M&M cookies are a classic cookie recipe that everyone loves. They are simple to make, and you can make them with or without chocolate chips. They are crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. The M&M’s inside the cookies also make each yummy bite extra special. Here is a classic recipe for delicious M&M cookies from scratch.
If you are a chocolate lover and you want to spice up your usual soft chocolate cookie, you know that the addition of M&M’S is the way to go! The candied coating of these chocolate pieces adds the perfect crunch and chocolate burst to each bite. M&M cookies can be made with or without chocolate chips. However, you can adjust them to your liking by adding more, using less, or leaving them out altogether. The star here is M&M’s. This recipe asks for the addition of chocolate chips. This easy recipe will teach you how to make these absolutely delicious cookies at home from scratch.
How to Bake M&M Cookies from Scratch?
- Many cookie recipes begin with cream butter and sugar together. This recipe requires half of the butter to be melted and half of the butter at room temperature. The melted butter will cause the dough and the baked cookie to be softer. The room temperature butter gives the baked cookie a more cake-like structure. I want both of those textures to develop in the outcome of this cookie.
- Melted butter also helps the other ingredients, sugars, eggs, and flour, blend together more efficiently. Allow the melted butter to cool slightly before mixing. This will prevent the cookies from spreading too much while they are baking.
- Use both granulated and brown sugars. Brown sugar is one of the ingredients that create moistness and a super soft texture. The molasses in brown sugar will attribute to the cookie’s chewy texture. Using granulated sugar will provide those buttery, crispy edges.
- Eggs are essential for baking cookies. They do not add much taste, but that dramatically impacts the texture. Without eggs, cookies would be too dry. The flour will not bind with the other ingredients, which will cause the cookie to crumble a lot. This recipe will use 1 egg and 1 yolk. The additional yolk will add more richness and lift to the cookie’s texture.
- Whisking the room temperature butter by hand can be difficult. Use a hand- mixer or a stand mixer to incorporate the ingredients. A whisk and bowl are not recommended for this recipe because only a fourth of the butter is melted.
- This recipe provides exact measurements for the amount of M&M candies and chocolate chips added. Feel free to add more or less of either ingredients to your liking. A fourth of a cup, more or less, will be ideal adjustments if they are needed.
5 Tips for the Perfect Bake
Tip #1 Preheat oven. The oven must be at the desired temperature before putting the cookies in the oven. A rising temperature can affect the outcome of your cookies.
Tip #2 Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy.
Tip #3 Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients. Use the lowest speed if using a mixer and fold gently if using a spatula. This is an essential tip because overmixing the flour into the dough can cause your cookie to be tough and dry. Doing this develops more gluten than is desirable.
Tip #5 Do not overbake cookies. You can tell if the cookies are ready is by looking at the color of the outside rim of the cookies. The golden cookie rim indicates that the bottom of the cookie and the top center will remain soft and chewy. Once the perimeters of the cookies are golden brown, it most likely means that the cookies are ready. Even if the entire cookie is not golden brown.
Cookie Size
The best way to make evenly sized cookies is to use a cookie scoop. You can make these cookies big or small by choosing either cookie scoop. Click on the link to view the cookie scoop that I use.
Do not press your dough flat after you scoop them. The dome is needed to help the cookie spread evenly while baking and maintain its lift.
The Best M&M Cookies From Scratch
Equipment
- 1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 Standard Size Cookie Scoop Can adjust the size cookies according to the size of the cook scoop
- 1 Cookie Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Baking Rack
Ingredients
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter (1 and ½ sticks) at room temperature Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and allow it to cool slightly.
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup plain M&M's
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Set this bowl to the side and allow it to cool slightly while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- Sift the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
- Cream together the room temperature and melted butter with the granulated and brown sugars with a hand-mixer or in a stand mixer. Add the egg and yolk one at a time. Then, add the vanilla extract. Continue to mix together until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer's speed on low, gradually incorporate the flour mixture. Mix just until it is well blended. Do not mix on medium or high speed and do not over mix.
- Gently fold in the M&M candies and semisweet chocolate chips using a spatula.
- Scoop the dough out of the mixing bowl and onto the parchment-lined baking sheet using a cookie scoop. Make sure that there is space between each cookie.*Baker's Tip: Place your cookie dough in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes if the dough feels too soft. This will solidify the butter to ensure that the cookies do not spread too much.
- Bake in the 350° oven for 12-15 minutes or just until the rim of the cookies are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on a baking rack. Then, enjoy your freshly baked cookies.
Storage Tips
How long do M&M Cookies last?
These cookies can last at room temperature for about a week. That is, if your family, friends, coworkers, or even you do not eat them before then! Store your cookies in a cookie jar or place them on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap. They also keep well by being placed in a recloseable plastic bag such as Ziploc.
Can you freeze the M&M cookies?
Yes, you can freeze M&M cookies after they have been baked. Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature. Wrap them individually or as a group of 2-3 with plastic wrap. Make sure that they are wrapped tightly and covered completely. Then place the cookies in a recloseable plastic bag and store them in the freezer. These can last for about 1-2 months. Just unthaw the cookies at room temperature when you are ready to enjoy them again.
Can you freeze the M&M cookie dough?
Yes, prepped cookie dough is fun to make cookies with kids or other adults or by yourself. You can absolutely make this cookie dough ahead of time and use it again when you want to make them.
Prepare the dough as follows using the recipe above. Scoop out the dough onto parchment paper using a cookie scoop and bake according to the details on the recipe. Place the prepared dough into an airtight container. Allow the cookie dough to soften slightly at room temperature when you are ready to reuse it.
Line a container with wax or parchment paper, scoop the cookie dough balls onto an even layer, place another sheet of wax or parchment paper on top of that layer of cookie dough balls and repeat again with the remaining cookie dough. Be sure to cover the final layer with plastic wrap and cover the airtight container with a lid. You can also freeze the cookie dough already scooped into balls before placing them in the freezer.
This cookie dough can last for about 2-3 months prepared using both methods.
Thank you for reading and I hope that you try out the recipe! Click on the link below to get more delicious cookie recipes