M&M Christmas Cookies: Thick, Chewy, and Foolproof

I made these m&m christmas cookies at 9 PM on a Tuesday because I found a half-empty bag of red and green M&Ms hiding behind the flour, and not baking with them felt like a personal failure. My first batch came out flat as frisbees because I used butter that was basically soup, and I may have cried a little. Then I fixed it.

These thick and chewy m&m christmas cookies stay soft for days. You cream butter with brown and granulated sugar, mix in eggs and vanilla, add flour, baking soda, and salt, then fold in M&Ms. Scoop 2-tablespoon dough balls, press extra M&Ms on top, and bake them at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. They work well for a cookie exchange, potluck, or Christmas cookie platter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No chilling required: Mix, scoop, and bake in under 30 minutes.
• Thick and chewy: The cookies stay tall and soft instead of spreading flat.
• Kid-friendly chaos: Children can press M&Ms onto the dough balls.
• Budget-friendly: Basic pantry staples and one bag of holiday M&Ms create a large batch.
• Cookie exchange ready: Red and green M&Ms add color to a Christmas cookie platter.

Tools You’ll Need

Nothing fancy, I promise.

• Cookie scoop: Use a 1.5-tablespoon scoop for uniform cookies. Two spoons work if you do not mind sticky fingers.
• Stand mixer or hand mixer: Cream the butter and sugars easily.
• Baking sheets: Use light-colored aluminum sheets for even baking. Dark nonstick sheets brown the bottoms faster.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened – Softened means you can press a fingerprint into it, not melted. Melted butter equals flat cookies, and I learned that the hard way.
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar – Pack it like you mean it. This is where the chew comes from.
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar – Helps with browning and a little crisp edge.
• 2 large eggs – Room temperature if you can, but cold works in a pinch. Just add a minute to mixing.
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – Real vanilla, not imitation, if you have it. It makes a difference.
• 3 cups all-purpose flour – Spoon and level it. Scooping straight from the bag can pack in an extra half cup, making dry cookies.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda – Make sure it is fresh. Old baking soda is a silent cookie killer.
• 1 teaspoon salt – Balances the sweet. Do not skip it.
• 1 1/2 cups M&Ms – Red and green for Christmas, but any color works. Save some for pressing on top.

How To Make M&M Christmas Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you skip the parchment, you will be scrubbing later, and nobody wants that.

1. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. If it looks a little grainy, keep going. It will come together.
2. Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl so you do not leave a streak of butter at the bottom.
3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This step seems boring but it prevents salty pockets.
4. Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low until just combined. Do not overmix, or you will get tough cookies. A few flour streaks are fine.
5. Fold in M&Ms: Gently stir in 1 cup of the M&Ms with a spatula. The dough will be thick, so use some muscle.
6. Scoop and decorate: Scoop 2-tablespoon balls onto the prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. Press a few extra M&Ms on top of each dough ball. This makes them look bakery-worthy.
7. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They will continue to cook on the hot pan. If you wait until they look fully done, they will be crunchy.
8. Cool: Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Try not to eat them all before they cool. I dare you.

Perfect Pairings

These go perfectly with a cold glass of milk, but do not let that stop you from getting creative.

• A cold glass of milk balances the sweet cookies.
• Hot cocoa with extra marshmallows doubles the chocolate flavor.
• A game day spread makes the cookies disappear faster than chips and dip.
• A Christmas cookie platter gains a pop of color beside gingerbread.

M&M Christmas Cookies

These m&m christmas cookies combine 1 cup softened butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, vanilla, 3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups M&Ms. You scoop 2-tablespoon dough balls, press extra M&Ms on top, and bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Make these m&m christmas cookies for a cookie exchange, potluck, or Christmas cookie platter when you need thick and chewy m&m christmas cookies.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 24 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 266

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar ((packed))
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ((more if desired))
• 1 cup Christmas M&M’s ((more for tops if desired))

Equipment

• Cookie scoop
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Baking sheets

Method

 

1. Preheat the Oven

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugars

   In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. If the mixture still looks slightly grainy, continue beating until it becomes well combined and creamy.
3. Add the Eggs and Vanilla

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure no butter remains stuck at the bottom.
4. Whisk the Dry Ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. This helps prevent pockets of baking soda or salt in the finished cookies.
5. Combine the Ingredients

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cookies tough. A few streaks of flour are fine at this stage.
6. Fold in the M&Ms

   Add 1 cup of M&Ms to the dough and gently fold them in using a spatula until evenly distributed. The dough will be quite thick, so take your time to incorporate the candies without overmixing.
7. Scoop and Decorate

   Scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Press a few extra M&Ms onto the top of each dough ball for a colorful, bakery-style finish.
8. Bake the Cookies

   Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underdone. The cookies will continue baking on the hot baking sheet after you remove them from the oven. Avoid waiting until the centers look completely firm, as this can make the cookies crunchy.
9. Cool

   Let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.