Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies — If you’re looking for a new M&M’s cookie recipe, this is THE ONE! Soft, buttery, and irresistible M&M’s Christmas cookies!
M&M’s Christmas Cookies Recipe
Who can resist big M&M’s and chocolate chips staring back at you? I sure can’t. The cookies are very soft, slightly chewy, buttery, and loaded with M&M’s and plenty of chocolate chips for an extra chocolate boost.
If you’re looking for a new favorite M&M’s cookie recipe, you’re going to love this one.
I’m no stranger to M&M’s cookies and recipes, including Soft and Chewy M&M’s Cookies and Soft M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookies. I love both of those recipes and you can’t go wrong with either.
If you don’t have access to or want to use pudding mix, make the former. The former recipe uses cornstarch to keep the cookies softbatch-style soft, while the later incorporates pudding mix into the dough.
These homemade M&M’s cookies also use pudding mix because it adds a subtle yet wonderful depth of flavor and the texture of the dough is just wonderful to work with. And once you taste how perfectly soft and tender these cookies are, you’ll be glad you used it. If you don’t have pudding mix in your area, make one of the M&M’s cookie recipes that doesn’t use it.
For these cookies, I combined elements of Soft M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies to create one dozen cookies, exactly. Each cookie is pretty large, but if you need more than a dozen, double or triple the recipe.
They’re perfect holiday party cookies because they’re easy, festive, and just so good. They’ll disappear just as fast as Santa does.
What’s in Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies?
To make this chocolate chip M&M’s cookie recipe, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Instant vanilla pudding mix
- Baking soda
- Salt
- M&M’s
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies
Cream together the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Then, add the dry ingredients. Gently fold in the M&M’s and chocolate chips last.
Form the dough into 12 equal-sized mounds, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 3 hours.
Once the dough has chilled, bake until the edges have set and the tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before eating.
Should I Make the Pudding Mix First?
No! Add the pudding mix to the cookie dough like a dry ingredient, do NOT prepare it according to package instructions.
How to Store These Cookies
These chocolate chip M&M’s cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Tips for Making M&M’s Christmas Cookies
You want to use instant vanilla pudding mix for this homemade M&M’s cookies recipe, not cook and serve.
Likewise, I recommend using regular pudding mix and not sugar-free.
I prefer using a mixture of dark and light brown sugar in these cookies. The dark brown sugar in particular adds lots of flavor!
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Soft and Chewy M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed (I used 1/4 cup of light and 1/4 cup dark)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¾ cup M&M's, plus more for adding to dough mounds
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus more for adding to dough mounds
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars (highly recommend using some dark brown sugar), egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, pudding mix (just add it dry as if it’s a dry ingredient, do not actually make pudding), baking soda, salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the M&M's, chocolate chips, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 12 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Tip – Strategically place a few M&M's and chocolate chips on top of each mound of dough by taking M&M's and chips from the underside as well as adding more as necessary for a nice pop of color.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for about 10 to 11 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I’m not a fan of Silpats. Would using parchment paper be okay?
I always prefer Silpats to parchment because I feel like cookies spread less, but you can try it and see how things go.
This is wonderful!!!
I am extremely impressed!
They are soft, chewy, chocolatey and really good.
I found they came out the best after I let them chill for about a day in the fridge instead of just a few hours.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you are extremely impressed with the recipe! I always chill my cookies for a solid 12-24 hours, just based on my workflow, I prep dough usually late afternoon of one day and then don’t bake it until the morning/midday of the next but I realize lots of people don’t cook and plan like but yes I agree, longer is better if you can swing it :)
This is wonderful!!!
I am extremely impressed!
They are soft, chewy, chocolatey and really good.
I found they came out the best after I let them chill for about a day in the fridge instead of just a few hours.
Does it make a difference if you use sugar free vs regular pudding mix? Looking forward to trying these! I also ha e a smaller OXO scoop, how would you suggest adjusting baking time (if at all!) thanks!
I have only made it with regular rather than sugar free mix and I would stick with regular just so you know what you’re getting into.
If you’re using a smaller scoop, bake for less time; just keep an eye on them and pull them out as they are appearing to be done.
I’ve been experimenting with chocolate chip cookie recipes and this is by far the best. The cookies are delicious and stay soft and chewy for as long as I can keep them from being eaten!
Thanks for LMK you think these are the best! Glad they are a big hit for you!
i made these and they spread and turned out really flat . any suggestions. i made more of a medium cookie and chilled the dough overnight. not sure what happened?
https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Please read that post for all my cooking baking tips, i.e King Arthur, Silpat, etc.
These look amazing! Thanks for sharing!
This is just the happiest post!! All of the colorful candy used in various creative and classic ways is bringing out the little kid in me, and that kid is HUNGRY!
Need to try the pudding trick! Yum :)
Amazing recipe, Averie! These will definitely end up on a plate for Santa! Love all of your recipes :)
x
Amanda | http://www.thecoolyork.com
They all look so yummy! Perfect for the holidays <3
Hi, Averie. I just made your donut muffins last night and everyone had them for breakfast this morning! So yummy. Just a question. I always thought you had to chill chocolate chip cookie dough but I noticed you did not. What’s the difference between chilling & not chilling? I always thought if you didn’t chill the dough your cookie would be flat & spread more. Will that happen?
Glad you enjoyed the donut muffins!
Step 5 of this recipe I do call for chilling. Maybe you just missed that part. Because yes, always!!!! chill!
So festive! I like how you could make this for any holiday depending on the color of M&M’s you use.
These are so festive. I love M&M cookies. I don’t know if they would ever make it to a holiday party.
The things you do with M & Ms, Averie…and these are no exception. Soft-baked M & M cookies are completely irresistible. I can never eat just one!
If you show me anybody who can resist cookies with both M&Ms and chocolate chips… I’ll eat their serving too! ;) Especially around the holidays. It’s practically a sin to refuse cute chocolaty cookies like these — it just might end you up on Santa’s naughty list!