These soft and chewy M&M chocolate chip cookies are filled with mini M&Ms and chocolate chips. They’re super easy to make with just 10 ingredients and one bowl!
As a former pastry chef, I love all the fun twists on classic chocolate chip cookies I’ve created—like my chocolate raspberry cookies or espresso chip cookies—but sometimes, you just can’t beat the classic!
These M&M chocolate chip cookies combine the best of both worlds: chewy centers, crispy edges, and loads of M&Ms and chocolate chips. Made in one bowl with simple ingredients, they’re an easy, customizable treat for any occasion!
Table of Contents
Baking with M&Ms
Choose the right M&M flavor. Don’t feel tied down to regular milk chocolate—experiment with other flavors like peanut butter and dark chocolate or holiday flavors like pumpkin or crunchy cookie!
Mix carefully. Like in my M&M brownies, folding the M&Ms gently into the dough at the end keeps them whole and prevents them from getting crushed.
Top with extras after baking. Add a few more M&Ms to the cookies right after they come out of the oven for extra color and sweetness.
Customizing for Any Occasion
Holiday-themed colors: To make these cookies festive, use M&M colors like red and green for Christmas, pink and white for Valentine’s Day, or orange and brown for Halloween!
Seasonal variations: Switch to pastels for spring and Easter or bright reds and blues for the 4th of July.
Special events: For game days, use M&Ms in team colors, school colors for graduation parties, or gender-themed colors for baby showers!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Mini M&M candies: These chocolate chip cookies shine with mini M&Ms. Like my M&M cupcakes, their smaller size means you can incorporate more into the dough, giving you more M&M flavor in every bite!
Chocolate chips: This recipe features mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can easily swap them. Alternatively, try using chopped chocolate bars or chocolate chunks, just like in my monster bars, for pools of melty chocolate!
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract on low speed until just combined.
Step 3: Fold in the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture.
Step 4: Mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Fold them in until everything is just combined and there are no more flour streaks.
Step 5: Scoop the cookie dough. Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Top with extra M&Ms and chocolate chips, then freeze the cookie dough for 3-4 hours or overnight for the best flavor!
Step 6: Bake! Bake the M&M cookies until the edges are golden brown but the centers are puffy and still underbaked.
Cookie Baking Tips
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip for best results!
Don’t skip the chilling time! Chilling enhances the flavor, improves the texture, and reduces spreading.
Make thicker cookies. If you love large bakery-style chocolate chip cookies, use a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and add 1-3 minutes to the bake time.
Use room-temperature butter. Many cookie issues come from using butter that is too cold or too warm. To check, use a thermometer; it should read between 64-68°F.
Roll the cookie dough balls after scooping. For cookies that melt evenly, roll each one between your palms to make it perfectly round!
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Leftover cookies can be kept in an airtight container for 3-4 days at room temperature.
Freezer: Place the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months!
FAQs
Definitely! You can replace the chocolate chips with additional M&Ms or adjust them to your taste preference.
Using butter that is too warm and not chilling the dough long enough are the most common reasons why this can happen.
This recipe must be frozen solid before baking to ensure the cookies don’t spread too much!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teapsoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, *see notes for measuring flour*
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup mini m&ms , plus extra for the tops
- 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for the tops
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cream the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until just combined.1 (50 g) large egg, 2 teapsoons vanilla extract, 1 (18 g) large egg yolk
- Mix in the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until almost combined and there are still some dry flour streaks. Then fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/3 cup (57 g) mini m&ms, 3/4 cup (120 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoons balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. For cookies that bake evenly, roll each one between your palms until round. Then press more M&Ms and chocolate chips to the tops of each cookie dough ball.
- Chill the tray of cookie dough balls in the freezer for 3 hours minimum, overnight is best for the best flavor and texture.
- Then preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Bake the cookies spaced 2-3 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking tray for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown.
- Let the tray cool on a wire cooling rack before removing them, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Just pulled these cookies out of the oven and had to taste them while they were still warm. Delicious! I had to fluff the flour as my scale wasn’t working and I feel like the dough was a little too sticky. The sea salt was a great change from my regular cookie baking. Mine wasn’t that fine so you really taste the sweet salty flavor. Definitely will be baking again!
I love this recipe, however, my cookies aren’t spreading?? My first pan in took 16 minutes. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Kerri! There are many reason why cookies won’t spread: have you checked that your oven is at a true 350 degree temp? Did you use a scale to measure the ingredients? If not there may be extra flour in the dough. Have you checked the freshness of your leaving (baking soda and baking powder) recently? They may be old! Was your butter between 64-68F when using it or was it colder? Cold butter won’t spread as much.
These are just a few things to double check, let me know if you have any questions!
hi haven’t tried this recipe since i’m stuck on using liquid or dry measuring cups for the butter
You shouldn’t need any measuring cups for the butter. There are lines on butter sticks indicating tablespoons. You will use 1 stick plus half a stick of butter which is 12 tablespoons!
Just made these cookies and the are awesome! Perfect recipe!
Mini m&m’s and chocolate chips? Knew I wanted to try these as soon as I saw the pic on IG. Easy recipe but cookies spread each time I baked them. I let them chill but not for 45-60 minutes. Trying again this weekend and will read and follow each step. I ate 2 right out of the oven and froze the rest for munchies during the week. Even out of the freezer they were still soft and very good. Adding the recipe to my favorites.
Hi Courtney! So glad to hear you loved the cookies. They definitely need that full chill time in order to not spread so much! You can either chill them in the fridge for 45-60 minutes or you can chill them in the freezer until completely solid, which for me takes about 20-30 minutes.