe! I’m so happy it works for your whole family!
Thanks Sunshine :)
These are literally the best chocolate M&M cookies I’ve ever had. I’ve made them several times for many different events, per request. They are usually the first dessert to go. Very gooey and chocolatey. Such a good staple recipe. Thank you!
Great recipe. This is easy and my grandkid’s favorite cooks.
Love this recipe – they turned out perfect! This will be my go-to cookie recipe from now on.
These turned out sooo good!! It’s easily the best cookie recipe I’ve ever tried. Perfectly soft and chewy, with slightly crisp edges, balanced flavor, and easy to make! My new favorite cookie recipe for sure :)
I’m so glad you enjoy the cookies Lanny!
Soooo good!! Easily the best cookie recipe I’ve ever made. Everyone loved these cookies. Perfectly soft and chewy with slightly crispy edge and perfectly balanced flavor!
Mine ended up pretty puffy and not flat. Should I use less flour next time?
Yes, my guess is maybe there was too much flour scooped (I like to spoon and level the flour). You can also roll into balls and lightly press the balls down with your palm before baking.
Best M&M cookies ever…though I baked them at 350 for 10 min…so soft..Making more now..everyone ate them😋
These are perfect! I baked mine slightly longer than it said )11-12 minutes but otherwise kept the recipe as is. Going in my holiday baking rotation for sure!
Hi Liz! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies :)
Just love you cookies
Thanks Joseph! I love them too :)
This has been my go-to cookie recipe for years! I use it as my “base dough” recipe as well. I have tried it with chopped candy bars, chocolate chunks, toffee pieces, reeses pieces, you name it. Thank you for the amazing and easy recipe!
That sounds delicious Reagan! I’m so glad you love the recipe :)
Great recipe!
Thanks Rebecca!