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
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 highly recommend a large glass of ice cold milk or a steaming mug of hot coffee with a cookie or two. You’ll be making the cookies often so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to try either option.
If you don’t happen to have M&Ms in the house, try my kitchen sink cookies, with all the odds and ends you do happen to have. Simply delicious and fun!
About M&M Cookies
Perfectly chewy! 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.
Ingredient List
- 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 M&M Cookies
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 the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes or just until the edges are barely golden brown. The longer you bake them, the crispier they get. Let the cookies cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cooking Tip
Press extra M&Ms into the tops of the warm cookies (as pictured) to showcase the bright colors of the M&Ms. The cookies will look more like bakery cookies. I use the same trick when I make white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.
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?
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 are a few recipes to get you started: 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 M&M peanut butter bars (with only 5 ingredients).
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!
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 This Cookie Recipe Your Own
- Use a different type of M & M. 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.
- Make them pretty. 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: Whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour can be substituted for half of the all-purpose flour.
Refrigerate/freeze the dough. 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.
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.”
Perfect M&M Cookies
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.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Won’t be using this recipe again. Even after putting in fridge for 45minutes. Spread everywhere. Waste of money and time
Did you use butter or margarine? Are you sure you measured everything correctly and didn’t skip any ingreidents?