M&M Christmas Cookies
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These easy M&M Christmas cookies have everything you want in a holiday cookie – they’re soft, chewy, and perfectly chocolatey. Made from scratch using simple ingredients, you can make a big batch in just 30 minutes. They’re perfect for sharing and for leaving out for Santa! Definitely my go-to for delicious, comforting, fuss-free Christmas cookies.
I’ve mentioned a couple of times here on the blog that the center of my holiday spread every year is a festive cookie tray. I just love baking all sorts of Christmas cookies and treats, from 3-ingredient shortbread cookies to almond crescent cookies. The kids’ favorite? M&M Christmas cookies! Because who wouldn’t want their favorite chocolate candy inside delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cookies? Plus, these are their cookies of choice for Santa’s treat plate.
As the baker, I love that I’m able to make a big batch of these quickly and easily. The red and green M&Ms are so fun and look gorgeous on my cookie tray! They’re also great for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or for gifting. At home, we enjoy these cookies warm with a mug of peppermint hot chocolate during the holidays, but we also love it with a glass of milk for the rest of the year.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: The recipe is beginner-friendly and comes together with simple steps, making it great for kids to help out. No freezing cookie dough required!
- Perfectly chocolatey: M&Ms and chocolate chips in one cookie? Yes please.
- Soft and chewy: These cookies have soft centers and crisp edges, and the crisp M&Ms and gooey chocolate chips make them even more delightful.
- Kid-approved: The vibrant M&Ms and buttery sweetness make these cookies irresistible to little ones (and grown-ups too!).
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the dough in advance and bake fresh cookies on demand for stress-free holiday baking.
- Gift-worthy: These cookies make the perfect homemade edible gift for the holidays, and year-round. Anyone would love to receive a box of these delicious cookies.
How to Make M&M Christmas Cookies
Christmas M&M cookies are one of the easiest festive cookies you can make. They’re a fun holiday upgrade to classic chocolate chip cookies and a batch is guaranteed to be the first to disappear at any of your gatherings. Prep time is only 15 minutes, and they bake like a dream in the oven!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter: Makes the cookies richer and creates that perfect chewy texture. I use unsalted butter since we will be adding salt separately.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps create crisp edges.
- Packed brown sugar: For softer cookies with a slight caramel flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor of the cookies by adding a subtle sweetness that complements the chocolate. It will make your kitchen smell amazing while baking, too!
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the cookies’ tender texture.
- M&Ms: I use red and green M&M’s for that festive pop of color. Choose your favorite flavor – milk chocolate, dark chocolate, peanut, peanut butter, almond, or pretzel.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Add bursts of melty, chocolatey goodness to every bite.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ready for some fun, festive, chocolatey goodness? These Christmas M&M cookies are super easy to whip up and perfect for little helpers in the kitchen, they’ll love adding the colorful M&Ms and sneaking a few in the process.
Simply mix the dry ingredients, then the wet, combine, and bake. It can’t get easier!
Step 1: Prep
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the Christmas M&Ms and semi-sweet chocolate chips, if using.
Step 5: Bake
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Substitutions
No special grocery runs are needed for this recipe since it only calls for familiar, easy-to-find ingredients. In case you’re missing any or prefer to use alternatives, simply substitute with these:
- All-purpose flour: Swap out the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies gluten-free without sacrificing texture.
- Butter: I use and recommend unsalted butter because it gives me control over the amount of salt I put in the recipe. If unavailable, use the same amount of salted butter, but omit the added salt. You can also replace with margarine or coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- Packed brown sugar: Prefer to use a substitute for brown sugar? Coconut sugar or dark sugar (demerara) are great options.
- Vanilla extract: Almond extract for a nutty twist or maple extract for added warmth.
- M&Ms: Use regular M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, or holiday-themed sprinkles for variety.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Try white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, or even chopped peppermint bark for a seasonal twist.
Expert Tips
- Freeze the M&Ms: Worried about the M&Ms cracking while in the oven? Freeze the chocolate beforehand or use mini M&Ms which are less likely to crack because of their size. Alternatively, add additional M&Ms to the tops of each baked cookie right after baking, before they fully set.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Mixing until just combined will help make the cookies remain thick and perfectly chewy instead of flat and crispy!
- Chill the Dough: If your dough feels too soft or sticky, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Make it uniform: If your cookies stretch into odd shapes while baking, simply place a round cookie cutter or wide jar around the warm cookie straight from the oven and gently turn it around the edges of the cookie to push it into a more uniform shape.
- Customize for any holiday: Use different colored M&Ms to match other holidays or celebrations!
How to Store This Recipe
Place baked M&M Christmas cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days, preferably somewhere cool. If you want to store longer, place in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month.
If you want to freeze the dough to bake later, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze. Once firm, transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
What to Serve with Christmas M&M Cookies
Serve and enjoy your festive Christmas M&M cookies with a glass of milk or your favorite hot or cold holiday beverages. They’re great with creamy coffees, teas, an eggnog martini or a frozen cranberry margarita. Serve with a fruit platter or as part of a holiday dessert spread. For extra indulgence, crumble the cookies over vanilla ice cream or serve with a whipped cream or marshmallow fluff dip.
More Easy Christmas Treats To Try
- 3-ingredient peanut butter blossoms
- Saltine toffee (Xmas crack)
- 3-ingredient fudge
- Cinnamon palmiers
- Peppermint ice cream
If you make these Christmas M&M cookies, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Christmas M&M Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups Christmas M&M’s red and green
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the Christmas M&M’s and semi-sweet chocolate chips, if using.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Freeze the M&Ms beforehand or use mini M&Ms if you’re worried about the chocolate cracking in the oven. You can also add more M&Ms to the tops of each baked cookie right after baking, before they fully set.
- Mixing until just combined will help make the cookies remain thick and perfectly chewy instead of flat and crispy.
- If your dough feels too soft or sticky, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- If your cookies stretch into odd shapes while baking, simply place a round cookie cutter or wide jar around the warm cookie straight from the oven and gently turn it around the edges of the cookie to push it into a more uniform shape.
- Use different colored M&Ms to match other holidays or celebrations!
