Christmas M&M Cookies are slightly crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They are loaded with chocolate M&M's for the ultimate holiday treat.
Are you looking for a last minute holiday baking recipe but you don't want to buy a bunch of fancy baking ingredients? Christmas M&M Cookies are just the recipe for you! The base of the cookies are simple baking ingredients that you probably already have on hand in your pantry and the Christmas M&M's are usually found in the holiday chocolate section of your local store.
Christmas M&M Cookies come together in a breeze. You simply mix the dough, fold in the M&M's and bake in the oven. The dough does not need to be chilled and this means you can enjoy these cookies that much sooner! Christmas M&M Cookies add some nice color to your holiday baking trays and they are sure to become a favorite of whomever you are willing to share them with. Trust me...you might not want to share them after you try a bite!
Try Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies or Butter Tart Squares for other crowd pleasing holiday desserts.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour - I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. I haven't made these cookies using any other type of flour.
- Baking Soda - Helps the cookies to rise.
- Salt - Brings out the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Unsalted Butter - Adds a nice rich flavor to the recipe.
- Granulated Sugar - Adds some sweetness to the cookies.
- Brown Sugar - Helps to give the cookies that nice chewy texture.
- Eggs - Helps to bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla - Adds some flavor.
- Red and Green M&M's - We are using these to add some candy coated chocolate flavor and some Christmas colors.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Melt butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixture at medium speed until the butter and sugars are mixed well.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat with mixer on medium speed until the eggs and vanilla have been mixed in. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add half of the flour mixture. Beat at low speed until the flour mixture begins to incorporate into the dough. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the flour is mixed into the dough. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add M&M's to the cookie dough. Fold in the M&M's using a spatula.
Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop cookies dough balls onto prepared baking sheets. Use about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies start to turn golden brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 30 cookies.
Hint: Make sure the line the baking sheets with parchment paper as this will prevent the bottoms of the cookies from burning.
Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter - Salted butter can be substituted for the unsalted butter. If you are using salted butter, be sure to omit the salt from the recipe.
- Red and Green M&M's - If you can't find red and green M&M's, you can use any color of M&M's but keep in mind the cookies won't have those classic Christmas colors.
Equipment
Large Non-Stick Baking Pans - I used two large non-stick metal baking pans for this recipe. Feel free to use smaller baking pans but you won't be able to fit as many cookies on a pan.
Electric Mixer - I used an electric mixer for this recipe. I highly recommend using an electric mixer for this recipe because the cookie dough is quite thick. You can try mixing by hand but you will need some good elbow grease!
Cookie Scoop - I used a cookie scoop for this recipe. Feel free to use a large spoon if you do not have a cookie scoop. Use the spoon to scoop 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough. Gently shape the dough into a ball before placing on prepared baking sheet.
Storage
Christmas M&M Cookies can be stored in an airtight container or bag for up to three days at room temperature.
Christmas M&M Cookies freeze well. Place cookies in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze up to three months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to eat.
Top tip
Do not overbake the cookies or they won't be soft and chewy. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the tops start to turn golden brown. The cookies will look slightly underbaked but they will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven.
FAQ
No! This cookie dough does not require chilling and this means you get to eat the cookies that much sooner.
Yes! These cookies will retain maximum freshness if you freeze them. I recommend baking the cookies and letting them cool to room temperature before transferring to a freezer safe container or bag. Thaw cookies at room temperature a couple of hours before serving. Your guests won't be able to tell the cookies were frozen!
You have baked the cookies too long. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the tops turn golden brown. They will look slightly undercooked but don't let this convince you to bake them longer. The cookies will continue baking after you have removed them from the oven.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Christmas M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups red and green M&M's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Melt butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixture at medium speed until the butter and sugars are mixed well.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Beat with mixer on medium speed until the eggs and vanilla have been mixed in. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add half of the flour mixture. Beat at low speed until the flour mixture begins to incorporate into the dough. Increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the flour is mixed into the dough. Repeat with remaining flour mixture. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add M&M's to the cookie dough. Fold in the M&M's using a spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop cookies dough balls onto prepared baking sheets. Use about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies start to turn golden brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 30 cookies.
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