Crispy M&M Cookies

These thin and crispy m&m cookies match the bite of the candy shells. Don’t forget to press extra M&Ms into the cookies when you pull them out of the oven, so they have just the right amount of chocolate.

I love cookies and have always loved them, so it’s pretty tough for me to pick a favorite.

If I was forced to rank them, I would say:

1. Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2. Peanut Butter Cookies
3. Crispy M&M Cookies

Having a throwback moment, I decided to revisit that 3^rd place cookie.

I first shared the recipe for crispy M&M cookies way back in 2014 in the early days of Last Ingredient.

My husband is a big fan of M&M cookies, so they are on my regular baking rotation. With his birthday the other week, I baked them instead of a cake. And he was very happy about that!

Crispy M&M Cookies Are The Best!

In that batch (and a few more), I tweaked the recipe increasing the yield to 3 dozen cookies and adjusting the baking soda and baking powder to maximize the crispness.

Cookie bite and texture are very personal. I like these cookies crisp because they match the crunch and snap of the candy shells.

Baking Tip: Getting the M&Ms To Show On The Cookies

One of the trickiest things about M&M cookies and any cookie with a special ingredient that’s mixed in, is to getting those chips or nuts to show on the surface of the baked cookies.

How frustrating is it when you can’t see the M&Ms in your cookies even after you carefully arranged them on top before they went in the oven?

I wait and press M&Ms into the cookies right when I take them out of the oven. M&Ms tend to crack in the heat then they are baked in the oven anyway.

It’s a total food stylist trick that works

Are those late addition M&Ms as secure as the ones baked in? No. But if you store them flat, stacked candy side up, you will only lose a few.

Then once the cookies are all eaten, you can take comfort in the loose M&Ms that fell into the bottom of the container.

The Ingredients

This is what you need for this M&M cookies recipe:

• Flour: The recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Butter: The butter should be at room temperature.
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs
• M&Ms: You will end up stirring some of the M&Ms into the batter. Then you can press the rest into the tops of the cookies right when they come out of the oven.

How To Make Crispy M&M Cookies

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

Then combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. They include all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Next, it’s on to the wet ingredients. It is very important that the butter is soft and at room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar. This will take about 5 minutes to get the mixture pale and fluffy.

After that, you can beat in the vanilla extract and eggs. Once they are fully combined, mix in the dry ingredients.

And then stir in most of the M&Ms, but not all of them.

Drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared sheet pans. You will need to space the cookies out because they will spread. Remember, they turnout thin and crispy.

Then bake the cookies in batches until they are golden brown. When the sheet pans come out of the oven, press additional M&Ms on the tops of the cookies.

Let the cookies stay on the pans for 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cool.

How To Store The Cookies

You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Can You Freeze M&M Cookies?

Yes! When I know we won’t finish eating a batch, I put them in a bag in the freezer. I like to thaw them just by putting a few out on a plate. They don’t take long to thaw.

And I admit, these cookies are thin, so I even like eating them straight from the freezer!

Can You Freeze The Cookie Dough?

If you are going to freeze the dough, I recommend portioning it out. Freeze those dough balls on a wax paper-lined plate or sheet pan first. Then you can put them in a container in the freezer.

When you bake the frozen dough, it will take longer.

Crispy M&M Cookies

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
• Total Time: 27-29 minutes
• Yield: 36 cookies 1x

These thin and crispy M&M cookies match the bite of the candy shells. Don’t forget to press extra M&Ms into the cookies when you pull them out of the oven, so they have just the right amount of chocolate.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 cups M&Ms
  

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs until fully incorporated. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in 1-1/2 cup M&Ms.
4. Drop the dough by the scant 1/4-cup spacing 3-inches apart on the sheet pans.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Press the remaining M&Ms into the tops of the warm cookies immediately when you take them out of the oven.
5. Cool on the cookies on the sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

These cookies can be frozen after they are baked. Just thaw them at room temperature.

You can also freeze the dough. Freeze portioned out dough balls on a wax paper-lined plate or sheet pan before putting them in a container.

• Author: Paige Adams
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
• Total Time: 27-29 minutes
• Yield: 36 cookies 1x