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These Peanut Butter M&M Cookies are soft and chewy like classic peanut butter cookies but with a candy upgrade! With so many M&M choices you can easily customize these cookies with you favorites.
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Best Peanut Butter Cookies with M&Ms
I love a classic peanut butter cookie but adding some M&Ms to the mix takes them to a whole new level. And you probably already know I’m all about the next-level cookies.
I’m no stranger to M&M cookies – it’s such a fun way to add a colorful and sweet twist to your favorite cookies and I think these peanut butter cookies with M&Ms is one of the best combinations. What’s not to love? A soft and chewy cookie, peanut butter and chocolate candy – this is a must-make combination.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The cookies are so easy to make – you don’t have to chill the dough – and are always a hit with family and friends. Calling all peanut butter lovers – these are your new favorite cookie!
- I’ve been making these cookies forever and they work every time. The texture is soft, chewy with lightly crisped edges – basically, your ideal cookie.
- This is a one-bowl cookie recipe and you can have a fresh-baked batch of cookies in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients Needed
- Softened butter gives the cookies a great flavor, but it also gives them a lighter, fluffier texture. When you cream the butter with the sugar you incorporate air which gives the cookies more structure than using melted butter.
- I use both granulated sugar and brown sugar in this recipe. Brown sugar is also important in creating a soft texture. If you only use granulated sugar the cookies would have a harder, crispier texture. Brown sugar also keeps these soft for days.
- Good old-fashioned mainstream peanut butter is best for these cookies. I like Jif or Skippy brand. Natural peanut butter (the kind you have to stir) does not work as well.
- You can use creamy-style or crunchy peanut butter depending on the kind of texture you like.
How to Make Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Mix the softened butter with peanut butter until combined. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and cream them together until smooth.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and milk and mix until combined.
- Mix in the baking soda and salt. Add the flour slowly and mix just until the dough comes together and is smooth. Fold in the M&Ms.
- Scoop two tablespoons of the cookie dough to form each cookie. Place them two-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Use the tines of a fork to lightly press the cookies and create the signature crisscross imprint.
- I like to press a few more M&Ms into the tops of each cookie before I bake them.
- Bake the cookies for 9 to 13 minutes at 350°F or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are no longer glossy.
- Once the cookies are cooled, keep them in an airtight container and they’ll keep well for three to four days. Or you can freeze the baked cookies, too.
Expert Tips
- The cookies are seriously easy to make. They’re my go-to when I need a batch and don’t have much time.
- You only need one bowl – need I say more?
- You don’t have to chill the dough. Three cheers for that, right? No waiting, just mix and bake.
- They stay soft for several days in an airtight container. I hate when cookies turn hard a day after you make them – you won’t have that problem with these.
- They’re freezer-friendly, too! You can freeze the dough and bake the cookies later (more about that in a minute) or you can freeze the baked cookies and thaw them as you want them. Learn how to freeze desserts!
- You can customize them. Have you seen how many different kinds of M&Ms there are these days? You can’t go wrong with a classic M&M, but peanut butter cookies with peanut butter M&Ms are fantastic. Definitely my favorite!
FAQs
You can freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Place the cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer the cookie sheet to the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the balls are frozen, you can store them in a freezer bag for several months.
You can bake the cookies from the freezer – just add a few minutes to the bake time. Or you can thaw the cookie dough balls before you bake them.
My family loves these peanut butter M and M cookies – it’s probably one of my most requested cookie recipes! I hope you love them, too!
Peanut Butter M&M Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 113g unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup 213g creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup 138g light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup 50g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon 5ml vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon 15ml milk
- 1/2 teaspoon 3g baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cup 248g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups M&Ms any flavor
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Place butter and peanut butter in a large bowl. Using a hand or a stand mixer, mix until combined then add both sugars. Cream until smooth. Mix in egg, vanilla, and milk 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. Stir in M&Ms.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough and place 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Using a fork, create a criss cross pattern on the cookies to flatten slightly. (Tip: if the dough starts sticking to the fork, dip it in a bit of granulated sugar.)
- Bake for 9-13 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown and the tops are no longer glossy. Cool on cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
Recipe Notes
- You don’t have to chill the dough. Three cheers for that, right? No waiting, just mix and bake.
- They stay soft for several days in an airtight container. I hate when cookies turn hard a day after you make them – you won’t have that problem with these.
- They’re freezer-friendly, too! You can freeze the dough and bake the cookies later (more about that in a minute) or you can freeze the baked cookies and thaw them as you want them. Learn how to freeze desserts!
- You can customize them. Have you seen how many different kinds of M&Ms there are these days? You can’t go wrong with a classic M&M, but peanut butter cookies with peanut butter M&Ms are fantastic. Definitely my favorite!
Recipe Nutrition
Favorite Peanut Butter Recipes
This EASY Peanut Butter M&M Cookies recipe makes soft and chewy peanut butter cookies full of M&Ms. These are the best peanut butter cookies!
Last Updated on March 9, 2023
I love peanut butter, and these cookies sound so good. Thanks for sharing.
I am curious. In the photos that you have of these cookies, were the M&Ms on top added after the cookies were removed from the oven.
I find that often there is no way to replicate photos of baked items shown on blogs and think it would be helpful that if this kind of thing is done, it is mentioned.
Hi! I haven’t made this recipe but what I do when I use m&ms is I let the cookies bake for a few minutes then press the m&ms on top however I like as quickly as possible and return them to the oven to finish baking. They always looks beautiful!
Dorothy-
This might seem like a dumb question, but this recipe jarred me into asking someone who should know. I’m a 70 year-old guy and baking cookies is my hobby. I make about 10 doz./week to donate to various groups.
When I’m making cookies with additions such as nuts, chips, M&Ms I always add them before the flour, so I can use my hand mixer to uniformly mix them into the loose batter. Much easier than after the flour! I’ve found no similar recipes that use this order. Why do you suppose that is? What am I missing?
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