M&M Sugar Cookies

Sweet, fluffy and chock full of milk chocolate M&M’s, these sugar cookies are the ultimate treat and great for sharing. Use holiday M&Ms to make these a dessert for Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas and more! Makes 38 cookies.

Love homemade cookies? Don’t miss Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies and Funfetti Cookies!

M&M Cookies sit on a black plate next to glasses of milk on a pink countertop

This post originally appeared on My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor.

Whenever I have a bag of M&M’s at my house, much like I did recently, I want to use them in baked goods.

Which means we inevitably bake this beautiful M&M cookie recipe because, well, it’s the best way to enjoy them.

Why I love this recipe:

I adapted this recipe from Pinch of Yum years ago, and over the years, it’s transformed to a cross between their recipe and my ultimate Chocolate Chip cookies. I simply adore these fluffy sugar cookies studded with M&M’s.

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    Here are a few things that make this recipe stand out:

    • You don’t have to refrigerate the dough before baking. Hello, cookies being made and on the table in less than an hour!
    • You can transform it into a holiday cookie by using seasonal M&M’s. Hello, Christmas cookies, Valentine’s cookies and every holiday in between!
    • Unlike some M&M cookie recipes, we don’t add mini chocolate chips, nuts or peanut butter chips to the batter. However, if you want to do this, feel free!

    To be honest, these cookies remind me of the M&M Cookies we used to get at the grocery store when I was a kid.

    Other sweet treats that call for our favorite candies: Dessert Nachos (Halloween, Christmas, Easter Candy Leftover idea!)SNICKERS® Chunk CookiesM&M’s Red Velvet Brownie PopsValentine’s Day Dessert Board

    Looking for dessert inspiration? Head on over to my Dessert Recipe Index!

    Ingredients to make M&M sugar cookies in bowls sit on a white towel on top of a pink countertop

    What you need to make this M&M cookies recipe

    The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

    In addition to these tools, you need some ingredients to make this M&M sugar cookie recipe, too:

    • Unsalted butter
    • Granulated sugar
    • Dark brown sugar—because it has more molasses and gives a bit more depth to the brown sugar flavor. However, if you have light brown sugar, that works, too!
    • Eggs
    • Vanilla extract
    • All-purpose flour—we keep unbleached AP flour in our house, but the regular kind works here, too
    • Baking powder
    • Kosher salt
    • Milk Chocolate M&M’s—I used a combination of regular-sized M&Ms and mini ones. You can use whatever you have on hand!

    We love this recipe as it is, but there’s always something fun about making a twist on a classic, right? Here are a few add-ins you could add to your batter to make this recipe unique:

    • Mini chocolate chips—because who doesn’t love chocolate? I would add half chocolate chips and half M&M’s if doing this
    • Nuts—add these in addition to the milk chocolate M&Ms. ¼ cup will do the job!
    • Dark chocolate M&Ms—for those of you who enjoy a less sweet chocolate, just swap out the milk chocolate for dark chocolate!
    • Holiday M&M candies—to give holiday colors and transform these cookies into treats to share for Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and more!
    • Peanut Butter M&Ms—then these beauties are Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
    A collage of eight images showing how to make M&M cookie dough

    How do you make M&M cookies from scratch?

    This sugar cookie recipe is really quick to make because you don’t have to chill the batter after it comes together.

    Get your oven and baking sheet in order. Preheat the oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

    Cream the sugar and butter. In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large with a hand mixer), mix the softened butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

    Add the eggs and vanilla. Blend until smooth.

    Finish the cookie dough. Measure the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl, and blend on a low speed until it begins to come together. Turn up the speed until the batter is smooth and combined.

    Add the M&M’s milk chocolate candies. Stir them into the batter using a rubber spatula.

    Measure out the cookies. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet. Give them a little space so they can spread as they bake. If desired, press a few additional M&M’s into the tops of the cookies.

    Bake the cookies. Bake for 12-13 minutes. We don’t want these M&M sugar cookies to get golden brown because they’ll be too firm then. Keep an eye on them because we want them just set. Once done, remove from the oven, and let cool for a few minutes before enjoying.

    Close up of stacked M&M cookies next to a glass of milk

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    Gosh, aren’t these M&M sugar cookies simple perfect for an entertaining event? While they wouldn’t be decorated at a Cookie Decorating Party, you know these cookies would be gobbled up as guests decorated their cookies.

    Also, I really like the idea of using seasonal M&Ms to make these cookies for holidays because that’s fun.

    Here are a few ideas if you’re going to make these cookies for entertaining events, whether you’re hosting friends to watch a football game, having a playdate with your kids’ friends or maybe just having friends over for dinner:

    • Bake the cookies in advance. But keep an eye as you’re baking so that you take them out when they’re still gooey! You can always zap cookies in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to heat them up once they’re cooled off.
    • Add in different M&Ms for different flair. If you’re hosting guests for a holiday, feel free to use seasonal M&Ms to give the cookies some fun colors!
    • Freeze the cookie dough if you want to freshly bake them. I’ve written a whole post about how to freeze cookie dough, so check it out!
    M&M Cookies sit on a black plate and a white towel

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you use regular M&Ms for baking?

    Yes, you can! They bake up beautifully in this sugar cookie recipe.

    Do M&Ms melt when you bake them?

    The M&Ms in these cookies will get gooey in the middle, but they won’t spill out into the cookie dough as they bake. Meaning, when you take a bite of a still-warm cookie, you’ll taste the gooey M&Ms.

    Why are my cookies not flattening?

    You might have added too much flour to your M&M sugar cookie dough. I like this recipe because it strikes a balance between a super fluffy cookie and a flatter one, but if you’re partial to a flatter cookie, I suggest adding a little less flour.

    What does M&M stand for?

    Mars and Murrie

    Stacked cookies sit next to a glass of milk on a baking sheet

    Tips for making the best M&M Cookies

    • Don’t refrigerate the batter. I’ve found that the colors in the M&Ms sometimes bleeds if you do this, and anyway, don’t you want these cookies to bake up quickly?
    • Add different fillings to transform these M&M sugar cookies. Swap the regular M&Ms for peanut butter M&Ms to turn them into Peanut Butter M&M Cookies. Use half the M&Ms and throw in the same amount of mini chocolate chips for more chocolate! Add a handful of nuts to give these sugar cookies a nutty crunch.
    • To freeze these cookies, place cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Freeze for 3-4 hours, then transfer to a freezer-safe plastic baggie. They will keep for 2-3 months. To bake the frozen cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment, and remove a cookie or two from the oven. Bake for 15-16 minutes, just slightly longer than the original baking time because these cookies are frozen, and enjoy!

    More cookie recipes to try:

    bake better cookies!

    download our holiday cookie cheat sheet to build the perfect cookie platter this season. you’ll also get our best cookie recipes, baking tips, tricks and more!

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      M&M Cookies sit on a black plate next to glasses of milk on a pink countertop

      The Best M&M Cookies

      Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
      Sweet, fluffy and chock full of milk chocolate M&M's, these sugar cookies are the ultimate treat and great for sharing. Use holiday M&Ms to make these a dessert for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Independence Day, Christmas and more!
      5 from 1 vote
      Servings 38 cookies
      Calories 143 kcal
      Prep Time 20 minutes
      Cook Time 12 minutes
      Total Time 32 minutes

      Ingredients
        

      • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
      • 1 cup granulated sugar
      • ½ cup dark brown sugar
      • 2 eggs at room temperature
      • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
      • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
      • 1 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
      • 1 ¼ cups milk chocolate M&M’s

      As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Instructions
       

      • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
      • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large with a hand mixer), cream the softened butter, granulated sugar and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes.
      • Add the eggs to the batter, and measure in the vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
      • Next, measure the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Start blending on a low speed, then turn up the speed until the batter is smooth and combined.
      • Measure in the M&M’s (and any other additions you might want to add like mini chocolate chips, etc.) Stir them into the batter using a rubber spatula.
      • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, giving about 2" of space between each one so the dough can spread as it bakes. Press a few additional M&M’s on to the tops of the cookies.
      • Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the cookies are set, and remove from the oven.
      • Cool on a wire cooling rack, and then enjoy!

      Notes

      I used a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to make these cookies, and the recipe yielded 38 total cookies. If you use a smaller scoop or a larger one, you will have a different number of cookies in the end.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1cookieCalories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 79mgSugar: 11g
      Keyword baking recipe, cookies, dessert, M&M’s
      Course Desserts & Sweet Treats
      Cuisine American
      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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      About the Author:

      Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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