M&M Cookie Cake

M&M Cookie Cake is made from sugar cookie dough filled with M&M’s and topped with some chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s the perfect dessert to enjoy with friends and family.

Cookie cakes are a fun alternative to regular cakes. For some other flavor options, try our Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake or Peanut Butter Cookie Cake!

M&M Cookie Cake with a slice cut out

Have you had a Cookie Cake before? They are the best! You don’t have to cook multiple batches of cookies, they’re great for a party, and it has frosting! Plus, this version is jam packed with M&M’s!

Who doesn’t love M&M’s with their colorful crunchy shell and milk chocolate center?! They’re so small so you keep telling yourself “just one more” until you find yourself a the bottom of the bag and a tummy full of chocolate (Worth it!).

The batter for this is more like a sugar cookie since it doesn’t have brown sugar and tastes like the beloved M&M cookies you’d get from the Mrs. Field’s stand in the mall. Trust us – it’s amazing!

Close up of M&M Cake with chocolate buttercream frosting on top

How to make M&M Cake

COOKIE. Once you whip up your dough you just press it evenly into a greased pie dish and pop it in the oven. Let it cool completely before trying to remove.

How to remove the cake from the pan: Here a few things to keep in mind for easy removal.

  • Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan 
  • let it cool COMPLETELY while still in the pan. 
  • Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan using a butter knife or cooking spatula 
  • Flip the cake out onto a large cutting board. Since it will be upside down, flip it over again onto the serving plate.

FROSTING. The frosting is a simple chocolate buttercream. I used half dark cocoa powder and half regular. It was super yummy but you can just use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand.

DECORATE. After you pipe on the rich chocolate frosting, top it with more M&M’s and feel free to throw on some sprinkles for good measure.

How do cookie cakes work with candles? If you wanna put candles in the cake make sure that you push the candles in while the cookie is still soft. If the cookie is harder when you try to add candles on make sure that you “glue” the candles on the cake with some dollops of frosting.

A slice of M&M Cookie Cake on a white plate

Variations

Like any cake you can easily make the base and change it up with different decorations and frosting choices. This cookie cake is no different. 

  • Toppings: Make the cookie base and add chocolate chips, chopped up candy bars, use chocolate sprinkles, reeses pieces, nuts and more…
  • Change up the frosting: We used a chocolate frosting, but you can use vanilla, marshmallow, peanut butter, a ganache…whatever your heart desires.
  • Different Pan: You can use an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. The 9 inch pan will need a little less baking time and will be thinner. Aside from using a round pan you can use a similar sized square pan. If you want to make a thinner, more crispy cookie cake, try using a slightly bigger pan and adjust the bake time.
Overhead shot of M&M Cake with a slice cut out

Storage Tips

If you want to keep the cookie cake fresh, the best way would be to STORE it in an air-tight container on the counter. Avoid storing it in the fridge, however you can store it long term in the freezer.

You should be fine to FREEZE the cookie cake, just like you would normal cookies. Ideally you freeze it unfrosted. Wrap the entire cake tightly with plastic wrap and again with foil. If you want to freeze the frosting, keep it in a separate airtight container and freeze. Thaw before spreading/piping.

If it has already been frosted, put the cake in the freezer to set the frosting then, wrap and store in the freezer. Unwrap before thawing.

M&M Cookie Cake Recipe

5 from 12 votes
M&M Cookie Cake is made from sugar cookie dough filled with M&M's and topped with some chocolate buttercream frosting. It's the perfect dessert to enjoy with friends and family.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 23 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 371 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup m&m’s
  • 1/4 cup mini m&m’s

Frosting

Instructions
 

Dough

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 inch pie dish.
  • Beat butter for 2 minutes until smooth. Mix in sugar until fluffy. Add in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until smooth, creamy, and light in color.
  • Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
  • Mix in the m&m’s by hand (they’re break if you use the mixer) until evenly distributed.
  • Spread dough in the greased pie dish. Bake for 23-26 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pie dish and frosting.

Frosting

  • Beat butter and cocoa powder together. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the milk as needed to get desired consistency.
  • Place frosting in a piping bag with an M1 tip and decorate the cookie cake. Immediately add the M&M’s and sprinkles.

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About Melanie

Melanie is the cook and photographer behind the blog Garnish & Glaze. When she’s not playing princesses with her two little girls, she’s experimenting in the kitchen. She takes simple ingredients and creates everything from healthy dinners to indulgent desserts.

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Comments:

  1. Hi! I like the looks of this cookie cake, and it must surely taste amazing, but I have some questions:
    -Will this cake get hard if I let it cool?
    -What happens if I put it in the fridge?
    I would love to make this one (more than one, actually) for my son’s birthday and that means I need to make it a couple of hours earlier.

    1. If it just left out, not wrapped or anything, it might get a little hard. It will for sure get harder in the fridge, so if aren’t wanting it cold, get it out a little beforehand or you can store in an air-tight container. Hope this helps!

  2. The vanilla amount is left off of the cookie recipe. It’s in the frosting instructions but not the cake. Can you correct please?

  3. 5 stars
    An m&m cookie, as cake? That’s the best thing ever! I love the frosting on top. It’s so chocolate-y & yummy!

  4. 5 stars
    This giant cookie filled with m&M and Sprinkles would be perfect for a birthday Cake or fun to make for a summer BBQ! I mean who does love cookies?!

  5. 5 stars
    My kids love this!! I mean who wouldn’t love a big, M&M cookie cake with frosting? It’s a favorite of everyone!

  6. 5 stars
    Most of my kids don’t like regular cake. This would be a fun alternative for a birthday. Delicious and still cake like.

  7. 5 stars
    I think I want to spread the chocolate buttercream frosting over the entire thing! It was so good! We did add some chocolate chips too. Will make again!

  8. 5 stars
    Thank you for this perfect dessert for my family! It is really easy to do! Thank you for sharing your recipe!

  9. I am making this cookie pie now to bring to a friends house. How much vanilla extract should be added to the dough? I guessed 1 tsp. Can you please add that to the ingredient list? TIA!