Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies
Published Apr 11, 2024
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These M&M Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges and tons of M&Ms. The recipe is super quick and there’s no need to chill the dough – so you can easily whip up a batch whenever the craving hits. Be sure to add these addictive cookies to your baking list!
**This post was updated April 11, 2024 with new photos and updated recipe tips**
Don’t be fooled into thinking that M&M cookies are just for children (although – kids definitely love these cookies too). These soft and chewy M&M cookies are on a regular rotation in my kitchen along with chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and snickerdoodles.
Why You’ll Love these M&M Cookies
- Perfect Cookie Texture – These cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges. They’re thick enough that you can pack them with M&Ms and chocolate chips – but they aren’t so thick that they end up looking like little cushions.
- Tons of M&Ms and Chocolate Chips – I love the crunch that the M&M coating adds to these cookies and the bright dots of color. You can use mini or regular M&Ms along with your favorite variety of chocolate chips.
- Quick & Easy – Sometimes a few extra steps is necessary to get the perfect cookie. But this recipe was designed for ease so that you can make a batch of dough without much effort.
- No Chill – That’s right – there’s no need to chill the dough with these cookies, meaning that you can go from cookie craving to.
- Easy Make Ahead Options – Both the cookie dough and the baked cookies freeze beautifully. I personally prefer to freeze the dough balls so that I can have warm, fresh from the oven cookies whenever the craving hits.
Making the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line your cookie sheets with baking paper or silicone baking mats. Lined cookie sheets = cookie bottoms that are less likely to burn.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Your butter should be softened but not starting to melt. If the butter is starting to melt, you’ll need to pop the dough back in the fridge to chill before baking.
- Then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt to the bowl. With the mixer on a low speed, slowly start to mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
- Using corn starch makes the cookies chewier.
- After mixing in the dry ingredients, squeeze the dough in your fingers. If it sticks to your fingers, mix in 1-2 extra tablespoons of flour.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. I always do this by hand so that I don’t accidently pulverize the M&Ms with the electric mixer.
- Then form the dough into balls with about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each (I use a cookie scoop for uniform cookies) and place the dough balls about 1.5-2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of your preheated oven. The cookies will bake for about 8-11 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
- If you want your cookies to be slightly flatter, then flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.
- Taking the cookies out of the oven when the tops look just set – as opposed to when they’re already golden on top – will give you softer and chewier cookies.
- As the cookies are cooling, I always place a few extra chocolate chips and M&Ms on the tops of each cookie. Because more M&Ms is never a bad idea.
Want to freeze your cookies?
You can either freeze the dough or freeze the baked cookies.
- To freeze cookie dough, form it into balls. Then place the balls in a freezer bag, seal tightly, and freeze. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees, line the cookie sheets, and bake the cookies from frozen. They’ll take about 1 minute longer.
- To freeze the cookies, bake and cool fully. Then place in an airtight container before freezing. I recommend placing sheets of baking paper or wax paper between cookie layers to avoid the cookies sticking together. To be extra careful of freezer burn, you can place the bottom of 2 cookies together and wrap them in plastic wrap before putting them in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge first, then store at room temperature.
Milk chocolate, peanut, almond, dark chocolate, peanut butter – so many delicious M&M options for these cookies. Bake them, eat them, love them – these M&M cookies are always a hit.
For more classic cookie recipes, try these other recipes:
- Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies – you could even substitute the chocolate chips for M&Ms!
Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies
These M&M cookies are soft, chewy & gigantic. It's an easy cookie recipe that turns out just like your favorite cookies from the bakery. Use regular or mini M&Ms.
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams) , softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 grams) , packed, light or dark
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188 grams) , plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup M&Ms (85 grams) , regular or mini, plus more for dotting the tops
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (90 grams) , plus more for dotting the tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamed (about 2 minutes)
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Start with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increase to medium speed until combined. Turn off the mixer and squeeze a ball of dough in your fingers. If it sticks to your fingers, beat in 1 to 2 more tablespoons of flour.
- Turn off the mixer and stir int he M&Ms and chocolate chips.
- Form the dough into balls with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough each (I use a cookie scoop). Place 2 inches (4-5 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops are just set.
- Once out of the oven, optionally place a few extra M&Ms and chocolate chips on the top of each cookie.
Notes
- Doubling the Recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled.
- For Larger Cookies: Form them into balls about 3 tablespoons in size and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- For Thicker Cookies: Cover the bowl of dough and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, Preheat the oven, line cookie sheets, and bake as directed.
- Freezing: Cookie dough freezes well. Make the dough and form into balls. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed int he recipe. They'll take 1-2 minutes longer.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Nutrition information is based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 40 cookies. It is meant as an estimate only.
Nutrition
Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 98mg, Potassium: 23mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 177IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Easy and delicious recipe to follow. I think I’ll try again and use a combination of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and reeses pieces. Thank you for posting. Will recommend this to anyone interested in a simple and satisfying cookie recipe
Very good cookies, these are a hit!
These cookies turned out quite good.
If I’m using self rising flour instead of all purpose and baking soda do I need to make any other adjustments outside of not adding baking soda?
I think so – but I haven’t tried it myself. I think it would be ok, but the cookies may rise a little differently
I made these with extra m&ms and about 1/2 cup of espresso chips. Sooo good!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Very easy to follow instructions. Wonderful taste. Made for the grandkids today. But hit. Will be on list to bake again soon.
My 12 yr old daughter has made these TWICE in one week. We took some to our superbowl party and even a few of the seasoned bakers were surprised at how delicious they were (coming from a pre-teen). We didnt have shortening, so we used butter in it’s place. They tasted like cookies from the Great American Cookie store! Yummmm.
I’m so glad to hear that everyone loved them! And that your daughter loves to bake. Hope you had a great Superbowl party
What happened to the old recipe? It had 1/2cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening.
Hi Sandra,
I’m sorry for the confusion. I ended up changing the recipe to just use butter so that readers wouldn’t need both on hand, and because since I moved overseas, I realized that shortening (like there is in the US and Canada) isn’t readily available everywhere. The original recipe is as follows:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup M&Ms
Thanks Fiona, I was devastated that I had lost my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I use it as a base for many different variations. My current favorite is orange cranberry chocolate chip. I always made it with just butter and added the extra 1/4 cup flour. Was perfect every time. Thanks again. Sandy
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
Either is fine