M&M Cookies

Perhaps the greatest combination of all time, M&M Cookies are part cookie, part candy, and completely delicious. Make a triple batch, freeze the dough, and you'll have a colorful, sweet treat anytime you need it.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook Time 30

Total Time 20

Servings cookies

Calories 143kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter at room temperature (1 stick, see note 1)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see note 2)
1 cup M&M candies plus more for studding the outside of dough balls (see note 3)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Adjust oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a medium bowl or on to a piece of parchment paper, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In an electric mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer on high speed, cream butter until pale and fluffy. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until the mixture is smooth (not gritty when you rub between your thumb and finger).
Add egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the flour mixture in batches (about 1 cup at a time) and mix on low speed until just blended. Add the M&Ms and stir by hand until just combined. If you put the M&Ms in a standing mixer, even on low speed, they will get crushed and broken in the dough. (Optional: If it's hot in your kitchen, consider chilling the cookie dough for 20 minutes or so. If the dough is too soft, your cookies will spread too much. )
Working with 1 heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and lay on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (I use the OXO medium cookie scoop, a size 40 portioner, and do 12 scoops of dough per baking sheet). If desired, press extra M&Ms into the outside of each dough ball.
Bake until the cookies are starting to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove baking sheets from oven and carefully drop (more like slam) baking sheets on counter to remove air bubbles from cookies.
Return to oven and bake 2 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

Butter: Cold butter usually softens up in about 30 minutes when left out at room temperature (much longer if frozen). To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power (that’s ten percent!) for 1 minute. Afterwards, gently press on the butter with your finger. If still too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
Vanilla extract: You can make your own vanilla if you want to.
M&M candies: Substitute Reeses Pieces, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts. For chocolate chips, add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the dough, then press 3-5 M&M candies on the outside of each cookie ball just before baking.
Room temperature ingredients: The butter should be soft. Take the eggs out about an hour before you need them, or warm them up quickly in a glass of hot tap water. If you store flour in the freezer, measure it and leave it out for awhile until it isn’t cold anymore.
Preheat the oven. Make sure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature before baking. This is true with almost everything, but especially cookies.
Sift dry ingredients: This is so the baking soda, baking powder, and salt can get distributed evenly within the flour. Also, here’s how to measure and sift flour properly so your baking recipes shine every time.
Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3 or 4 days.
Make ahead: Wrap the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to bake, portion the dough as usual and bake.
Freezing cookie dough: Portion the dough into balls and freeze by arranging the balls in a single layer on a tray or plate that can fit into the freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer into a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the kind of cookie dough, baking temperature and cooking time in the recipe, and the date you made the dough. Bake the frozen cookies straight from the freezer in a 350-degree oven, increasing the baking time by a couple of minutes.

Nutrition