How To Make The Best M M Cookies Soft And Chewy

M&Ms are always a treat in our home whether they are in cookies, bars, brownies, or cakes. These cookies are the ultimate recipe for M&M lovers using m&ms instead of chocolate chips.

Why make these cookies

This cookie recipe is adapted from my chocolate chip cookies, which have a soft and chewy texture, loaded with lots of sweet m&m candy. I am using an electric mixer (hand mixer). But you can use a large bowl and whisk as well. And most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find such as the candy.Also, these can be made in just about 30 minutes from start to finish. This is a kids’ favorite cookie so make sure to double the recipe.And the process for these m&m cookies is also very simple and straightforward with no chilling time in between required but if the dough is too soft I highly recommend chilling for a few minutes before baking.

Ingredients and substitutes

Flour – It’s best to use plain all-purpose flour for these cookies. They will spread, but that is what they are supposed to do.Sugars – We have both brown and white sugar, and they are both necessary. The brown adds softness to the cookie, while the white adds that crispness.Vanilla – Use good quality vanilla as it does make a huge difference. I use my homemade vanilla extract.Chocolate – Unlike regular chocolate, the chocolate chips hold their shape better when baked. And they also keep their form when cooled. And yet, I often prefer to break a chocolate bar instead of using chocolate chips. M&Ms – Of course, I am using classic m&ms but you can use similar candy if you prefer.

Step by step instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 3. Line a large baking tray or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream butter and both white and brown sugars until almost light and fluffy.Pro tip – It is important to cream until the sugar has almost dissolved. Otherwise, the cookies will not spread much.Next, add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla extract and flour mixture.Pro tip – Once you add the flour, do not overmix as we do not want to activate the gluten in our flour.

Finally, add the M&M candy and combine the dough with a spatula to prevent them from breaking.Pro tip – This cookie dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month in freezer bags.Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon drop balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking tray leaving enough space for them to spread. Then, add a few additional M&Ms on top if desired.

Bake for 10 to 12 mins or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Cool on a cookie tray for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before you transfer to a cookie jar. Pro tip – I like to add a few more M&Ms on top of the hot cookie too.

More M&M variations

Holiday – There use only the red and green holiday M&Ms for Christmas.4th of July – Using only red, white, and blue M&Ms make the perfect 4th of July cookies.Chocolate chips – Add a few white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips to make chocolate chip M&M cookies. Cookie bars – Of course, you can spread all these cookie doughs into a 9 – 9-inch square baking pan and bake for 20 minutes to make M&M squares.

Tips for success

Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugars can cream until light and fluffy. And if the cookie dough is too soft, put it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling the cookie dough will prevent spreading.Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies too much.It is a good practice to place cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.When baked, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom. If baking the cookie dough balls from frozen, add an additional 2 minutes to your baking time.Bake ahead and freezing InstructionsDough – You can freeze the dough for a month wrapped well in a ziplock bag. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.Unbaked cookies – And, you can also freeze the unbaked cookies dough balls in freezer bags. They will stay for up to a month.Baked cookies – Alternatively, freeze the baked cookies between parchment papers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.

More holiday cookies

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies or White Chocolate Cranberry BarsGingerbread Cookies Recipe or Gingerbread Sandwich CookiesSnickerdoodle Cookies Recipe or Snickerdoodle BarsOld Fashion Molasses Cookies or Ginger Molasses CookiesGingersnap Cookies or Soft Ginger CookiesChristmas Spritz Cookies (No-fail Recipe) Stenciled Christmas Sugar Cookies – Video TutorialSee all cookie recipes or see all holiday cookies