Soft and chewy M&M cookies! These easy M&M chocolate chip cookies are as delicious as they are colorful.
These soft and chewy M&M cookies are a family favorite! The cookies are a fun twist on classic chocolate chip cookies.
This M&M cookie recipe makes cookies that have great flavor. The cookies have soft middles and chewy edges, and they’re packed with candy and chocolate, which is hard to beat.
“This is the recipe I’ve been looking for. Also, thank-you for all the tips you give!” – Cheryl
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- All-purpose flour: It’s important to properly measure the flour. Packing the flour in will give you dry, crumbly cookies. Please see the note under “Tips” below for more information.
- Butter: I use salted butter. Increase the salt to 1 teaspoon if using unsalted butter.
- Vegetable shortening: Shortening helps to give the cookies their soft and chewy texture.
- Brown sugar: The brown sugar gives the cookies moisture and chew.
- Granulated sugar: Adds structure and flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Feel free to use less vanilla if you’d prefer. You can reduce the vanilla to 1 teaspoon.
- M&Ms: Plain chocolate M&Ms work well in this recipe.
- Chocolate chips: You can use milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips.
How to make M&M cookies
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, with a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat together butter and shortening until well-combined.
Step 3: Add sugars, and beat for about 4-5 minutes on high, or until very well-combined.
Step 4: Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; beat in for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 5: Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Step 6: Add chocolate chips and M&M’s; stir in.
Step 7: Cover, and chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
Step 8: Preheat oven to 375 F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 9: Drop cookie dough by medium scoops (1.5 tablespoons) onto prepared cookie sheets.
Step 10: Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned at the edges.
Step 11: Remove from oven, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
Recipe Tips!
- Measuring: It’s key to properly measure the flour. The most accurate way to measure the flour is to weigh it (click on “metric” immediately underneath the ingredients to get the weights). If you aren’t weighing the flour, sift or stir it to break it up. Lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level. Avoid packing the flour because it will give you dry, crumbly dough.
- Chilling: Please don’t skip the chilling time. It’s easy to be tempted to skip it when you want cookies 5 minutes ago, but the cookies will bake out and be flat without it.
- Uniform cookies: Using a cookie scoop will make it easier to portion the dough and will give you uniform cookies.
- Soft and chewy cookies: Slightly underbaking the cookies will help to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Recipe FAQs
I like to use milk chocolate M&Ms. I’ve found that plain M&Ms work better in cookies than using peanut M&Ms.
You can! You can substitute an equal amount of butter in place of the shortening.
Storage
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored.
More M&M recipes!
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Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour properly measured. See the note below.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter at cool room temperature
- 1/2 cup plain vegetable shortening
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups M&M's Chocolate Candies
- 1 cups chocolate chips dark, semi-sweet, milk chocolate chips, or chunks
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and shortening until well-combined.
- Add sugars, and beat for about 4-5 minutes on high, or until very well-combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; beat in for 3 minutes.
- Stir in flour until just combined.
- Add chocolate chips and M&M’s; stir in.
- Cover, and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop dough by medium scoops (1.5 tablespoons) onto prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned at the edges.
- Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet.
Notes
- It’s key to properly measure the flour. The most accurate way to measure the flour is to weigh it (click on “metric” immediately underneath the ingredients to get the weights). If you aren’t weighing the flour, sift or stir it to break it up. Lightly spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level. Avoid packing the flour because it will give you dry, crumbly dough.
- Please don’t skip the chilling time. Otherwise, the cookies will bake out and be flat without it.
- Using a cookie scoop will make it easier to portion the dough and will give you uniform cookies.
- Slightly underbaking the cookies will help to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 7/26/2016. This post is regularly updated.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Dolores Samora says
Thanks for sharing kate gotta try these for my grandbabies
Kate says
You’re so welcome! I hope they enjoy the cookies!
Cheryl says
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for. Also, thank-you for all the tips you give!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that the tips were helpful!
Julia says
Great cookie recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Kate says
Thank you!
vicki lee Zell says
Hi Kate, love your site… your food looks scrumptious… I did try to contact you but the site doesn’t bring up the fill in tabs below as stated, just a heads up on that in case you need to look at it. Well, just wanted to say it is nice to meet you and much luck with all of your endeavors you pursue. Stop by a moment and ck me out. I need a cookie now after seeing all of you delicious recepies. Happy trails until we meet again. VLZ
Kate says
Thanks so much! Please feel free to email me if the contact form isn’t working. Thanks for the heads up and for your kind words! =)