Both kids and grownups alike will love these soft and chewy M&M cookies! They have a snickerdoodle cookie base and are packed with melting, chocolate candies! These are guaranteed to be a new family favorite.
I’m a little behind (a lot behind) on sharing this recipe. I actually made these M&M cookies right after Halloween, when I was trying to figure out what to do with all of our leftover Halloween candy.
Luckily, these are amazing cookies that can be enjoyed all year long. I used my Snickerdoodle cookies as a base recipe, but instead of rolling the dough in cinnamon and sugar, I packed it full of tasty candy.
How to Make M&M Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the cookie dough
This cookie dough comes together very easily. Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together (you can use either a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer), add the eggs and vanilla, then the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the M&Ms by hand to keep them from breaking up.
Step 2: Portion out and flatten the dough
For evenly sized cookies (and to ensure even baking), I recommend using a tablespoon-sized scoop to portion out the dough. Roll the dough into a ball, then use something like the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the dough slightly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake, cool and serve
Make sure to let them cool for awhile before diving in! I know it’s tough, but these will be very soft when they first come out of the oven. Give them at least 10 minutes to set.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Baking these for 8 minutes will give you perfect soft and chewy cookies. If you prefer crunchy cookies, leave them in the oven for an additional 2 minutes.
- You can use either regular or peanut M&Ms with these cookies. We had both, so I used a combo! Both versions were delicious.
- I’m thinking these cookies would work well with other chocolate candies. You can chop larger candy into smaller bits (I’m already thinking Butterfingers, but that might be because I have a special love for Butterfinger Cookies).
More Cookie Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Snickerdoodle Cookies.
You can also see my full archive of cookie recipes here!
Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (approximately 1 1/3 cups using the Spoon & Level Method)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
- 5 1/4 ounces granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup M&Ms (regular or peanut)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line one large or two standard sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium-high speed until fully combined. Scrape the bowl, all the way to the bottom. Finally, add the flour mixture, mixing until completely combined. Stir in the M&Ms.
- Cover the bowl with the cookie dough and place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, until slightly firmed up.
- Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion out the dough and briefly shape into balls, then place 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten the cookies until they’re around 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Chill the cookie dough for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes, then to transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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I love my cookies crunchy, so I’d definitely leave it in the oven for 10 minutes (instead of 8). Still, I’m wondering what this recipe is going to do to the texture of my precious peanut M&M cookies.
Lol. Forgot to rate the recipe. That’s a 5 for me. It’s creative not to mention economical (nice way to use up all the Halloween candy)
Mmm, these look so good! I have some M&M bar cookies that I love to make, but these look like perfect little bites of deliciousness.
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Soft cookies are my preference and these are some of my favorites.