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This fun and colorful chewy M&M cookie recipe is a fan favorite that can easily be customized for any occasion!
Kid-Approved
Our family can’t get enough of cookies, especially this irresistible M&M cookie recipe! No joke – we make them monthly and get asked for the recipe every time we make them and they happen to be a personal favorite.
This recipe is a slight twist of our classic Chocolate Chip Cookies but with crushed M&Ms through out and M&Ms on top guaranteeing you get candy in every bite. That’s what makes them so irresistible!
We’ve made them for as long as we can remember and they’ve definitely become one of our go-to easy cookie recipes! They are right up there with our famous Snickerdoodle Cookies and Frosted Sugar Cookies.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Quick. This easy dessert recipe is ready to enjoy in under 15 minutes!
- Fun. They are colorful and completely customizable by changing up the M&Ms with your favorites!
- Freezable. As with most cookies, these can easily be frozen in dough or cookie form for later.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 8 minutes
COOK TIME: 7 minutes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar – For chewier cookies substitute ⅓-½ cup of granulated sugar with an equal amount of added brown sugar.
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature) – Overly soft or melted butter can cause the cookies to spread too much – see How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – pure vanilla extract for the best flavor or substitute almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- 2 cups M&M candies – We use (plain) chopped and whole, separated (plus w a few mini M&Ms for the top). Change up the M&M flavors for different holidays and occasions.
How to Make M & M CookieS
- PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
- BATTER. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup butter, and ½ cup oil.
- Add 2 eggs and beat until fluffy.
- Add 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until combined.
- M&Ms. Mix in 2 cups chopped M&Ms (chop about ½ cup whole M&Ms in a nut chopper, crush them in a Ziploc bag with the bottom of a cup, or use a food processor). Stir to combine.
- BAKE. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the mixture into dough balls and place onto prepared baking sheets. Insert 6-9 M&Ms (regular and plain) on top before baking.
- Working in batches, bake for 8-10 minutes.
- PICTURE PERFECT. Cool on the sheet for a few minutes. For picture-perfect cookies use a silicone spatula to gently press the circumference of the cookie into a perfect circle before they cool. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
PRO TIP: Make Them Mini!
Make the dough as directed. Form the dough into smaller balls and instead of topping with regular-sized M&M’s use mini M&M’s to top each dough ball. Reduce the bake time to about 5-6 minutes.
We also have Giant M&M Cookies!
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M&M Cookie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, just softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups M&M's, (plain) chopped and whole, separated – with mini M&Ms too, if desired.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a stand mixer, cream together granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and oil.
- Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Mix in chopped M&Ms (we chop about ½ cup M&Ms using a nut chopper).
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough balls onto a lightly greased pan and insert 6-9 M&Ms (regular and plain) on top before baking.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- For picture-perfect cookies: Before the cookies cool, use a silicone spatula to gently press the circumference of the cookies into a perfect circle.
Video
Notes
- Refrigerate the dough. Cover the dough with plastic and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Chilling the dough can help keep the cookies from spreading.
- Freeze cookie dough. Freeze in log form or cookie dough balls. Use our How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Refrigerate the dough. Cover the dough with plastic and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Chilling the dough can help keep the cookies from spreading.
Freeze cookie dough. Freeze in log form or cookie dough balls. Use our How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Store. Place the cooled cookies in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. Place a piece of white bread into the container to help the cookies stay softer longer.
Freeze. Baked cookies can also be stored in the freezer for 3-4 months.
A family favorite! So good!
When I seen this I thought this looked pretty good. I will definitely got to try this. Thank you for sharing this.
Do you have to chop the M&M’s ?
I cannot find the recipe for your Christmas Cookie Jar Gift. Please advise.
Love the pop of color with the M&Ms! They’re so soft and delicious too. The perfect treat!
These M&M cookies are festive and delicious! Kids were delighted! They love having these for after school snack.
Made these and they were amazing! Soft, colorful, and totally addictive. A go-to treat for any occasion. A cookie jar must-have.
I looked at so many recipes and read all the reviews before deciding on this one. I’ve tried many of your other recipes and none have disappointed. This was another winner.
Did the recipe get changed/modified? I used to make these a lot and they were moist/the dough was moist. Now the dough is just crumbly…… my husband has even made the comment they don’t taste like they used to and the dough is dry and the dough crumbles in the oven when they bake.
The m & m cookies were easy to make and delicious to eat! Definitely a repeat.
My family loves making these. So good and yummy.
Can always trust that your recipes are going to be the very best!!! These are delicious and perfect in every way.
Best M&M cookies I have ever tried!!! They disappear within an hour every time 🙂
This is the most popular one we use!!! We LOVE changing out the m&ms for whatever holiday/season it is to make them more festive!!
Family loved them!
Yay! So happy to hear that!
It doesn’t say how many M&Ms to add?
We just list however many you want… some may like more or less. A good idea is about how many chocolate chips you would use. A good starting point is 1 1/2-2 cups, give or take.
This is my go to recipe EVERY single time I make M&M cookies. So much so that not only me but my kids as well have memorized the ingredients and amounts. Obviously the cookies that didn’t turn out for some people clearly is not because of the recipe! Not all people are bakers. Just sayin’. 🤣
I’m so glad you and your family love the recipe…. and to be memorized too! 😉 Love it!
LOL we’ve memorized it too and made it really easy to memorize by doubling the batch. Everything is either a 1 or 2 and 6c flour. Nobody minds doubling the batch to make it easy to remember.
Loved the m&m cookie recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.
I must have done something wrong. My cookies were rock solid. My kids did not want them.
Sorry to hear that! Perhaps they were baked longer… that can result in harder cookies? Not totally sure, but thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Rated one star because YOU did something wrong? That doesn’t seem fair. 🤷♀️
Ericka exactly what I was thinking. She admitted she did something wrong and gave a 1 star🙄. Makes no sense to me. I’ve been using this website for cooking and baking for years and it’s one of my favorite websites!!
I personally found that the cookie sheets make a big difference in baking times. Thick aluminum doesn’t work as well as the thin older ones. I got better results with 12 minute baking time.
Just made these and they were awesome!
Such great flavor.
My friend asked for her favorite cookie (m&m cookies) for her wedding reception. I tried 2 other m&m cookie recipes, this one was the best. Soft, chewy and so good!
I have been searching for a great M&M recipe and I have definitely found it!!! These have the perfect balance where neither the cookie or the m&m overtake the flavor. The flavors blend together flawlessly and you get a great cookie with yummy bites of chocolate. So good!!!
I made these foe my daughters’ birthday party 2 years ago and it’s been a cookie staple for our family wver since! The tip to chop up the m&ms and throw them in is key!
By far the best cookie recipe I have tried!
SO simple and SO good! I have put salted caramel chips in, chocolate chips and my all time fav reeses peanut butter chips and reeses pieces on top! I don’t even have to get out my big mixer! I scoop mine using a medium size scoop and cook for 8 minsutes, I love that I don’t have to chill before baking. I usually freeze about a dozen so we don’t end up eating them all in one day!
Ooh the peanut butter chips and Reeses pieces sound amazing! These cookies are really versatile which makes them fun. Love all the yummy variations you have made. Thanks for sharing!!
These were great! I used mini M&Ms and didn’t chop them up, definitely would if I used regular sized. Anyway, these were delicious and will definitely make them again.
Mini m&m’s are perfect!! Thank you for letting me know!
These cookies were delish! Definitely saving this recipe. And my kids love that we can switch them
Up for the holidays.
Very good will definitely use this recipe again
These are our favorite! We love these cookies and this is our go to m & m cookie recipe!
Our girls LOVE these cookies. The youngest tries ro eat all the M&Ms off first!
quick and easy to make. And super yummy!!
So good! Love that you can just change up the M&Ms for all the holidays!
These are the best and so easy to make. We ate the whole batch in 3 days! Literally taste like store bought cookies!
One of our favorites cookie recipes!
Roughly, how much of the m&m do you put in?
For me personally, the more the merrier. I use maybe 1 1/2 cups.
HEY CAN i use 1 cup of real butter instead of the vegetable oil
I have not personally tried that. So, I can’t say for sure how they would turn out.
ok so what does the oil do for the recipe, im curious?
I liked these! easy to put together, and made some really good, classic m&m cookies. They came out as expected based on the recipe.
Glad you liked them! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
OMG, they were so good. My little one loved these amd so DId I. Foong ro make these monthly.
Yay!! That’s what I love to hear! Thank you!
Made these with my kids for a subday activity. We all loved them. Ill be making the again for Sure!
Oh, I am so glad to hear that! Thank you!
Perfect cookie perfection!
Awe, thank you so much!!
Can’t wait to try it!
Hope you like them! 🙂
This recipe is super easy and so fun to make for any occasion! Christmas? Sure! Easter? You Bet! Wednesday? Absolutely! DelicIouS and simple.
Thanks so much for saying that! They really are!
Oh My goodness – these m&m cookies were simply…the best!!! This recipe has been added to fAmily favorite binder.
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you so much!
This is an OUTstanding recipe!!! I have made many batches of these delicious cookies for friends and family, and I have loved them each time. I have also shared this recipe with many others, and we all love the result of this easy recipe… such a success!
Awe, thank you so much for sharing this recipe with others! I am so glad you like them! Thank you!
Fluffy clouds of cinnamon sugar goodness!
If sugar cookies and churros Had a baby- these cookies would be it.
They were so easy tO maKe too, we will be keeping this recipe in our “favoritEs” From now oN ❤️
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much!
We absoLutely love these cookies! I make a huge batch, Put them on a cookie sheet and flash freeze them. Then anytime we want hot, fresh m&m cookies … we have them!! Thank you for this great recipe!
Great idea!! Thanks for sharing that! I am so glad you all love them!
This was a super easy and great tasting cookies
I love these cookies! They are so easy and delicious! Super fun for holidays using the seasonal m&m’s. They never last long at my house!
Not at mine either! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
This Recipe is absolutely delicious! There is no other m&m Chocolate recipe (or even chocolate chip recipe) I would consider Over this one. The cookies came out perfect aNd were a huge hit with my family and my coworkers. Instead of cruShing m&m’s In the recipe, I crushed dark chOcolate chips in the douGh and had the m&m’s RestinG on top. So good! Thank you for the recipe! I don’t normally leave reViews, but these cookies were Amazing!
Thank you for leaving the review! I appreciate it & appreciate you trying them!! Thank you!
Just getting these in the ove. Tgey look oily. Hop they aren’t.
They shouldn’t be. Hope you like them!
My daughter asked to make these this week! she loves to make them with her friends. I love the dough so its a win win for me!
can’t go wrong with this classic cookie — always a hit!
I will definitely be making these soon! My kids are going to LOVE them!!
These cookies are a staple in our house – anything with M&M’S is always a good idea!
These are the best m&m coookies I have tried!
These look incredibly perfect. Need a big glass of milk!!
Yes, you do! Thank you so much!
Can I just say, these are the best! They are soft & chewy & I love the whole pieces & the chopped M&M’s!
I had to bring a festive cookie to an activity. My mom helPed me make these with Pink Valentine M&Ms. all my friends really liked them.
I love m&m cookies! So easy to chaNge up according to the holiday or just use the standard colors for everyday baking. There so pretty and always so yummy!
So delicious! We used red and green M&Ms for christmas.
Would one bag oF m&m’s be enough for this recipe? Or how many m&m’s did you end up Using? Also what kind of butter? (Salted or unsalted?) i’m so excited to try thESe cookies out! <3
I like to use unsalted butter when baking. Yes, one bag is plenty 🙂 It all just depends on how much you like m&m’s. There’s no wrong amount 😉
These are the most delicious cookies I’ve ever made!!
Yay! I am so glad you think so!! Thank you for trying them 🙂
These were awesome cookies. Just baked them up.
Yay!! I am so glad you liked them!! They are one of my favorites! Thank you!
These are the best!! everyone loved them! this will be my go-to recipe for sure!! They were soft & chewy.
Aside from chocolate chip cookies these are the next best thing. Who doesnt like the combination of m&ms and cookies? Totally the best!
I was pretty skeptical about these to be honest. I have never used oil OR baking powder in a cookie recipe before. But… they were actually really good! They turned out just like they look in the pictures and they were nice and chewy with a little crunch. I was pleasantly surprised! My only criticism is they took wayyy longer to cook than the recipe said; I needed about 17-18 minutes per batch.
Not sure this will take over for my usual recipe (maybe I’ll do a comparison later this year) but they’re definitely tasty!
Thank you for trying them 🙂 I know all ovens are different, so some may take longer or some shorter. I am glad you liked them.
WOW my new favorite cookie! I love to bake and mostly I make cookies, I was looking for a new recipe for my sisters birthday.
I can say I will be making these for every family holiday.
Note I made a double batch LOL to share with more people, added 8 oz bag of walnuts and a full bag of mini chocolate chips.
SO GOOD
Woohoo!! Love to hear that! These really are the best! Thank you for sharing that 🙂
This recipe looks so yummy. I’m about to try it now but I’m wondering if I can sub more butter for the oil? I am in Colorado and have a business selling “infused” baked goods. I bake a plethora of things but they must use butter, as it is the ingredient that is infused. I’m excited to try this recipe with our customers. All our products only get sold to verified adults and both my kitchen and products are inspected by the State. Please don’t judge, we are a very responsible, ethical and professional business.
I am sure you can, though I have not substituted it. I’d love to know what you think 🙂
We had a blast making these cookies! They turned out great and delicious! We made ours a little thicker so they took longer in our old oven, but were a great hit. I know the little boy will love them!
Yay!! It’s fun making cookies with others 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know!
Great recipe, cookies turned out perfect!!! Nice and fluffy!!!!
Yay! Thank you for trying them & for letting me know! Glad you liked them 🙂
Could I maybe place the dough in the fridge, if I don’t want to make so many at one time? Would they still come out good the next day?
They should. I usually make them right as I make the dough, but I would just store it air-tight & it should be fine 🙂
I just made a double batch for Christmas! They look so festive! I know everyone will love them! On to peanut butter with Hershey Kisses!
Yay! They will love them! Thank you & have fun!
I have never posted a comment on a recipe before, but these taste just like the ones you would buy at the store… simply amazing!
You are so sweet! Thank you so much for trying them & for letting me know!
I am making these for a school project, and i need to know what they should taste like and what the texture should be. Can you help me?
Not sure what you are looking for, but they taste like a regular cookie with m&m’s, chopped and whole in it. We love these cookies! They are soft, also with a crunch. Hope that helps!!
as in regular cookie don’t you mean like a sugar cookie or something different
It’s not like a sugar cookie, more like chocolate chip 🙂
These cookies turned out great! I reduced the oil by 1/2 and they were super yummy. I’ll use this recipe again with chocolate chips.
GREAT!! That makes me happy! Thanks so much for letting me know!
These are possibly the best cookies I have ever baked!
YAY!! I love hearing that. They’re definitely a favorite of ours too and the WHOLE family loves them. 🙂 I hope you can find other recipes here on the site that you will love also. 🙂
Just wanted to drop you a note that I just made your cookies last night and they turned out so well! Used christmas m&ms and put them in the mailbox for the mail person. Thank you!
YAY!! So glad you liked them. And your mailman is a lucky person!! Have a very Merry Christmas!
Thank you for the recipe! I REALLY dislike making cookies, mostly because they never turn out for me. I prefer a nice chewy cookie, with a teeny crunch on the outside. And I haven’t found the perfect recipe yet. I think I have! These are DELICIOUS! I used the fall colored M&M’s. They’re perfectly chewy, with great flavor. Thanks!
Your comment made my day, Erica!! SO glad you like them. My hubby likes the cookies the same way as you… soft but a tid crunch on the outside. 🙂 I’m sure they looked great with the Fall Color M&Ms!! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I made these cookies for my wedding and they were awesome! I used them on my cookie and candy bar. I’ll be blogging about this recipe soon!
SO glad you liked them, Larissa. Be sure to send me the link once you blog about it. Would love to see it. 🙂
http://kitchenservings.blogspot.ca/
There! Got the post of the cookies up – so delicious!
I came across your blog on Thirty Handmade Days and I love your post!I would love it if you would drop by Jane Deere and link up to Fusion Fridays with your favorite or most recent recipes, handmade crafts, diy projects, tips & tricks, and how to's! { open through Wednesday! }Jane Deere
mmm mmm good. nothing better than a really yummy chewy cookie. I love your blog. I'm a new follower now and I'm gonna look around a bit at other posts cause their are so many good things. take care!kathrynwww.thedragonsfairytail.blogspot.com
Those people were so cute and don't you just love M&M cookies? They're fun and yum in your hand. 🙂
I've seen the link for that video before, but this was my first time watching. Love it!And those cookies look yummy!
I love that video! "You do more things on accident than most people do on purpose!" ha ha ha! Goes to show you don't change much on the inside as you get older.
Bwahaha! Love that video! And thanks for the ceiling fan tip. I totally need to do that. This summer when I turned our fan on my 3 year old said "What!? It's snowing inside!!" 🙂 Oops. (And gross, yes, I know.)
I just made some similar cookies. I LOVE cookies…but you know this. And i love OLD people too =)
Oh, no! I am sorry. I am not sure why they would have??
I haven’t had the dough too sticky, so I am sorry it was…3 cups is the perfect amount. I like to use vegetable oil when baking & the amount of m&m’s, depends on you. You really can’t go wrong. I like to use at least 1 cup or more.