Chocolate Christmas Cookies With M&Ms

Chocolate Christmas Cookies are soft, chocolatey cookies filled with chopped red and green M&Ms and topped with even more candy. They’re delicious and the extra chocolate-y version of our classic M&M Cookies.

Not only are these cookies festive, but they’re easy to make, and perfect for Christmas cookie trays, class parties, and holiday baking days (which is a classic Luna family tradition). We love that these cookies start with our tried and true chocolate cookie dough base and get the flavor enhancer of M&Ms all through out. If you’re looking for a simple, tasty and chocolate-y cookie, then I think this is the one to try this year!

For more festive holiday cookies, try our Christmas Snickerdoodles, Christmas M&M Cookies, and Christmas Sugar Cookies.

Why you’ll love it + Why it works:

M&Ms Addition: Chopped M&Ms add color, texture, and chocolate candy flavor inside the dough.
Mixes Up in Minutes: Simple dough and quick bake time make them easy for busy holiday baking.
Chopped M&Ms Mix in Easily: They spread color and candy crunch throughout the cookie dough.
Topping Before Baking Helps Them Stick: Pressing M&Ms on before the cookies bake keeps them in place better than adding them afterward.

Ingredients measured out for chocolate christmas cookies.

Red and green M&Ms, divided (2 cups): Adds Christmas color, candy crunch, and chocolate flavor inside and on top of the cookies.
Butter, softened (1 cup): Creates a rich, tender cookie base and helps the dough cream smoothly with the sugar.
Granulated sugar (1 ½ cups): Sweetens the cookies and helps create a soft texture.
Eggs (2): Binds the dough and help the cookies bake up soft and chewy.
Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): Adds warm flavor and balances the cocoa.
Flour (2 cups): Gives the cookies structure and helps them hold their shape.
Unsweetened cocoa powder (⅔ cup): Adds rich chocolate flavor.
Baking soda (¾ teaspoon): Helps the cookies rise and spread properly.
Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Crushed m&ms for Chocolate Christmas cookies.

Mixing ingredients for chocolate christmas cookies.

PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop 1/2 cup M&Ms in a nut chopper and set aside.

BATTER. In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until fluffy.

Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and mix until combined. Fold in chopped M&Ms.

Ball of chocolate christmas cookies scooped on a baking sheet.

BAKE. Scoop cookies out onto a greased cookie sheet and top with red & green M&Ms. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

We ALWAYS add chopped M&Ms to our M&M cookies and this one is no different. It makes sure there’s candy in every bite!
I would not recommend topping the cookies with M&Ms after they are cooked. They tend not to stay on the cookie.
Bake just until the cookies are set, about 8 to 10 minutes, so they stay soft.
Make-ahead tip: Make the dough ahead and refrigerate it, or bake the cookies and freeze them for holiday trays later.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies cooling on a wire rack.

5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Christmas Cookies Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Chocolate Christmas Cookies are soft cocoa cookies filled with chopped red and green M&Ms and topped with festive candies.

Servings: 36 cookies

Prep: 15

Cook: 8

Total: 23

Chocolate Christmas cookies on a lined baking sheet.

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Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Chop 1/2 cup M&Ms in a nut chopper and set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and mix until combined.
Fold in chopped M&Ms.
Scoop cookies out onto a greased cookie sheet and top with red & green M&Ms. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
NOTE: I would not recommend topping the cookies with M&Ms after they are cooked. They tend not to stay on the cookie.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Soften the butter before mixing so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
Chop some of the M&Ms for the dough so the candy spreads through every bite.
Add the whole M&Ms on top before baking so they stay on the cookies.
Bake just until the cookies are set, about 8 to 10 minutes, so they stay soft.
I would not recommend topping the cookies with M&Ms after they are cooked. They tend not to stay on the cookie.
Make-ahead tip: make the dough ahead and refrigerate it, or bake the cookies and freeze them for holiday trays later.

Store. Baked cookies need to cool completely on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Adding a piece of white bread to the container will help keep the cookies soft.

Freeze. Place 1-2 cookies in fold top sandwich bags, place them together in a freezer Ziploc. You can also wrap them individually with plastic wrap, a fold top sandwich bag, or layer using parchment paper in between. They can keep in the freezer for 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 168kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 108mg, Potassium: 37mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 197IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 1mg

Recipe FAQ

How to store?

Baked cookies need to cool completely on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Adding a piece of white bread to the container will help keep the cookies soft.

How to freeze?

Place 1-2 cookies in fold top sandwich bags, place them together in a freezer Ziploc. You can also wrap them individually with plastic wrap, a fold top sandwich bag, or layer using parchment paper in between. They can keep in the freezer for 2 months.