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!
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These easy homemade M&M’s 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.
Ingredients Needed
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
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make 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.
Tip for Rolling the Cookie Dough Balls
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.
Recipe Variations
This is a classic chewy 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.
Recipe FAQs
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! It worked like a champ here, keeping the cookies soft and tender, without being cakey.
Yes, you MUST chill the cookie dough for at least 2 hours. If you bake warm dough, your cookies will spread in the oven.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough and shape it into balls and then chill or freeze the dough to bake off later.
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.
Yes, you’re welcome to use any variety of M&M’s you’d like in this recipe.
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.
Storage Instructions
Baked cookies: Store the chewy M&M’s cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Raw cookie dough: Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
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Soft and Chewy M&M’s Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ 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 ½ 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Cookie Recipes with M&M’s:
M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookies — These bakery-style M&M’s cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and LOADED with M&M’s and chocolate chips. No one can resist these cookies!
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!!
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.
Soft M&M’s Pudding 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.
Monster Cookies — My recipe for classic monster cookies that are chock full of creamy peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s makes both kids and adults reach for just one more cookie! Fast, EASY, soft, perfectly chewy, and they’ll become a family FAVORITE in no time!
Santa’s Kitchen Sink Cookies — Santa and everyone else won’t be able to resist these AMAZING cookies loaded with everything but the kitchen sink!! EASY, festive, salty-sweet treats with a FUN ingredients list!!
Originally posted March 12, 2013 and reposted with updated text April 1, 2022.
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. Â I went to bake them and at 8 min they were still in balls. Â 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. Â After cooling on the tray they are pretty raw. Â Did you leave them on the counter when you take them out of the fridge? Â 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. Â Is there a way you can tell when to take them out? Â What should I be looking for? Â 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