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These M&M Cookies are the ultimate cookie: extra soft, perfectly chewy, and loaded with colorful candies. This is my one-bowl secret for a bakery-style cookie that tastes exactly like the ones you used to beg for at the mall, no mixer required! These are the only chocolate chip M&M cookies you’ll ever need!
I absolutely love putting M&Ms in cookies. I put them in pudding cookies all the time to celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter and the 4th of July. I love putting M&Ms in my sugar cookies, too, because it reminds me of when I was little and would beg for a Mrs. Field’s M&M Cookie at the mall.
What makes this the best M&M cookie recipe is the use of melted butter and a 1 hour chill time. Unlike traditional recipes that result in thin, crispy cookies, this melted butter method creates a dense, fudgy center that stays soft for days. By chilling the dough, we allow the flour to fully hydrate and the fats to solidify, ensuring your cookies stay thick and chewy. Adding more M&Ms on top allows for tons of chocolate flavor!
How do you make soft and chewy M&M cookies? Mix 1/2 cup melted butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Stir in 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, salt, and baking soda, then fold in 1 1/2 cups flour and 1½ cups M&Ms. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to prevent spreading. Bake at 350°F for 11–15 minutes until the edges are light golden but the tops are no longer glossy.
Important Cookie Ingredients
- I always start with melted unsalted butter for my chocolate chip cookie recipes. Using salted butter? Reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/4 tsp.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar are used. I love using more brown sugar than granulated sugar because it keeps the cookies soft.
- I always like to add salt to my cookies because it balances the sweetness from the M&Ms.
- Be sure to measure your all-purpose flour by spooning and leveling or using a scale.
- You can use any kind of M&Ms (we love using plain M&Ms or peanut M&Ms!)
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Dorothy’s Expert Cookie Tips
- Use your favorite MMs for this recipe! Use mini M&M’s to get a better M&M to bite ratio, or use any kind or color of M&Ms you like! When you add M&Ms to a cookie, you have so many options: make Peanut M&M Cookies or use fun colors to match the holiday, party, or celebration!
- While you can use a stand mixer for these cookies (or a hand mixer) it’s so easy to make them by hand. This makes it a simple one bowl recipe without needing extra equipment.
- I mix M&Ms into the dough but it’s also important to press M&Ms on top before baking. This helps the cookies not bleed into the cookie dough.
- Yes, these cookies require chilling, so be sure to plan ahead. It’s an important step you won’t want to skip so that you get a soft and puffy cookie.
Chocolate Chip M&M Cookie Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66 g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (104g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (186g)
- 1 ½ cups M&Ms candies any flavor or color
Instructions
- Note: This dough requires chilling. Recipe is written for a mixer but you can also just stir with a wooden spoon or spatula – no mixer needed.
- Place melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Add granulated and brown sugars and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Mix in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Slowly mix in M&Ms.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake (2 tablespoon sized cookies) for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cool on the cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
Storing and freezing cookies.
- Store them in an airtight container. They will stay good for up to 2-3 days at room temperature.
- Freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- You can also store cookie dough balls in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If baking cookies from frozen, add 2-3 minutes extra bake time.
How to Make M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Add melted butter to a large mixing bowl. Stir in both sugars, then mix in egg, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- The fun part: stir in your M&M candies! You can use regular M&M or any flavor you want.
- Scoop the cookie dough with a large cookie scoop (I used a 2 tablespoon size) onto a baking sheet and then chill.
- Once the dough is chilled, spread them out on prepared baking sheets and bake until no longer glossy on top and just light golden brown around the edges.
FAQs
Yes! This base is perfect for Peanut Butter M&Ms, Caramel M&Ms, or even seasonal holiday colors.
This usually happens from over-baking. Pull the cookies when the tops are matte (not glossy), as they will firm up on the hot pan without cracking the candy shells.
Yes! Melted butter makes the dough very soft. Chilling for 2 hours is the only way to get that thick, professional cookie shape without it spreading into a flat puddle.
Absolutely. Scoop the 2-tablespoon balls, freeze them on a tray, and then store in a bag for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 2 minutes to the time.
These sound fabulous! Can’t wait to try them.
Why do they say to use corn starch in your chp cookies
My recipe doesn’t include cornstarch
These cookies are chock full of m and ms and so easy to make! We loved them.
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