M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (2024)

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May 24, 2020 (last updated Nov 10, 2021) by Amber Brady48

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These bakery style M&M Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and M&M candies. They’re crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of chocolate throughout. The best M&M cookies! No chill time required — just make and bake.

M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (1)

When I worked in a grocery store bakery and we made M&M cookies, they were basically chocolate chip cookies with M&M’s on top. It used to bother me, because it felt like it was cheating to only use a few M&M’s per cookie.

M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (2)

The Best M&M Cookies

I’ve since concluded that the best M&M cookies are made with both chocolate chips and M&M’s candies.

Using chocolate chips in addition to M&M’s gives it more smooth chocolatey goodness, with the look and crunch of the chocolate M&M’s candies, mostly on top.

Sure you can buy M&M’s mini’s or M&M’s baking bits to distribute the candies better, but I still prefer my M&M cookies to be made with chocolate chips and classic M&M’s.

M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (3)

Soft or Crisp Cookies?

The way you make and bake these M&M cookies will determine the final product. Everyone likes their cookies a certain way. Here are some general tips:

  • Use soft, yet firm butter. The butter should be cold, and give a little when touched. Melted butter, or butter that is too soft, will make the cookies spread too thin. You can refrigerate the dough if your butter is too soft to help combat this.
  • For soft cookies: Bake cookies until the edges are barely starting to brown and the centers look just slightly under-baked. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a few minutes, to finish baking, for a soft-baked cookie.
  • For crispy cookies: Bake cookies until golden brown on the top and edges; baking an additional 2-3 minutes past the recommended time.
M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (4)

Thick or Thin Cookies?

There are a few tricks to make these M&M cookies thicker or thinner.

  • For thick cookies: Use more cookie dough, about 2 Tbsp per cookie. And shape the cookie dough balls tall and round. You can also press the edges of the cookie inward just after the tray comes out of the oven. I like to do this with a serving spatula. For the thickest cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes before baking.
  • For thin cookies: Use a smaller portion of dough, about 1.5 Tbsp per cookie. Other options include using slightly softer butter, or slightly pressing the dough 1/3 of the way down after it is scooped.
M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (5)

Tips for Making M&M Cookies:

  • Use a cookie dough scoop. This helps the M&M cookies bake evenly and look uniform. I prefer a #30 or #40 scoop. NOTE: The bigger the number, the smaller the scoop, and the smaller the number the bigger the scoop. These two sizes are between 1.5 and 2 Tbsp of cookie dough. I used a #30 scoop for the cookies shown.
  • Gently place a generous amount of M&M’s on top of cookie dough balls before baking. Only mix a small portion of M&M’s into the chocolate chip cookie dough and press the majority of the M&M candies into the tops. Be generous because the cookies spread, and you want M&M’s in each bite.
  • NOTE: In the bakery, we would have M&M’s on a tray, then pick up the cookie dough balls, and press the tops into the M&M’s until they stuck. The only problem with this is that it flattens the tops of the cookie dough, and if you want thicker cookies, you don’t want to flatten the dough at all. Grab a handful of M&M’s and use your pointer fingers to place them into the cookie dough, maintaining the shape of a ball.
  • Space cookie dough 3-inches apart, not two. I like to bake 8 cookies per tray compared to the typical dozen (12). (See second photo in post.) First of all, you don’t want your cookies melting into each other. Secondly, the more cookies on the tray, the thinner the cookies bake because the heat is trying to distribute evenly across all of the cookies.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! It uses more vanilla and a bigger ratio of brown sugar to granulated sugar for maximum flavor.

M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (6)

More Cookie Recipes:

  • Soft-Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies – includes a special ingredient to make them perfectly thick, chewy, and soft!
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – a classic peanut butter cookie recipe studded with chocolate chips.
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – thick, soft, and chewy, with plenty of hearty old fashioned oats and creamy chocolate chips.
  • Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – soft and fudgy with chocolate chips added for twice the chocolatey goodness.
  • Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies – loaded with pretzels, caramel bits, and chocolate chips, for a salty-sweet cookie treat.
M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (7)

M&M Cookies

Yield: 30 cookies

These bakery style M&M Cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and M&M candies. They're crispy on the edges, soft and chewy in the center, with plenty of chocolate throughout.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar, gently packed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cups (390g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups M&M's candies, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheet trays with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and both sugars. Cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well and scrape the bowl with a spatula.
  3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of the M&M's. Mix gently on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
  5. Scoop cookie dough balls (about 2 Tbsp each) and place onto prepared baking sheet about 3-inches apart. (8 cookies per tray.) Generously press M&M's into the tops of cookie dough balls (about 6-7 M&M's per cookie) maintaining a round shape.
  6. Bake at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes until edges are just barely starting to brown. For thicker cookies, press edges inward with a cookie spatula while still warm. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

    • Use unsalted butter or salted butter and adjust salt as needed.
    • To measure flour properly: stir the flour to incorporate air into it, then spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife. I have added the weight in grams to help with this.
    • For thicker cookies: Refrigerate dough 30-60 minutes before baking in addition to pressing edges inward while still warm.
    • For crispier cookies: Bake 2-3 minutes longer, until golden brown all over.
    • Store M&M cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 30Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 178Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.

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    48 Comments on “M&M Cookies + Video”

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  1. Janice Reply

    Found these cookies very dry? Dough was very dry and hard to form into cookies. Should I add another egg??

    • Amber Brady Reply

      Hi Janice, chances are you packed your flour into the cup when measuring. I’ve provided the cups and weight measurements to help with this. I would add more butter over an egg. Maybe melt it first to help it incorporate better.

  2. Zamira Reply

    Baked these cookies for Christmas and they came out so good!!! I added cherries instead of m&m’s. sssso good!!! ♥️😋 thank you!

    • Amber Brady Reply

      Cherries sounds like a fun mix in. Glad you liked the cookies!

  3. « Previous123

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Amber! I am a culinary graduate and dessert lover! This is where I share my favorite sweet and savory recipes alongside my knowledge and skills as a culinary graduate. I hope you find something you like!

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M&M Cookies {The BEST Recipe!} | Dessert Now, Dinner Later (2024)

FAQs

Why are my M&M cookies hard? ›

If you want super soft M&M cookies, you can add 2 teaspoons cornstarch to the dry ingredients. Also, make sure you don't over bake the cookies.

How do you keep M&Ms from cracking in the oven? ›

If your M&Ms keep cracking or losing their shape while baking, try using mini M&Ms. These are smaller and less likely to melt, which is why they're my favorite for this recipe. You can also try freezing your M&Ms before adding them to the dough which will also help them to retain their shape while baking.

What's the most eaten cookie? ›

However, it's the chocolate chip cookie that's the most popular in the U.S. and around the world. How much do youknow about chocolate chip cookies? Fun Facts about Chocolate Chip Cookies: They were created by accident Much like the discovery of penicillin, the chocolate chip cookie was created by a happy accident.

How to make the best pre packaged cookies? ›

No one will even suspect they're store-bought (and we won't tell anyone!).
  1. Add brown sugar. ...
  2. Experiment with extracts. ...
  3. Mix in different candies and snacks. ...
  4. Add espresso or coffee grounds. ...
  5. Deepen the flavors by refrigerating the dough. ...
  6. Salt before baking the cookies. ...
  7. Reduce baking time for extra soft cookies.

Should I use baking powder or baking soda for cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

What makes cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

Should you refrigerate M&Ms? ›

Yes, you can store your order to consume later. However, do not refrigerate your M&M'S candies.

Why do my M&M cookies bleed? ›

The color on the M&Ms will bleed if you over mix the batter, so do it gently. You'll spoon your cookie dough onto the baking sheet and then top your M&M Cookies with even more M&Ms.

Why is there white stuff on my M&Ms? ›

If chocolate is heated to a high temperature, the cocoa butter inside melts and separates from the rest of the ingredients. It settles on the surface in a white coating. If there's excess moisture, it causes the sugar in the chocolate to crystalize, which gives it a white, speckled or spotted coating.

What is the #1 cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is America's least favorite cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups. Other low performers included chai sugar cookies (30%), pfeffernusse (31%), spritz cookies (32%), and meringue cookies (34%).

What is America's favorite cookie in the USA? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chip cookie is simply tantalizing both in flavor and in texture. The chips of both milk and dark chocolate provide you with a rich and strong flavor while the butter makes the cookies velvety.

What is the secret to making the best cookies? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  1. Always use butter.
  2. Choose the right sugar.
  3. Choose the right flour.
  4. Check your flour is in date.
  5. Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  6. Cream the butter and sugar.
  7. Beat in the eggs.
  8. Fold in the flour.

What can I add to cookie mix to make it better? ›

How To Make Boxed Cookies Better
  1. Use butter instead of margarine or oil.
  2. Add powdered milk. Sprinkling about 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered milk per cup of cookie mix may seem kind of unconventional, but it is the best hack! ...
  3. Add brown sugar. ...
  4. Add vanilla extract. ...
  5. Brown the butter. ...
  6. Include an extra egg yolk.
Jan 3, 2024

How do you make packaged cookies taste homemade? ›

  1. Add spice to your dough. ...
  2. Punch up the flavor of your cookies by adding extracts. ...
  3. Before baking, roll the dough in a garnish of your choice. ...
  4. Stir nuts right into the dough for an added crunch. ...
  5. Add in your favorite savory snacks, like chips or pretzels. ...
  6. Top your cookies with flaked sea salt.
Aug 3, 2020

Why did my cookies turn out hard? ›

the more you mix cookie dough. the more the gluten develops and they become hard and dry and an unfavorable texture. reason no 3 you're over baking them. make sure you take them out when they're just slightly golden brown.

Why are my cookies crunchy instead of soft? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

What causes hardness in cookies? ›

At lower baking temperature, hardness of cookie increased as the baking time was decreased below 14 min. Hardness also increased significantly with increase in water content at all levels of sugar concentration in the formula.

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