These M&M Cookies will be your new favorite. Soft, chewy & packed with M&Ms – it’s an easy cookie recipe that doesn’t require any dough chilling. They can be made with regular or mini M&Ms – but either way – they’re the best M&M cookie recipe around.
**This post was updated June 15, 2020 with new photos and updated recipe tips**
If you’re looking for M&M cookies that are soft and chewy with crispy edges – then this is the recipe for you. They remind me of the cookies I used to get from the grocery store bakery as a child. But no matter your age, these cookies will go fast.
As a child, I longed for M&M cookies since my parents opted for healthier cookie varieties. But on Saturdays, I’d go grocery shopping with my Dad and the supermarket gave out free cookies to children that were members of their elite “Cookie Monster Club”. And as a chartered member – I’d was lucky enough to get a gigantic M&M cookie almost every weekend. Clearly, I reached the upper echelons of society at age 8.
The Perfect M&M Cookie
These M&M cookies are soft and chewy. They’re also just the right level of thickness – so you can pack them with lots of M&Ms but they don’t end up like weird little pillows.
What I also love about these cookies is that you don’t have to chill the dough, and they still turn out chewy in the middle with slightly crispy edges.
The main secret to the perfect texture is using a combo of shortening and butter. Cookies made with shortening have that extra “melt-in-your mouth” quality, and will definitely remind you of the bakery cookies you bought as a kid. However, butter provides more flavor than shortening. So by using a combo of both shortening and butter, you get the best of both. 
Then we’re using a combo of brown sugar and white sugar because brown sugar adds extra flavor and makes the cookies chewier. Using just the right amount of flour makes the cookies soft and thick without being crumbly. Make sure to measure the flour carefully – or else the cookies can get dry. Then I like to use both M&Ms and chocolate chips. Feel free to substitute the chocolate chips for more M&Ms if you prefer.
Tips for Making M&M Cookies
- Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature, but not melted.
- Beat together the butter, shortening and sugars for a good 2 minutes. This helps evenly distribute the sugars and adds air to the batter, which gives the cookies a better texture.
- After adding in the flour, squeeze a little dough between your fingers. If it sticks to your fingers mix in a little more flour – adding 1 tablespoon at a time.
- If your cookies do not flatten enough as they bake, that means you added too much flour. Gently press the cookies down flatter before baking.
- If the cookies spread too thin, that means there’s not enough flour. Pop the dough balls in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking to avoid spreading.
- Feel free to use regular M&M or mini M&Ms.
- For large cookies, form the dough into balls about 3 tablespoons in size and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops look just set.
- Underbake your cookies just slightly for the perfect soft texture. The tops should look just set when you take them out of the oven.
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 Ziploc bag, seal tightly, and freeze. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F 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. 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 and 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
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter* softened to room temperature
- ½ cup shortening*
- 1 cup white sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup M&Ms regular or mini
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment or baking mats.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter, shortening, white sugar & brown sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Beat in the vanilla & eggs.
- With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour, baking soda & salt. Squeeze a little dough between your fingers, if it sticks to your fingers mix in a little more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it doesn't.
- Turn off the mixer and stir int he M&Ms and chocolate chips.
- Form the dough into balls with about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough each (I use a cookie scoop). Place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets, and ensure they're taller than they are wide.
- Bake 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
- To make the cookies without shortening, use 1 cup of butter and 3 ¼ cups flour. To make the cookies with 100% shortening, use 1 cup shortening and 3 cups flour. If using entirely butter, I recommend chilling the dough for 30-60 minutes before forming it into balls.
- For large cookies, form them into balls about 3 tablespoons in size and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Cookie dough freezes well. Make the dough and form into balls. Place in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen. They'll take 1-2 minutes longer.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition information is based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 40 cookies. It is meant as an estimate only.
Nutrition
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
Either is fine
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
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.
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!