Perfect M&M Cookies
Posted: 04/06/2022
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These M&M cookies are perfect! Chewy centers, crispy edges, easy to make and even easier to eat. You’ll love this delicious cookie recipe.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This recipe always turns out and it isn’t difficult to make.
How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 30 minutes to chill the dough, and 10 minutes per batch to bake
Equipment you’ll need: cookie sheet, oven, mixing bowl, mixer
Servings: 4-5 dozen, depending on size
Table of Contents
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The perfect cookie is a hard thing to find and definitely something to hang on to once you do find it. These M&M cookies fit the bill: soft and chewy but with crispy edges; sweet (of course); and with crunchy little bits of chocolate M&M’s, the mini kind so as to not overwhelm you.
I really wish I had one right now. As I write this, E is at the park with my husband, aka the perfect time to eat cookies without hearing non-stop whining. From E, not my husband. His idea of perfect cookies are these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. He’s consistently a traditionalist.
I highly recommend a large glass of ice cold milk with these. Or a steaming mug of hot coffee. Try them with both, not at the same time though. You’ll be making these often so you’ll have plenty of opportunity.
Dip! Dip! Dip!
About This Recipe
Which cookie camp are you in? It seems there are those of us who love a chewy cookie (with crisp edges, of course) and there are those of us who much prefer a crunchy cookie. Admittedly, all cookies are delicious and I wouldn’t turn my nose up at any of them but chewy cookies are definitely more my thing.
And that’s just the reason why I love this recipe! These cookies fall into the chewy camp (just like our snickerdoodles!) and there’s a little secret to their chewiness. Wanna hear it? Of course you do!
The secret ingredient is cornstarch! It’s added right to the dry ingredients and no kidding, it really makes the difference. Try it and see if I’m not right in this.
I’ll get you started on the recipe here with lots of extra tips. Keep reading for the printable recipe card – it’s found near the bottom of the post and it has complete instructions, measurements, and nutrition information.
What You’ll Need
- All-Purpose Flour: If you prefer, a combination of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat can be used (50/50).
- Cornstarch: Usually cornstarch is used to thicken sauces or to crisp up fried foods. This versatile product also makes perfectly chewy cookies. It’s like a magic powder! (Hint: Cornstarch is found in the baking aisle of the grocery store.)
- Baking Soda and Salt: While you don’t need much of these two ingredients, don’t leave them out! They add leavening and flavor to the cookies.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: Make sure to pack the brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for baking unless otherwise instructed. Let it come to room temperature before using it. Rock hard cold butter is very hard to incorporate into cookie dough.
- Eggs: Check with your chickens and see if they have a couple of eggs to give you. Just kidding! Store-bought eggs are fine.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For great flavor.
- M&Ms! You can use traditional M&Ms or mini M&Ms. The cookies in the photos were made with traditional M&Ms.
How To Make This Recipe
These cookies turn out best if the dough chills at least thirty minutes so allow a little time for that.
I usually use my stand mixer (with the flat beater/paddle attachment) to make cookies but a good hand mixer works well, too. Rather use arm power? My mom never uses her mixer for cookies and they always turn out fine!
Begin your cookie making by creaming the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until they are incorporated.
Next, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture until it’s all mixed together.
Stir in the mini M&Ms by hand.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill out in the fridge for a bit, 30 minutes minimum, but it can be longer than that too.
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Lining baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat mate ensures that the cookies won’t stick. If you have a well-seasoned or nonstick baking sheet, you may be able to skip this step.
Scoop up a tablespoon (or so) of dough and form it into a ball. Nothing fancy here, dough balls that look vaguely round are fine.
Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, allowing room for the cookies to spread.
Bake 9-11 minutes or just until the edges are barely golden brown. The longer you bake them, the crisper they get. Let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Note: I pressed a few extra M&Ms into the tops of the warm cookies for the photos. It makes the cookies appear a bit more decorative because it showcases the bright colors of the M&Ms.
Oh, wait a minute, I forgot something! You really have to try one of the cookies while they are warm. Really, you do! It’s your duty as the baker. Mmmmm, aren’t they good?
FAQs
Can you bake with regular M&Ms?
Yes! Aren’t you glad? I am! Regular, mini, peanut butter, dark chocolate, mint – many M&M varieties can be baked. If you like, make M&M cookies with one color to fit a special holiday or game day.
Here’s a few recipes to get you started: These trail mix cookies with M&Ms are super easy (they start with store-bought refrigerated dough!). Kids of all ages love no-bake monster cookie energy balls. Try white chocolate peppermint M&M cookies or M&M peanut butter bars (with only 5 ingredients).
Why are my M&M cookies flat?
Perhaps your recipe has too much butter or too much sugar. Maybe it doesn’t have enough flour. My recipe is tried and true – give it a try and see how it turns out for you!
What does M&M stand for?
It stands for Mars and Murrie, the last names of the two men who got together to produce M&Ms. Way back in the 1940s, Mr. Mars had the idea for candy-coated chocolate candies. He talked to Mr. Murrie who was the partial owner of Hershey’s chocolate. History was made and the popular candy has been sold in over 100 countries (Wikipedia).
Make It Your Own
- If desired, substitute mini M&Ms or another variety of your choice such as peanut butter M&Ms, dark chocolate M&Ms, mint M&Ms, etc.
- If you like chocolate chip cookies, substitute chocolate chips for the M&Ms.
- To really showcase the colorful M&Ms, don’t mix them all into the dough. Set a few aside to press into the surface of each cookie immediately after you take them out of the oven.
- Whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour can be substituted for half of the all-purpose flour.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Make the dough ahead and either refrigerate it for up to four days or freeze it for 3 months or even longer.
If you freeze the dough in one large lump, it’s best to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before shaping it and baking. Alternatively, form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and freeze them in a single layer on a baking pan. Once they are frozen, put them into a freezer safe storage container. Remove them from the freezer as needed and bake immediately. Add a minute or two to the baking time.
Storage Tips
After the baked cookies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep on the counter for up to a week and in the freezer for up to three months.
What Readers Have To Say About These Cookies
Nothing makes me happier than hearing your feedback on my recipes – and I’m so glad these cookies are a hit with so many of you!
- “I made these tonight–they are delicious! Nice and soft and yummy. Thanks for sharing!!”
- “I have made these cookies twice now, and they are amazing. Don’t mess with the recipe – it is perfectly perfect.”
- “Wow..I’ve tried them..and they are perfect! I love them. I’m going to try using this recipe for other varieties of cookies . Thanks for this amazing recipe.”
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
These M&M cookies are perfect! Chewy centers, crispy edges, easy to make and even easier to eat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
- 1 package (10.7 oz.) M&Ms (about 1 ½ cups)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). With the mixer on low, add egg and vanilla. Return mixer to medium and mix until incorporated. Scrape sides if needed.
- With the mixer back on low, add dry ingredient mixture gradually until dough forms. Stir in M&Ms by hand (see note). Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat and set aside.
- Form balls from approximately 1 tablespoon of dough and place evenly spaced on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are just barely golden. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes on baking sheet before removing and placing on wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store in airtight container when completely cooled.
Notes
- To really showcase the colorful M&Ms, don’t mix them all into the dough. Set a few aside to press into the surface of each cookie immediately after you take them out of the oven.
- Makes about 4 ½ dozen, depending on size.
- Change it up and use mini M&Ms or another variety of your choice such as peanut butter M&Ms, dark chocolate M&Ms, mint M&Ms, etc. Chocolate chips are a good choice, too.
- Whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour can be substituted for half of the all-purpose flour.
- Storage: Cookies can be kept on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 136kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 124mg, Potassium: 25mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 187IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Robyn says
These cookies are flavorful, but I think that the increase of brown sugar made them flatter, bowner and more like a brown sugar or molasses cookie dough.
This is your tried and true – and I appreciate it. Glad we tried them, but we’ll keep searching for our Perfect M&M cookie. (Ours leans more toward chewy sugar cookie.)
Thanks Rachel
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks for your feedback!
Teresa says
Great flavor!
Rachel Gurk says
Thanks Teresa!
Tialyn says
These cookies were a HIT with my family! So moist! Such a fabulous cookie recipe!
Rachel Gurk says
Hooray! Can’t go wrong with these!
marjan ghnavaty says
Hello, I’m from the Netherlands, I would like to make those cookies, my oven has no fan, is an electric oven with bottom heat, or bottom and top heat, so for these cookies what temp. will i set, only bottom or bottom and top heat, thanks
Rachel Gurk says
I’m not sure because I’ve never used an oven like that. Have you made cookies in it before? I’d use the same settings as you have for other cookies.
Robyn says
Marjan – the bottom heat is perfect. With no fan, the oven temp will be 190 or 176, with fan.
The larger problem is that America n brown sugar is not the same as European brown sugar. USA brown sugar is very soft. You can make it – with a mixture of granulated sugar & molasses (Google recipe for amounts.)
elisa says
Hello, I would like to make this recipe, but I would like to have the recipe in grams, would you like that for me?
Rachel Gurk says
Sorry, I don’t have that info. I’ll keep your feedback in mind for the future!