Irresistible Jumbo Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies: Your Ultimate Guide to Sweet Perfection
There’s something truly magical about a warm, freshly baked cookie, and when that cookie is loaded with both classic chocolate chips and colorful M&M candies, it becomes an instant favorite. These **Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies** are a beloved staple in our home, cherished for their effortless preparation, generous amounts of sweet mix-ins, and our preferred jumbo size. They evoke a similar comforting feeling to our Monster Cookies, but offer a distinct texture by omitting the oats. What makes them even more special is their versatility; with a simple swap of M&M colors, you can effortlessly tailor them to suit any holiday or special occasion, making them a festive treat year-round.
The Magic of Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies: A Recipe Everyone Loves
These cookies are an absolute triumph with children, but let’s be honest – adults are equally smitten! Our **Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies recipe** strikes the perfect balance between classic comfort and playful indulgence. The combination of melty chocolate chips and the satisfying crunch of M&M candies creates a textural and flavor experience that’s hard to resist. The true beauty of these cookies lies in their adaptability, especially for seasonal celebrations. Imagine a batch of vibrant red and green M&M cookies for Christmas, or pastel-colored delights for Easter. It’s a simple yet effective way to add a personalized touch to your holiday baking, making these treats a festive centerpiece for any gathering.
EXPERT TIP: Create festive patriotic cookies by substituting standard M&Ms with red, white, and blue M&Ms! The core recipe remains wonderfully consistent, ensuring delicious results every time. This simple change allows you to celebrate national holidays with a touch of sweet, homemade pride.
Gather Your Ingredients: What You’ll Need for the Best M&M Cookies
Crafting these delectable **homemade M&M cookies** requires a few basic baking staples, easily found in any pantry. The quality of your ingredients plays a significant role in the final texture and flavor of your cookies, so always opt for fresh butter and eggs for the best results.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour provides the structure, while baking soda acts as a leavening agent, ensuring a soft and chewy texture. A touch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Wet ingredients: Unsalted butter (softened to perfection) is crucial for a rich flavor and helps in creaming. A blend of brown sugar and granulated sugar contributes to both chewiness and crisp edges, creating a harmonious texture. Large eggs bind everything together and add moisture, while vanilla extract infuses a warm, inviting aroma.
- Mix-ins: Generous amounts of classic chocolate chips create pools of melted chocolate throughout the cookie, and of course, M&M candies add their signature colorful crunch and delightful chocolatey taste. Don’t forget a few extra M&Ms for topping before baking to make them extra visually appealing!
Baking Tips for Perfect M&M Cookies Every Time
Achieving bakery-quality **jumbo M&M cookies** at home is easier than you think with these simple, yet effective baking tips:
- Proper Storage for Freshness: To keep your **easy M&M cookies** soft and delicious, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This prevents them from drying out and maintains their delightful chewiness.
- Freezing Cookie Dough for Future Cravings: Don’t bake all your dough at once! This cookie dough freezes exceptionally well, making it perfect for quick, freshly baked treats anytime. Scoop the dough into individual balls (we recommend using a 3-tablespoon scoop for jumbo cookies), then flash freeze them on a baking sheet until firm. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
- The Importance of Softened Butter: “Softened butter” means your butter should be pliable, but not melted. Take it out of the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes before you plan to use it. Butter that’s too cold won’t cream properly with the sugars, leading to a denser cookie, while butter that’s too warm or melted can result in flat, greasy cookies. It should yield slightly when pressed but still hold its shape.
- Room Temperature Eggs: Just like butter, bringing your eggs to room temperature is crucial. Cold eggs don’t emulsify as well with the butter and sugar, which can affect the overall texture and rise of your cookies. Simply set them out on the counter alongside your butter for about 20 minutes before baking.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to tough, rather than tender, cookies. A light hand will ensure a perfectly soft and chewy M&M cookie.
How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
Making these **M&M cookies from scratch** is a straightforward process that yields incredibly satisfying results. Follow these steps for perfect, chewy, and colorful cookies:
To begin, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, preferably using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. Next, beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing until everything is well combined and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed just until the flour streaks disappear. Be careful not to overmix! Finally, gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s using a spatula or by hand. This ensures the candies are evenly distributed without crushing them.
- Using a large cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop (approximately 3 Tablespoons for the jumbo size), drop rounded mounds of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. For an extra pop of color and visual appeal, gently press a few additional M&M’s onto the top of each cookie dough ball before baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Overbaking can lead to dry cookies, so keep a close eye on them!
- Once baked, allow the **homemade M&M cookies** to cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. This brief cooling period helps them firm up and prevents them from breaking when transferred. After 2 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy them warm with a glass of milk, or once cooled!
Holiday and Seasonal M&M Cookie Variations
One of the most delightful aspects of these **best M&M cookies** is their incredible versatility, especially when it comes to celebrating holidays! Keeping an eye out for holiday-specific M&M colors in stores is a fantastic way to customize your batches. Imagine the possibilities:
- Christmas: Red and green M&Ms create a perfectly festive cookie.
- Valentine’s Day: Pink, red, and white M&Ms are ideal for a sweet declaration of love.
- Easter: Pastel-colored M&Ms bring a spring-like cheer to your dessert table.
- St. Patrick’s Day: Green M&Ms are a must for a touch of luck.
- Fourth of July: As mentioned, red, white, and blue M&Ms transform these into patriotic treats.
- Halloween: Orange, black (often found in special Halloween mixes), and purple M&Ms make for spooky delights.
This simple trick allows you to create a unique and themed dessert for virtually any occasion, making these **M&M cookies** a true year-round favorite. You can also experiment with different types of chocolate chips, like white chocolate or dark chocolate, to further personalize your batches.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
Here are some common questions to help you bake the most delicious **Chocolate Chip M&M cookies**:
- How do I store M&M cookies to keep them fresh?
Once completely cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze baked cookies (see below).
- Can I freeze M&M cookie dough?
Absolutely! Freezing the dough is a fantastic way to prepare ahead. Scoop the dough into individual balls, then arrange them on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about an hour until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake, adding 2-4 minutes to the original baking time, or until golden brown.
- What kind of M&Ms are best for cookies?
Regular plain M&Ms work wonderfully for their classic crunch and chocolate flavor. However, feel free to experiment with peanut M&Ms, peanut butter M&Ms, or any holiday-themed M&Ms to add different flavors and colors.
- My cookies came out flat. What went wrong?
Flat cookies can be caused by several factors: your butter might have been too soft or melted, your oven temperature might be too low, or you might have overmixed the dough (which deflates air). Ensure your butter is softened but still cool, your oven is preheated to the correct temperature (an oven thermometer can help!), and you mix the dry ingredients just until combined.
- How can I make my M&M cookies chewier?
For chewier cookies, ensure you use a good balance of brown sugar (which adds moisture and chewiness) to granulated sugar. Also, slightly underbaking them (removing them when the edges are set but the centers are still a bit soft) will result in a chewier final product once cooled.
- Can I make smaller cookies with this recipe?
Yes, you can! If you prefer smaller cookies, use a smaller cookie scoop (e.g., 1.5 Tablespoons) and reduce the baking time to about 6-8 minutes, keeping an eye on them for golden edges.
- Is it necessary to use silicone baking mats or parchment paper?
While not strictly necessary (you can grease your baking sheets), silicone mats or parchment paper are highly recommended. They prevent sticking, promote even baking, and make cleanup much easier, ensuring your **easy M&M cookies** come off the tray perfectly.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re a fan of these **jumbo M&M cookies**, be sure to explore some of our other fantastic cookie and bar recipes:
- Classic Big Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Hearty Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Decadent Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Bars
- Irresistible Magic Bars (Seven Layer Bars)
- Campfire-Inspired S’mores Cookies
- Famous Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup M&M’s candies plus more for top of cookies
Things You’ll Need
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Stand mixer
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Measuring cups and spoons
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Ice cream scoop
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Insulated baking sheets
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Silicone baking mat
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Wire cooling racks
Before You Begin
- Check stores for M&M holiday specific colors. This is a great way to change things up for specific holidays!
- You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- This dough will freeze well. I like to scoop out the dough first, flash freeze the balls, then place the frozen balls into a freezer bag.
- Softened butter means you should take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before using it. You don’t want it too soft.
- For best baking results, bring the eggs out at the same time as the butter.
- We used a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
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In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars for 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
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Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s.
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Using a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop (about 3 Tablespoons), scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Place extra M&M’s on the top of the cookies.
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Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are light golden brown.
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Allow cookies to cool on pan for 2 minutes, and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.