M&M Cookies Recipe

Table of Contents

Homemade M&M Cookies – A soft and chewy cookie that’s much like a chocolate chip cookie but replaced with crisp shelled, sweet, multi-colored M&M’s instead of chocolate chips. They are an absolute treat and so fun for people of all ages!

Favorite M&M Cookie Recipe

These are a favorite cookie from childhood that always satisfies those cookie cravings!

They can be made with regular sized M&M’s or mini M&M’s, milk chocolate or dark chocolate flavor, and the great part is that you can use any color. It’s fun to switch the M&M’s out with different colors to complement the latest holiday.

You’ll love that they’re perfectly sweet, deliciously buttery, they’re a generous size, and have the perfect texture. Truly a highlight to any celebration or weekend.

A cookie that checks all the boxes. Temptingly tasty, fun and festive, a pretty individual hand held treat, and they’re easy to make.

What’s not to love?

M&M Cookie Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Salt
Unsalted butter
Light brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Egg and egg yolk
Vanilla extract
M&M’s (milk chocolate or dark chocolate)

How to Make M&M Cookies

Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Mix butter and sugars: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended.
Add liquids: Mix in egg, then mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract.
Blend mixtures: Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix just until combined. Then add half of the M&M’s (about 3/4 cup) and mix in.
Scoop dough out 3 Tbsp at a time and shape into balls. Press in remaining M&M’s randomly around each dough ball.
Transfer to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a large flat plate), cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
During the last 15 minutes of chilling preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Transfer 10 dough balls to lined baking sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until done to desired liking, about 13 to 16 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookie dough balls.

Helpful Tips for the Best M and M Cookies

No need to whip butter and sugar until pale you just want to blend it for a chewy cookie that isn’t overly fluffy.
To keep cookies from over-spreading don’t skip chilling the cookie dough balls. And if at high altitude use the greater amount of flour listed (I’m at 5,000 ft and 2 1/2 cups works well for me).
A tip to keep them soft for a few days is to add a slice of bread to the storage container (just don’t place the slice directly atop any of the cookies or lay a piece of parchment beneath it). Crazy enough the moisture of the bread seems to transfer to the cookies and the bread goes stale.

Possible Variations

Add chocolate chips: White chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.
Include multi-color jimmies sprinkles: I recommend adding some to the exterior (roll or press them in to stick before chilling).
Make cookies larger or smaller: Just adjust bake time accordingly. Even bite size cookies with mini M&M’s would be so fun (smaller shouldn’t need much chill time).
Add nuts: Mix in 1 cups chopped walnuts or pecans when adding M&M’s.

Make Ahead and Storage

Cookie dough can be made up to 3 months in advance and frozen, or refrigerated for 3 days.
Baked cookies can also be frozen, up to 2 months.
Store fresh baked cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days max.

More Tempting Cookie Recipes to Try

Cookies with mini red and green m&m's shown on a red plate.

A soft, chewy, buttery cookie that’s much like a chocolate chip cookie but replaced with crisp shelled, sweet, multi-colored M&M’s instead of chocolate chips. They are an absolute treat and so fun for people of all ages!

Servings: 20

Prep30 minutes

Cook13 minutes

Chill2 hours

Ready in: 3 hours

2 1/3 cups (330g) all-purpose flour* (scoop and level flour to measure)
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (10 to 11.5 oz bag) M&M’s regular or mini size, milk chocolate or dark chocolate

In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on low speed until well blended. Scrape down bowl.
Mix in egg, then mix in egg yolk and vanilla extract. Scrape down bowl.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix just until combined. Then add half of the M&M’s (3/4 cup) and mix in.
Scoop dough out 3 Tbsp at a time and shape into balls (I recommend a #20 cookie scoop). Press remaining M&M’s (3/4 cup) randomly around each dough ball.
Transfer to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a large flat plate), cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
During the last 15 minutes of chilling preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 18 by 13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
Transfer 10 dough balls to lined baking sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until done to desired liking, about 13 to 16 minutes (they should appear slightly puffed and under-baked).
Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookie dough balls.

*If you are at high altitude or if your cookies are normally prone to spreading use 2 1/2 cups (354g) all-purpose flour.

Nutrition Facts

M&M Cookies Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 277
Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 45mg15%

Sodium 146mg6%

Potassium 39mg1%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 24g27%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 341IU7%

Vitamin C 0.1mg0%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.