M&M Cookie Recipe
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These soft and chewy M&M cookies are exactly what your sweet tooth ordered. Golden edges, gooey centers, and melty pops of chocolate in every bite. They’re the kind of cookie that vanishes fast. Whether you’re baking for a party, craving something nostalgic, or just need an easy go-to treat, this recipe delivers every time.
Cookies are my favorite treat of all-time. Be sure to check out and try some of my other favorites like my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Salted Brownie Cookies, and my Sour Cream Sugar Cookies!
Why You’ll Love These M&M Cookies
- Soft and chewy cookies – If you’re hunting for that perfect bakery-style texture, this recipe nails it.
- Make-ahead cookie dough – Dough can be chilled or frozen, making this great for prep-ahead baking days.
- Christmas cookie exchange ideas – Swap in red and green M&M’s and you’ve got a festive, no-stress option for holiday baking.
These soft and chewy M&M cookies are inspired by the original M&M cookie recipe on the bag, but with a few tweaks to make them even better. Think golden edges, soft centers, and colorful candies in every bite. Everything you love about a classic, made simple.
They’re perfect for bake sales, birthdays, or a quick weeknight treat. The dough is easy to mix, chill, and scoop, and the results are always a crowd favorite. Customize with seasonal M&M’s or keep it classic. Either way, they never last long.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These original m&m cookies come together with simple pantry staples, but it’s the balance of each ingredient that makes them bakery-worthy. Here’s what you’ll need and a few tips to help you get that soft, chewy texture just right.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the cookies structure. Spoon and level it into your measuring cup for accuracy (no scooping!).
- Baking soda – Helps the cookies rise just enough for a slightly puffy center with crisp edges.
- Salt – Just a pinch brings out all the sweetness and balances the flavors.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and helps create those golden brown edges.
- Brown sugar – Keeps the centers soft and adds a touch of molasses flavor. Light or dark both work!
- Butter – Use unsalted, softened butter. Room temperature is key for easy creaming and consistent texture.
- Eggs – Bind everything together. Let them come to room temp before mixing for better incorporation.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth. Go for pure vanilla if you can.
- Chocolate-coated candies (M&M’s) – The star of the show! Use classic, mini, or seasonal M&M’s depending on your vibe.
That’s it! A solid, no-fuss ingredient list that turns out craveworthy cookies every time. Up next: how to mix and bake them so they look just as good as they taste.
Jesseca’s Recipe Review
These are hands-down one of my most requested bakes. They’re the perfect balance of soft, chewy, and just the right amount of sweet. Every time I make them, someone asks for the recipe, and the best part? They’re practically foolproof. Whether I’m making them for a bake sale, a party, or just a Tuesday night craving, they always deliver.
Tip from Jesseca:
Save a handful of M&M’s to press on top of each cookie right before baking. It makes them look bakery-level cute with colorful pops on top. No one has to know how easy they were.
Variations and Substitutions
One of the best things about these cookies? They’re super easy to customize. Whether you’re working with what you’ve got or looking to mix things up, these swaps and variations have you covered.
- M&M Types: Use mini M&M’s for more candy in every bite, peanut M&M’s for crunch, or even seasonal colors for holidays and parties.
- Chocolate Chips: Add ½ cup of semi-sweet or white chocolate chips for extra melty goodness.
- Nuts: Toss in chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for a nutty twist. About ½ cup is plenty.
- Flour Swap: You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed. Results may vary slightly, but it works!
- Brown Sugar: Only have dark brown sugar? Go for it. It’ll give a deeper caramel flavor.
- Butter: In a pinch, margarine works, but you’ll lose that classic buttery richness. Stick with real butter if you can.
Don’t be afraid to get creative. This dough is super forgiving and easy to adapt. Just keep total mix-ins to around 1½ cups to maintain the right texture.
Classic M&M Cookie Recipe
These cookies come together quickly and bake up soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolatey crunch. Here’s your no-fuss breakdown of how to make them:
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars. In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), blend butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Combine wet and dry. Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until a dough forms.
- Fold in M&M’s. Gently stir in most of the candies. Save a few for the tops.
- Chill the dough. Let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
- Scoop and bake. Roll into 1-inch balls, top with extra M&M’s, and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy. Transfer to a cooling rack and try not to eat them all in one sitting.
That’s it! Soft centers, golden edges, and chocolate in every bite. Let’s dive into the detailed instructions below.
Helpful Tools
- Baking Trays: I am a big fan of my Nordic Ware pans (affiliate). I have both the half sheet and full pan sizes and they are amazingly easy to clean.
- Silicone Baking Mats: Parchment paper is king in my kitchen, but only when both of my silicone baking mats (affiliate) are dirty. They are SO great for so many things and worth the $13 for a set of 3.
- Cookie Scoop: You can use a measuring cup. However, a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (affiliate) is so handy and makes the process extra speedy.
Recipe FAQs
It’s best not to. Melted butter makes the cookies spread too much and lose that soft, chewy texture. Stick with room temp, softened butter for best results.
Yes, at least 30 minutes. Chilling keeps the cookies from spreading too thin and helps concentrate the flavor. You’ll get thicker, chewier cookies every time.
Yes! Mini, peanut, crispy, seasonal colors. It all works. Just avoid overloading the dough or it might not hold together as well. Stick to around 1 to 1¼ cups total mix-ins.
A few possible reasons: your butter was too warm, you skipped chilling, or you overmixed the dough. Try chilling longer and measuring flour accurately.
Store in an airtight container with a slice of white bread. The bread helps maintain moisture so the cookies stay soft for days.
Yep! A hand mixer or even mixing by hand will work. Just be sure the butter is soft and cream well before adding the eggs.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
These cookies are perfect for prepping ahead and keeping on hand for whenever that cookie craving hits.
- Make-Ahead Dough:You can make the cookie dough up to 3 days in advance. Store it covered in the refrigerator and bake when you’re ready. Chilling not only helps with flavor, but also gives you thick, chewy cookies with golden edges.
- Freezer-Friendly: Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
- Storing Baked Cookies: Once baked and cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them extra soft, toss a slice of white bread into the container. It works like magic.
Reheating Tip: Pop a cookie in the microwave for 8–10 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven feel. Warm, melty, and just right.
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Classic M & M Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter (room temperature)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups M&M candies (divided)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on low to medium speed until fully incorporated and fluffy. This usually takes about 1–2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix for another 30 seconds, or until the eggs are fully blended into the dough.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough starts to come together and no streaks of flour remain.
- Gently stir in ¾ cup of M&M’s. Save the rest for topping the cookies before baking.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days. This step helps prevent spreading and enhances flavor.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few extra M&M’s into the tops for that bakery-style look.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, that’s perfect.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Slow down. You want to keep your mixer on low speed. I know it can be tempting to speed things up but you do not want to heat the butter too much.
- Try to use room temperature ingredients. For this recipe, specifically, you need to make sure that the butter and eggs are left out of the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
- Chill your dough. All of that mixing can cause the butter to spread. Giving the dough a little time to relax and firm up helps hold things together.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Hi, I don’t think you have fixed your baking soda typo yet 🙂 this could really mess up someone’s cookies. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Updated. Thanks!
baking soda or baking flour ?
Sorry, I think I’m not fully understanding the question. This recipe calls for both flour and baking soda.
@Jesseca, You list baking soda as one of the ingredients in the recipe but below in the instructions, you mention baking powder. I’m using baking soda only. Hope that’s correct. Thank you.
Thank you for catching that mistake. It should be baking soda. That was a typo. I’ll fix this!
These are classic, simple cookies with a lovely texture and taste amazing. My family loves them
Thank you, Pamela!
These turned out great. Made them with my niece. She couldn’t stop eating the dough. The end result was a fluffy candy filled cookie. Will make again.