Soft and Chewy M&M’s Cookies — Super soft, chewy, buttery M&M’s cookies that totally are irresistible! Loaded with M&M’s and perfect for springtime, Easter, Mother’s Day and more!
The BEST M&M’s Cookies
I hadn’t made M&M’s cookies in ages, but seeing the pretty Easter and springtime pastel candy in the stores changed all that. Something about springtime candy is just so inviting. Pastels are just so much prettier than red-and-green or black-and-orange candy to me. I was quite miffed when I opened my bag of M&M’s to find like 8 pinks. How dare they.
What better way to put my pastel candy to use than my making homemade M&M’s cookies? Store-bought M&M’s cookies are usually hard, dry, cakey, or crumbly. Such a shame that perfectly good M&M’s were wasted.
I tweaked my favorite all-purpose Chocolate Chip and Chunk Cookies recipe. Most notably, I switched from a combination of both bread and all-purpose flour, to solely using all-purpose. Bread flour makes things extra chewy, gives a heartier rather than softer structure to cookies, and if you’re not careful, it can dry things out.
For these M&M’s cookies, I wanted a slightly softer dough base, with no possible issues of dryness, and all-purpose flour was perfect. The interior stayed buttery soft and the edges have just the right amount of chewiness.
I also shortcut some of the stopping and starting that’s found in the beginning of the original recipe. There was a lot of beating, stopping, adding one item, more beating, bowl-scraping, repeating.
Cornstarch is the secret ingredient that helps these cookies bake up super soft. Cornstarch is why pudding cookies and Cake Mix Cookies bake up so soft, and it’s a trick I learned with the Chocolate Chip and Chunk Cookies.
It worked like a champ here, keeping the cookies soft and tender, without being cakey.
I wasn’t skimpy with the M&M’s, to the point that when you’re forming the dough mounds before baking, it may seem like you have as many M&M’s as dough in your mixing bowl. Just stuff them back into the dough if they’re trying to fall out, and later you’ll savor each and every crunchy candy-coated bite.
It’s a blessing and a curse to have plates of cookie dough in the fridge. It makes it very easy to bake up a few fresh, warm cookies for dessert. Or with morning coffee. Or as an afternoon snack. Or as a midnight snack.
Let’s not even talk about the frozen golf balls in Tupperwares in the freezer. Sometimes I’m not quite sure what I’m grabbing, but after 10 minutes at 350F I find out that oh yes, these are the Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies not the Maraschino Cherry White Chocolate Cookies. Sometimes surprises are good.
These easy homemade cookies turned out so soft, moist, and tender in the interior with perfectly chewy edges. The dough is buttery, with hints of vanilla.
There’s an abundance of M&M’s in every bite and I love biting into their shells. The dichotomy of smooth, supple dough, generously flanked with candy, and hearing those little shells crack and crunch as I bite down, and feeling the crunchy coating bits between my teeth, like sweet little eggshells, it’s just something I love.
They’re the best M&M’s cookies I’ve ever had. And not just because there’s pink M&M’s baked in, but that doesn’t hurt.
What’s in These M&M’s Cookies?
To make this M&M’s cookie recipe, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Milk chocolate M&M’s
How to Make Springtime M&M’s Cookies
Now, this is some of the easiest, fastest, and least fussy cookie dough you’ll ever make! Here’s how these spring cookies are made:
- Combine the butter, egg, sugars, vanilla, and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and mix.
- Fold in the M&M’s and you’re done. So easy.
- After the dough comes together, form two tablespoon-sized mounds.
- Place all the mounds on a large plate, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days, before baking. If you bake with warm dough, your cookies will spread more and won’t stay as thick and puffy, which is why I always bake with chilled dough.
- Bake the cookies at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes, no more.
How to Tell When M&M’s Cookies Are Done
I made these cookies fractionally smaller than in the original recipe by about a half-ounce. Doesn’t sound like much, but I didn’t want those pretty M&M’s in the oven any longer than absolutely necessary for fear they would bleed, run, or crack.
The cookies shown in the photos were baked with dough that had been chilled for two days, allowed to come to room temp for 15 minutes, and then baked for 8 1/2 minutes, with trays rotated at the 4-minute mark.
The cookie tops should be set, but barely, and will be pale, glossy and appear underdone, but they firm up as they cool.
Baking any longer than 10 minutes and you run the risk of the bottoms browning too much, the M&M’s cracking, or ending up with hard, dry, rock-like hockey pucks after cooling.
Everyone’s ingredients, oven, climate, and personal preferences are different, but they taste best when they’re not over-baked and are softer.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Yes, you MUST chill the cookie dough for at least 2 hours. If you bake warm dough, your cookies will spread in the oven.
Can I Prep the Cookie Dough in Advance?
Yes, you can make the cookie dough and shape it into balls and then chill or freeze the dough to bake off later.
Can I Use Different M&M’s?
Yes, you’re welcome to use any variety of M&M’s you’d like in this recipe.
Can I Add Other Mix-Ins?
Yes, you’re welcome to add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and more to these cookies. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t add more than 1 1/2 cups mix-ins total.
Can I Freeze M&M’s Cookies?
How to Store M&M’s Cookies
Recipe Substitutions
This is a classic M&M’s cookie recipe, but there are a few ingredient swaps you can make:
- M&M’s color: To make these M&M’s cookies appropriate for any season or get-together, simply switch up the M&M’s colors you use. I used pastel M&M’s for Easter, but these cookies are easily customized!
- Chocolate chips: If you don’t have M&M’s on hand, you’re welcome to use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead.
- Bars: If you don’t feel like making individual cookies or don’t have time for the dough to chill, press the dough into an 8- or 9-inch baking dish and bake until golden around the edges and just set in the center.
What Readers Are Saying
Since I first posted this recipe in 2013, I’ve received over 200 glowing comments and reviews about it — and counting! Here are just some of the 5-star reviews people have left on these M&M’s spring cookies:
“I have made these several times already and they are always delicious!” — Gerbie
“I’ve been making these cookies for years! Ever since you first posted the recipe. I always double it and freeze extra dough balls so I can bake as we want them. Otherwise we would eat them all at once. Perfect recipe!” — Amanda C.
“These were delicious, thank you for the recipe! I made a small batch to taste test before making several large batches with red and green M&M’s for Christmas.” — Sera
“Ok, seriously, these are by far, the best cookies. This recipe has survived two moves, two toddlers, two laptop deaths and a marriage. It is printed out multiple times (I lose the recipe every time), but thank goodness I’ve saved you to my faves. You are literally CLOUD storage worthy.” — Michele Ryber
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Soft and Chewy M&M's Cookies
Super soft, chewy, buttery M&M's cookies that totally are irresistible! Loaded with M&M's and perfect for springtime, Easter, Mother's Day and more!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate M&M's (or another variety of M&M's, or chocolate chips may be substituted)
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes).
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the M&M's and fold in by hand.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping mounds. Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds very slightly with your palm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, parchment, or spray with cooking spray. and place them on the baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart; I bake 8 cookies per sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than ten minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool (The cookies shown in the photos were baked with dough that had been chilled for two days, allowed to come to room temp for 15 minutes, and were baked for 8 1/2 minutes, with trays rotated at the 4-minute mark. They have chewy edges with soft pillowy centers).
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
22Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 155Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
More M&M’s Desserts:
Loaded M&M’s Oreo Cookie Bars — These dense bars are a texture lover’s dream. There’s an abundance of crunchy chopped Oreos and M&M’s, contrasted with soft, buttery, moist dough.
Loaded Soft & Chewy M&M’s Cookie Pie — If you like M&M’s cookies, you’ll love this biggie version! Super easy & always a big hit!
Chocolate Cake Mix M&M’s Cookies — Foolproof cookies made with just 5 ingredients!! If you’re craving chocolate and want to make super EASY cookies that are soft, FUDGY, and delicious, this is the recipe to make!!
Peanut Butter M&M’s Blondies – Soft and chewy with rich peanut butter flavor and studded with M&Ms!! EASY, one bowl, no mixer recipe that everyone loves!!
The BEST Oatmeal Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies — Between the chewy oats, the gooey melted chocolate, and the slight crunch from the M&Ms, there’s wonderful texture in every bite.
M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars — Bars are my favorite kitchen shortcut because they’re so fast and easy to make. No dough to chill or individual cookies to form.
Soft M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookies — This is my new favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies. They’re soft, buttery, and this version is loaded with milk chocolate M&Ms and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Originally posted March 12, 2013 and reposted with updated text April 1, 2022.
Ingredient lists 1 1/2 sticks of butter. Then in directions you say put one stick of butter in mixing bowl. Whuch is it?
Good catch. Go by what the recipe card says, 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup). I fixed the typo, too.
So sorry! I think that Averie tries so hard. I hate what our world has become, but, after a lifetime of loving M&M’s, never will I support a “transgender world” that had gone viral. I will resign because of my beliefs.
I have made these several times already and they are always delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they always turn out delicious!
OMG… these cookies are awesome. Thank you for your quick response to my question. I made a batch right after, and they were absolutely delicious!!!
That is great to hear that they turned out awesome!
Hello,
I was wondering, do I let the dough set for 15 minutes if I chill the dough balls for 2 hours or only if I chilled it overnight or longer? This recipe looks so good I’m excited to try it! Thank you.
You would chill the dough for 2+ hours (how many ever hours you have is fine, or overnight) and then bake it. You don’t need to let it sit for 15 minutes before baking. Chill, preheat the oven, bake.
I’ve been making these cookies for years! Ever since you first posted the recipe. I always double it and freeze extra dough balls so I can bake as we want them. Otherwise we would eat them all at once. Perfect recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that you have been making them for years! I agree…if I don’t freeze dough, I would eat them all at once too :)
These were delicious, thank you for the recipe! I made a small batch to taste test before making several large batches with red and green m&ms for Christmas. They have a nice vanilla, butter, and chocolate taste to them. My boyfriend loved them as well! I think I I need to make them a tiny bit larger (I got 25 instead of 22 cookies) and cook for about 2 min less to get the perfect texture, but this is why I did a test batch first :).
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you and your boyfriend loved them! And size is relative…22, 25, whatever you end up getting is fine just as long as you loved them. But yes at 25 vs. 22, you’d likely have to bake for a bit less time since they’re smaller which is sounds like you did just that.
Just made these and they are delicious!! Thanks for the great recipe!
One question, my M&Ms didn’t show or ‘Pop’ like yours. Mine the dough were covering the M&M. How do I get the M&Ms on to the surface of the cookies?
You just have to place them one at an time, by hand, in the areas you want them to show up. I wouldn’t bother personally but for food photography it does help a lot.
Ok, seriously, these are by far, the best cookies. This recipe has survived two moves, two toddlers, two laptop deaths and a marriage. It is printed out multiple times (I lose the recipe every time), but thank goodness I’ve saved you to my faves. You are literally CLOUD storage worthy. I’ve used these with smarties (Canada) for a SAFE nut-free cookie to serve at parties where allergies are a concern. I also make them with halal chocolate chips for my Muslim friends who need a clean recipe. Thanks so much!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you think the are the BEST cookies by far! I love that this recipe has survived all your life changes too :)
I’ve made these with holiday M&Ms for the last 2 years and they are SUCH a hit with my family!
I was just wondering if the dough can be made in advance and frozen? Trying to make my Xmas baking life a little easier this year :)
Yes definitely you can make and freeze. Just roll it into balls, put them on a plate or something flat, cover with plasticwrap and they will be good to go for 3 months or so like that in the freezer. No changes necessary when baking and can bake straight from the freezer, add a minute or two if necessary to baking time.
Amazing! Thank you so much!! I also make your loaded M&M and oreo bars–my family begs for them every year! :)
I love those bars too :) I can understand the begging, LOL!
These m&m cookies were very good. I could have eaten them all by myself very easily!!!
Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I know this is an old post but I just made these cookies for easter and I think they’re the best chocolate chip type cookie I’ve ever made. The addition of the cornstarch and chilling the dough really made a big difference. Definitely keeping this recipe on my go to list.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I’ve remade this recipe so many times by using various different colored M&Ms depending on the season, too! And I agree about the cornstarch!
Do I chill the dough then scoop then bake? Or is it scoop, chill, bake?
Thanks!
scoop, chill, bake
Amazing recipes and tips I have never seen before ! Thank you for sharing all this game-changing knowledge that WAS NOT in my Mom’s 70’s era Betty Crocker Cookbook I learned from or the Better Homes and Gardens I referenced as an adult. So excited for so many new recipes to try and blow away the bake sale
So glad you’re learning things that you didn’t know and that will help you tons! Let me know how your baking projects turn out!
Made them. Delicious!! Delicious!! Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
Hi I want try this recipe but I don’t have unsalted butter and chocolate chips. I only have regular butter and M&Ms. Is it still possible to make?
Yes just go for it. Skip adding any additional salt and just use the M&Ms and add a little extra to make up for the lack of chocolate chips.
I made these yesterday and refrigerated the dough balls. I went to bake them and at 8 min they were still in balls. I set the timer for 2 more min and they still looked a little raw but I took them out cause it said to not over do it and resist putting them back in. After cooling on the tray they are pretty raw. Did you leave them on the counter when you take them out of the fridge? Mine were out for 5 min or so just enough time for the oven to heat up. I also used a 2″ ice cream scoop. Is there a way you can tell when to take them out? What should I be looking for? Thank you.
A 2-inch scoop sounds pretty big. All scoops vary and the way they’re labeled vary but that sounds pretty big. You may want to flatten the balls slightly before baking too.
All ovens, climates, doughs, scoops, etc vary and with baking there is no exact science for when something is ‘done’. You have to use your judgment and practice makes perfect. In this situation, sounds like they could have used another 3-4 minutes, maybe more. Make a test batch – bake 2. See what happens and how long they need until you find the sweet spot on the timing!
Hello! I am going to try this recipe out (looks yummy!) but wanted to ask, what size scoop do you recommend? The recipe calls for a 2″ scoop and links to one, but your comment here says 2″ sounds too big, so I was confused. Thank you! Happy Easter!
Sometimes when I reply to comments I don’t click over and re-read the recipe and can do it from a master dashboard. Just go with a 2-inch scoop, that’s perfect.
I make these cookies a lot and I have found that it is better to either refrigerate the dough before you make the balls, or don’t refrigerate the balls as long
I made these last night and swapped the milk chocolate for white chocolate M&Ms. They turned out amazing!! Thanks for the great recipe :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Made these for my son for his birthday, but we used Reese’s pieces instead of M&Ms because his name is Reese. They were perfect. Soft & chewy like promised! Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love the Reese’s/Reese connection :) Happy bday to Reese!
I followed this recipe exactly but my cookies didn’t turn out like the picture :( they spread a lot even though I had then cool in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Is there anything I should do to fix it?
Please read this post for all my cookie tips, i.e. chilling the dough, Silpat, King Arthur flour, etc. https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html I think if you do ALL those things, you won’t have spreading cookies! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Made these yesterday and they turned out PERFECTLY. I used dark chocolate M&Ms and only used 1 cup of them in the batter, but there were still M&Ms in every bite. Even ate a couple of the cookies for breakfast this morning. Thank you so much for this easy to follow and delicious recipe!! I will be making your Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies next :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out so great for you! Enjoy the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and LMK how they come out!
I see where you said you let the refrigerated chilled cookies set out for 15 minutes before cooking. How long do you let them sit out before cooking if they are frozen???
I always let my dough (chilled or frozen) sit out about 10 minutes, give or take. Just as long as it takes my oven to preheat. Even frozen dough only takes an extra 1 minute or so (maybe) in the oven to bake. Just watch it and bake til they’re done to your liking.
Do these freeze as well as your other Cookies? I was planning to freeze them before cookies them. Your blog is my go to for all baked goods! Thank you!
I think they freeze the same as my others, yes. I always make the dough balls, and freeze the dough, THEN make the cookies fresh for the event. But you can make the cookies and freeze them if you’d like.
Hi Averie, I made these cookies tonight, and they turned out wonderful! I have been looking for years for cookie recipes that don’t spread out too much and come out just like these did. I am so happy to have found your blog. All of your tips have helped immensly. Thank you so much!
Thanks for trying these as well as the Cran Bliss Bars and I’m so happy you’re pleased with both these cookies and those bars!
This is a copy of Sallys baking addiction cookie Recipe.
Did recipe exactly as written. My cookies are as flat as pancakes! So disappointed! I was making them for banquet tonight and spent $30 on specially colored m&ms. Oh well, the search continues!
Sorry they spread for you. I have a master list of tips & tricks for cookies here, maybe things like KA Flour, Silpats, etc will help if you didn’t already use them. I swear by both for thick cookies! https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Made these tonight with pumpkin spice m&ms and they were perfect! Thanks!
Oh that’s wonderful to hear! Way to get seasonal and use the Pumpkin Spice M&Ms!
JUST made these and inhaled two of them within minutes of taking them out of the oven and they are delicious! I almost ate most of the dough last night but I am so glad I didn’t! My boyfriend loves them as well. The best part is that they’re soft and chewy and yet they still stand up to being dunked in milk! The perfect combination :)
Glad you love them, and the boyf, too! And that you ended up baking them rather than just eating dough :) I am so guilty of that! LOL Glad they pass the dunk test, too!
I felt compelled to comment on these for people like myself. When I stumble upon a recipe from a source that is unknown to me, I rely heavily on reviews before I decide to make said recipe. If you have any doubts, rest assured. These are fantastic!! Made them for easter and they are already gone. Already getting requests for more! So delicious. Followed the recipe exactly. Chilled overnight and baked for 8 minutes. Fantastic. When you pull them out, fight the urge to put them back in. They seem undone, but once cooled completely they are perfect. Thank you for an amazing recipe. Looking forward to trying more :)
“When you pull them out, fight the urge to put them back in. They seem undone, but once cooled completely they are perfect.” <--- Thank you for saying that and I totally, totally agree. If you go longer than that in my oven, you don't get the soft, chewy, gooey cookies I prefer the most. And thanks for leaving a great review and for taking the time to do so. I too rely on reviews when deciding if I should make something. So glad you're happy. Please LMK if you make other recipes of mine!
OMG! The m&m cookies rocked my (and my family, and my neighbors) world! They were awesome! I actually threw them in the freezer for a few minutes to speed up the cooling time, maybe 15 min – and then baked them, and they turned out great. I am bringing these in for treat day to my work this week! And I can just keep the dough until Tuesday night, so they will be fresh baked for work on Wed. Love it!
So glad you love them and they rocked everyone’s world! You can also freeze the unbaked dough for up to about 4-6 months. So I always have a few (ok like a few hundred) frozen dough balls on ice just ready to be baked. Hope your office & coworkers like them! :)
Never mind-22!
They look delish. How many cookies does the recipe make?
I just pulled my first trays from the oven and they turned out great! I used Arrowroot Powder instead of the cornstarch. I doubled the recipe, but only had one bag of M&Ms so they could use more candy but other than that, perfection. Thanks for the great recipe!! My three little valentines are going to gobble these up today :)
Glad they turned out great for you and that the arrowroot powder was fine, too! Happy Vday!
Just made these- they turned out fabulously! I used 1 c Valentine’s Day M&M’s and 1/2 c chocolate chips and they were divine! Perfectly soft & chewy, just how an M&M cookie’s supposed to be! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for trying them Havens & glad they came out exactly perfect for you! Happy Valentine’s Day!
I made these m&m cookies and they were soooooo good. They spread a bit more than in your photos. Not sure where I went wrong. I was careful about chilling them and such. Only thing I could think is maybe I am not creaming the butter enough AND I used salted butter. Regardless though they are delicious and I will try again possibly doing a better job of creaming the butter.
I will also try King Arthur brand flower as suggested in other comments.
My family loves your cookies! As always, thanks for the recipes and suggestions.
Thanks for the great comment (and thanks for taking the time to post it here). Glad you enjoyed the cookies so much :)
Ok I followed your exact m&m recipe and it was a disaster. I chilled the dough overnight and it was so hard I couldn’t get it out of the bowl. In fact it broke my wooden spoon in half. I struggled with it, baked per the instructions and ended up with little hockey pucks :(
If you followed the recipe exactly, then you would have scooped the dough into balls, chilled the balls, then baked them. From what you described, it sounds like you chilled your entire bowl of dough, thus the broken spoon and saying you couldn’t get it out of the bowl. Sorry you didn’t read the recipe correctly.
With a lot of struggle, I get the dough out of bowl and baked them per your instructions. Like I said, they turned out like hockey pucks. I don’t think chilling in the bowl vs chilling in balls should cause that issue? Wasted an entire batch of ingredients. Who knows what the problem was but I guess I will just use my original recipe next time.
I’m certain that what you did, when you didn’t follow the directions I indicated, contributed to your results not being like mine. Sorry that you chose to do things that way. I have used this dough base in many other cookies on my site, i.e. Snickers, Twix, and many more – and have never had anyone write saying they had such difficulty like you did which would seem to indicate that’s where the problem came in. Sorry for your trouble!
These look delicious. Thinking of making them with red and green for my daughter’s school. Did you use a convection oven for these? And if not would that be a good idea? Thanks!
I just bake in a regular oven – the one that’s in my apartment. Nothing fancy. Since I don’t have a convection oven, I don’t know how that would change baking time or effect results. I would bake in a regular oven if you can so you can duplicate my results.
Hi!
I made these with reeses pieces tonight (boss’s birthday tomorrow, those are his favorite!) – they’re a bit too sweet for me, but I know they’ll be a HIT tomorrow. Next time I’ll try m&ms or semi sweet chocolate chips. Yum.
Glad you think people will like them!
They did! All gobbled up. :)
Trust me, the pumpkin honey cookie has already been pinned!! I thought maybe between the 2tbsp of pumpkin pie spice & then the M & M’s it might be too overwhelming?? Should I cut down on the amt. of spice? Can you come here & make them??? LOL!! I’ll definitely keep you posted!!
Hi Averie! I came across this cutie M & M cookie recipe. Thank you for posting it! I have an idea & I need your advice/help. It’s the first day of Fall today & I purchased a bag of Pumpkin Spice M & M’ s at Target. How could I doctor this recipe a little to make it more accepting to the M & M? Should I add some pumpkin pie spice to it? Cut down on the vanilla? Please help!!! I completely trust your advice!!! Happy Fall!!!!! Amy
You could just make this recipe as written and add about 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or I have another recipe I just posted for soft and puffy pumpkin spice and honey cookies (look on my sidebar recent posts for link – on my phone right now and hard to link) and just add the mms to that recipe. Lmk what you do!
Is it okay if I make large and thin cookies out of this? Won’t make any difference right?
I prefer thicker cookies just because thin usually means crispier and I don’t like crispy cookies at all. You can bake them larger and thinner if that’s your preference though. Lmk how it goes!
Made these last night for a cookie exchange — unfortunately they turned out with a distinct taste of “hmm, these really need salt” so I’m not going to use them, but I think with the 1/2 t of salt listed in your other similar recipe, they would be great!
Yes, there is salted listed in the ingredients list in these – “salt, optional and to taste”
Salt in sweets is a hard thing to state universally because one person may think they need salt, but another may think they’re just fine without; which is why I always say to salt, to taste. Sounds like you may be one of the people who can handle more rather than less. And I wouldn’t write them off for a cookie exchange. What you think ‘needs salt’ – others may not. Trust me! I hear all sides of the salt issue from my readers, which is why, again, I’m at the ‘to taste’ stage. I let that fall on you all :)
just made these for my shared lunch in French class on tuesday …. I tried not to eat them till then, but… they’re just too yummy! :p
thanks for this amazing and super easy recipe :))
Thanks for trying them and yes, they are so good – it’s hard to resist this dough base, I agree! I have an adaptation of this dough base coming on Tuesday. So glad you like these! :)
Averie…let me just say that I usually suck at baking cookies. Especially, chocolate chip cookies. These were the best I’ve ever made! Thank you so much! I did add a bit more salt because I’m a freak for that contrast and I used mini M&M’s, but they were awesome! Thanks so much! Love your site!
So glad that this recipe was such a huge success for you! And that they’re the best cookies you’ve ever made! This dough base is priceless. It creates the best ever cookies. For example these https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/05/soft-and-chewy-snickers-chocolate-chip-cookies.html or with Twix https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/05/twix-bar-chocolate-chip-cookies.html The dough base is always the same but the add-ins vary. LMK if you try other versions and so happy you tweaked them with mini MMs and a little salt.
Use the rest of your mini MMs for these. Best brownies I have ever made. https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/06/homemade-little-debbie-cosmic-brownies.html
I saw this recipe when you first shared it, but then didn’t bookmark it. So, today when I wanted to use the M&Ms I got on Easter clearance, of course I couldn’t remember where I saw the recipe! GAH! Five minutes on Google later, and I found it! Then, I started making the cookies without realizing chilling was recommended. I didn’t have time to chill, so just rolled the dough into balls, baked, and hoped for the best. They turned out fabulous and I’m sure my children will be quite happy when I surprise them with M&M cookies after school today!
So happy to hear you relocated the recipe and that even without chilling the dough, they turned out great for you! I’m sure you’re going to be the best mom ever today after your kids have the cookies :) Enjoy!!
I just pulled some of these out of the oven (and taste tested a few) and these are wonderful! I have never seen cornstarch in a cookie recipe before, but what a great idea (since it would make the flour more like cake flour and lighter). My son was so excited to use the Easter m&ms in the cookies. :) He didn’t even mind the refrigeration time or waiting till naps where over to try them! Thank you for the great recipe!
since it would make the flour more like cake flour and lighter = Exactly! Without that sometimes strange smell/taste that cake flour can impart. I am so glad you like them and that your son did, too! Thanks for LMK you tried them!
I’m definitely pinning this on my M&Ms Board. Just bought Easter M&Ms on sale after the holiday and now I have your idea for using them. Yum!
Thanks for the pin and hope you try them. Also see these http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/03/egg-in-a-nest-stuffed-peanut-butter-cookie-dough-bites.html nobake, vegan, GF – 10 mins to make!
I just made these this weekend and they were a huge hit! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
So glad to hear they were a huge hit! Thanks fro coming back to LMK!
My Easter M&M cookies are in the fridge right now! I can’t wait to put them in the oven tomorrow after church! I hope I did everything right!!! They look amazing! = )
Overnight chilling is the best! Good call and I am sure they’re going to be perfect! LMK how they go for you! Happy Easter!
hey girl! great recipe! i just wanted to share that early on in reading the recipe i didn’t realize refrigerating the dough was part of the steps! sooo in the midst of an 8:00pm baking session (for work tomorrow!) i refrigerated the dough for about 40 minutes and they still came out perfectly! thank you so much for this delicious recipe…perfect even when i messed it up a bit!
Well you didn’t mess it up too badly if they came out perfectly! Woo-hoo! Thanks for LMK you made them and that you’re so happy! Yay! (and sorry you have to work on Easter Sunday!)
i just made these. followed the recipe exactly and chilled them for 2 hours. they took 20 + minutes to cook (might still not even be done). and spread out so much farther than yours. im bummed because yours look fantastic, but this recipe was not a winner for me.
Hi Alison
With all due respect, if you had to bake a batch of cookies for longer than 20 minutes, cookies that are this size especially, I highly suspect there is something wrong with your oven if you followed the recipe to the T. There have been many, many people (as you can see from some of the comments) who have made them as well as those who’ve emailed me saying they’ve made them with success, so I know the recipe works. This blogger also made them, and the only thing she changed was she used Peanut Butter-Filled M&Ms rather than plain M&Ms like I did http://www.bakerita.com/soft-peanut-butter-mm-cookies/
They’re also almost identical in dough base to this dough http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/11/chocolate-chip-and-chunk-cookies.html which gets rave reviews from readers and it’s an adaptation of a recipe I found online with thousands of positive results
My friend Sally also makes similar cookies to these with chocolate chips rater than PB chips and her dough base is identical to mine here, which is why I think it’s your oven or something on your end. Sorry they didn’t work for you.
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/08/06/the-chocolate-chip-cookie/
Made these yesterday and followed the recipe exactly. They are amazing!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for coming back to LMK you tried them and followed the recipe to a T and you had great success! Yay!
These look phenomenal!
My cookies turned out crumbly and dry (but still tasty ;p). I’m not blaming your recipe, only my newbie baking skills! Things that could’ve gone wrong: didn’t beat mixture for long enough, ran out of vanilla so only had 1 tsp… only things I can think of that I didn’t to exactly as you said.
It’s very hard to say but sounds like they could have been over-floured (try a few tablespoons less next time) or over-baked. Maybe your oven runs hot? This recipe is basically the same recipe as here http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/11/chocolate-chip-and-chunk-cookies.html for the dough and there are thousands of people who’ve made the recipe with success (including the links to other sites given in that post) – so I would just say keep trying since you said you’re a new baker. And take them out of the oven sooner rather than later next time would be my biggest tip!
OH MY! Just made these this morning for a church bake sale and now I’m thinking these taste SOOOO good I’m not sure they will make it to the sale. These have to be the most amazing cookies EVER ! With every bite I think these taste like they were made by a professional baker, I can’t believe I made them. Thank you for sharing this recipe. This will be my new go to recipe for cookies. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Thanks for such extremely high praise about the cookies, Natalie! If one of my recipes can make a person feel like their cookies were make by a professional baker, there is no higher compliment than that! Enjoy this cookie dough base for chocolate chip cookies or any other add-in’s you like. I love it so much, too! Thanks for coming back to LMK how happy you are with these!
These are beautiful! I’ve always loved M&M cookies; I think the peanut butter ones may be my favorite though! :)
I made these yesterday and did not find them to be chewy… they were a lot more thick, fluffy, and cakelike. I may try the recipe again and modify to make them a little more sweet (these almost tasted and felt like slightly sweet biscuits). Maybe a little less baking powder for me next time too?
If you used baking POWDER per your comment, that’s your problem.
The recipe calls for baking SODA!
Powder WILL make things cake-like and not chewy and biscuit-like as you said. So if that was what you used, that was definitely the culprit!
1. How well do these keep? If I make the dough on Thursday, bake on Saturday, will they be good for Easter baskets on Sunday?
2. I only have dark chocolate pastel m&m’s on hand. . . do you think they’ll come out just as well?
1. Reread the post and recipe section of the post because I addressed it in more detail but yes to your question; totally fine.
2. I’m sure that’ll be just fine.
Enjoy!
This came out really well – thank you! If I hadn’t had 11 guests+an entire dinner to do that day, I would have baked them “day of”. . . but they held well in the container for 24-36 hours.
Glad you and all the guests enjoyed them! Thanks for trying them & coming back to tell me you made them!
Pinned! Can’t wait to try them out!
Thank you for the pin!
My husband made these with White Chocolate M & Ms and they were “to DIE for!!” The best cookies I’ve ever eaten!!
BEST cookies you’ve ever eaten!? Well that’s awesome!!!!! I totally need those white choc M & Ms in my life (the PB ones are good in here too). Thanks for telling me your husband made them for you! Wow, he’s a keeper :)
I just adore the pastel colors. I can see myself getting into major trouble if I made these….I could eat at least half of them in one sitting!!
They’re so soft, it’s very easy to have one more, one more… :)
I love the pretty pastel m&ms and the soft, gooey, buttery insides of these cookies! Chewy outsides, and insides that look like cookie dough–that is basis for the perfect cookie!
I love it!
These cookies are adorable! I love the use of easter m &ms, they look like little eggs. While I definitely appreciate a good ol’ m &m studded cookie, I have a feeling the pretty colors make these even tastier ;)
Pastels and pretty colors DO make things taste better :)
Lol I love that you’ve got this cookie baking down to an absolute science. No cracking or bleeding M&Ms?! Recipe bookmarked!
After thousands of cookies, sometimes I get some surprises, but mostly feel it’s become a pretty scientific situation in general!
They’re so pretty!! I need to find these pretty colored M&M’s ASAP! I’m going to be doing a lot of baking when I’m home next week, and these definitely need to be on that list. Pinned!
Thanks for the Pin!
These cookies are too pretty! You’re so right, pastels are so much more appealing than primary colours (when it comes to food!).
p.s. What is up with those store bought M & M cookies?! :D
Oh I miss m&ms so much! I need to order some fake ones so I can bake with colorful candies again.
Yay for pastel candy! These cookies look so soft and chewy. Yum!
These look luscious. I will have to bake them for my kids. Oh darn. My kids don’t live here anymore…
Just pretend they do and bake them anyway :)
Well, I’m off to the Easter candy isle! So much prettier than those OTHER colors!
I love these little happy Easter looking cookies! So much fun to bite into a mouthful of m & m’s in a soft doughy cookie! Your cookies are always amazing! I just want to make all of them!
On a different note, made the caramel brownies. Half the pan had caramels and the other half didn’t because one of my boys doesn’t care for them. Anyway, almost the whole pan gone already and the muffins from yesterday? Ancient history! :-)
YAY! Glad to hear the brownies were a hit and they’re almost gone in a day! AND the other muffins are gone, too. They are like vacuums, inhaling food :)
Ok, first off, I LOVE m&m’s in my cookies and you’re totally right that the store bought (even the ones made in house at the store) are always dry and disappointing. You know what’s funny? I have never made cookies with m&m’s before, seriously. They’re the cookie that I always gravitate to at school bake sales, but I don’t know why I have never made them before. Anyway, I think it’s abut time I gave it at try! I love the pastel colors in these as well as how easy they are to make. Perfect for a last minute dessert idea! xoxo, Jackie
I had made M&M cookies before but not traditional ones like these. Always something cutesy or ‘creative’ (life of a blogger) and decided to just keep it simple and was so happy with the results!
*look
I seriously LOVE the color scheme on the spring M&M’s! So dainty and feminine. And your cookies always lool addicting, Averie!
I love M&M cookies SO much. And yes, pastels make everything prettier. And taste better. AND happier!
I’ve been a fiend for m&ms all my life, and it’s so hard to resist when they keep coming out with new colors and types. You’ve really made the most of these spring colors, they practically glow. And, on another subject, how do you keep your silpats so clean?
The new colors always just tempt me! The Silpats, well, I wash them every time I use them with a sponge and SCRUB them. They say you don’t have to really wash them and can ‘wipe’ them but I don’t treat them like they’re a piece of cast iron; accumulating grease and oil and not ever really scrubbing. I actually go to town on them :) The last thing I want is my peanut butter cookies smelling like mint smelling like rosemary potatoes!
How festive and cute! I’ve made monster cookies, but never just plain ole M&M cookies. I will definitely give these a try. You could eat them year-round by changing out the M&M colors.
You could eat them year-round by changing out the M&M colors. = exactly! Red and green for Xmas, for sure. Even though I prefer pastels :)
These cookies look delicious!
Paige
http://Thehapyflammily.blogspot.com
I have a weakness for the easter m&ms. These cookies sound perfect!
Averie, what lovely spring-y, easter-y cookies – perfect for a baby shower too!!!…soft, chewy, m&ms…heaven!!!
Awwww, so cute! I could eat these all year long. And soft and chewy is definitely the way I like my cookies!
The pastel M&Ms have always been my favorite…and in these cookies?!? SO gorgeous, Averie! They’re just like a pop of spring that needs to find their way to my mouth.
Your photography is killing me – seriously just over the top awesome, Ashley!
You, my dear, are killing me! Every single recipe I see on your site I want to make! I did make the Marshmallow Caramel Oreo Cookie S’Mores Bars this weekend, so that is one more checked off my list. I could easily quit my job and do nothing but attempt to recreate your delicious treats. Of course I would regret that once I grew to the size these desserts would support. But back on point – I love your ideas and combinations. Everything looks wonderful and I’ve had great fun with the ones I’ve tried. I will have to do this one soon because I honestly think the Easter m&m’s taste different and better than other m&m’s. I remember making cookies with them years ago and thought they were the best. The cookie was like this one but I also added butterscotch chips. YUM. Thanks for all your baking knowledge.
Thanks, Deb, for the awesome comment! So glad to hear you’ve been making things and enjoying them! The Marshmallow Caramel Oreo Cookie S’Mores Bars were fun – I loved that crust. Normally I’m not into crust but crushed Oreos + melted butter = my kinda crust!
These cookies would be great with butterscotch or white choc chips in them too; really, it’s such a versatile dough base and can’t go wrong but the M&Ms are fun this time of year! Please come back and tell me if you make anything else! :)
Milk and Cookies, my all time favorite:) I think I need to buy a bag or 2 of pastel m& m’s~ Have a great week:) Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
Aren’t cookies the best? Especially when you can add such fun things like these gorgeous spring m&ms! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Averie. Delicious and beautiful as always!
They are the best, I swear :)
I love that you took one of your best, classic cookie recipes and made it even easier! Easy, delicious, soft, chewy cookies are my all time favorite. This recipe is a wonderful blank canvass for any and every holiday or celebration. You could toss in just about any candy, nut, dried fruit, or food dye and have them be perfect! :)
Blank canvas is exactly right! It’s a great, solid, awesome dough base. Especially for baking chips (choc, white, butterscotch) or chunky things like pretzels or marshmallows. If I want a more delicate dough base, I have another I use – I used it for Cranberry White Choc cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cookies, and it’s derived from my Sugar Doodles. But yes, this one is foolproof and easy!
Oooo. these look amazing Averie. My little ones will love making these for Easter.. :)
If you try them with your kiddos, LMK!
“Soft and chewy” is my favorite description for cookies! Yours looks terrific! I never put M&M’s in cookies until I tried the monster cookie recipe from Baked and was shocked by how good they are that way! : ) I love that there are M&M’s for every season/holiday so there’s always a good reason/excuse to make some!
I didn’t know their was a recipe in the Baked book for M&M cookies. It’s one of the few cookbooks I don’t have but constantly hear good things about and need to pick it up, asap!
I am having an intense love affair with these cookies! They look so soft and chewy.
These look delicious – I just bought some Easter coloured M&M’s too and wondering what to make with them – may have just decided! :)
These are the prettiest cookies, I love the pastel M&Ms!
Those look absolutely delicious!!!
I had M&M cookies on my mind recently. These look so adorable! Love the pastel colors! I assume the pink ones were special :)
These look so fabulous! And the colours are so spring-y!
only 8 pink M&Ms??? I’m going to write a letter. I bet Skylar was not happy about that! You know I love M&Ms in my cookies and they taste so wonderful in this super soft cookie dough. And I love that you completely overloaded the dough with them! They look wonderful Averie. Before this past year, I always had M&Ms cracking in my cookies. I’m glad I realized that… duh!… it’s due to baking them for too long. :) FACT: pink M&Ms taste better than any other color.
I was so worried those pretty, pastel, delicate-looking M&Ms were going to crack, and made sure not to overbake and to keep the dough mounds at a modest size so they didn’t! And yes, it was like opening a bag of suckers only discover like 3 reds and 19 greens (ick)…with the 8 picks situation! haha!
I LOVE M&M cookies! It has been way too long. I need to work on that.
Bring on Easter! I love M&M’s in cookies. I swear I’m going to try using cornstarch in my cookies very soon. I love how thick and puffy yours look!
You’re going to Love the results!
Agreed, the pastel candies are so much prettier than christmas or halloween! These look perfectly moist. My son just peeked over my shoulder and asked if we could make them!
He’s got good taste :) LMK if you try them!
Such happy looking cookies! M&M cookies are one of my favorites, and seasonal M&Ms make it even better! These look sooo soft I just wanna reach through the computer screen and grab one!
These look perfect! I still need to try the cornstarch cookie!
Cassie it’s one of those blogger-phenomenon that I never would have known about otherwise, like bread flour in cookies (which I didn’t do with these but almost always! do the past 6 mos) that you’re just going to LOVE the results!
I went into the M&M store in Vegas the last time I was there–several floors of chocolate and all sorts of things to put them in. Such a colorful place! I think I love just about any kind of candy in cookies–and M&M’s are a favorite. I heard about a new flavor–white chocolate carrot cake. I think they are only sold off the shelves at Wal-Mart and are out for a limited time. I like some of the other flavors so I’m very curious about these! I also wanted to let you know I tried the Ghiardelli Cabernet matinee and it is excellent. I have been on the look out for it (can’t remember when you wrote that post) and was excited to finally find one!
white chocolate carrot cake M&Ms sound dangerously good! And glad you tried that Ghira cabernet bar – also good! I swear I need to make a trip to Walmart just for those M&Ms and some Hershey’s Special Dark – the only place in my area I’ve heard that carries it anymore!
M&Ms are my favorite candy to snack on. They are perfect in a batch of cookies, and I love that you didn’t skimp on them!
Silly M & M’s, why didn’t they give you more pink one?? I have never tried cornstarch in my cookies, but I think it’s time to give it a try. Lovely spring cookies!
Those just look so pretty. Plain and simple…pretty. Perfect for an Easter celebration or even a baby shower. Thankfully most of my friends are done with those!
They screamed baby or bridal shower food to me as well!
Beautiful as always. Will you be putting out a Cookie Cookbook for all your delicious and mouthwateringly photographed creations?
I’d love to write a cookie cookbook one day! Not sure editors think there’s a market for one (so saturated) but if they did, I’d love to write it :)
I am not sure if I’ve ever baked an M&M’s cookie…though I find myself grabbing them when I have the option! Smarties cookies are pretty popular too here in Canada.
It’s funny I only buy seasonal M&M’s for baking. I never buy the regular ones….. Easter colors are just so much more fun! These cookies look great, and perfect kid treat for Easter.
I always think seasonal M&Ms taste better than regular…not sure why. But that must mean these cookies are extra delicious! They certainly are pretty in their pastels!
There’s an M&M store in Chicago that has EVERY color under the rainbow. It’s amazing. And sorta fun. :) Personally, for my cookies, I prefer big chunks of dark chocolate. Simple and delicious. But no matter what, chewy is key!!
I didn’t use to eat M&Ms when I was a kid, but I developed a sweet tooth in my old age. :) My favorite candy to bake with is Heath Bars actually. There’s a recipe that I tore out of a magazine when I was in high school, that is my absolute favorite go to cookie recipe for company.
If it’s that good, do tell! (okay but only if it’s really soft and chewy…Lol) Heath bar cookies have a tendency to turn really hard. I have a few recipes with Heath bars from ages ago but that’s a good idea…to make something new with them. I LOVE Heath Bars, too!
I always do M&Ms cookies because everyone loves them, it’s always such a hit. I want to try your recipe though because they look so chewy (mine aren’t that much)!
They’re totally the perfect soft & chewy cookie and I think you’ll love them!