Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies That Melt in Your Mouth

These M&M cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges and packed with M&Ms. The recipe is quick and requires no chilling, so you can bake a fresh batch whenever the craving strikes. Add these irresistible cookies to your baking rotation.

This post was updated April 11, 2024 with new photos and updated recipe tips

Don’t assume M&M cookies are only for kids—though children certainly adore them. These soft, chewy cookies are a staple in my kitchen alongside classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and snickerdoodle cookies.

Why you’ll love these M&M cookies

• Perfect texture – Soft and chewy centers with slightly crisp edges. They’re thick enough to hold lots of M&Ms and chocolate chips without looking like cushions.
• Loaded with candy and chocolate – The crunchy candy shell and colorful dots make these cookies fun. Use regular or mini M&Ms and your preferred chocolate chips.
• Quick and easy – The recipe keeps steps to a minimum so you can mix dough without fuss.
• No chill required – Skip the refrigeration step and bake the dough right away.
• Freezes well – Both the dough balls and the baked cookies freeze beautifully. I like freezing dough balls so I can bake fresh cookies on demand.

Making the cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent the bottoms from burning.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamed.
   • Use butter that is softened but not melting. If it starts to melt, chill the dough before baking.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Start the mixer low and increase to combine.
   • Cornstarch helps make the cookies chewier.
   • If the dough is sticky when pinched, mix in 1–2 extra tablespoons of flour.
5. Turn off the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms by hand so the candy doesn’t break.
6. Form dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons each (a cookie scoop works well) and place them 1½–2 inches apart on the lined sheets.
7. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for about 8–11 minutes, until the tops are just set.
   • For flatter cookies, gently press the dough balls down before baking.
   • Removing cookies when the tops are only just set yields softer, chewier results than baking until golden.
8. As cookies cool, press a few extra M&Ms or chocolate chips into the tops for a prettier finish and more candy in every bite.

Want to freeze your cookies?

You can freeze either the dough or the baked cookies.

• Freeze dough: Shape dough into balls, place them in a freezer bag, seal tightly, and freeze. Bake from frozen at 350°F (180°C) on lined sheets; add about 1 minute to the bake time.
• Freeze baked cookies: Cool completely, layer with parchment between cookies in an airtight container, and freeze. To prevent freezer burn, you can pair cookie bottoms together and wrap in plastic before placing in the container. Thaw in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Try different M&M varieties—milk chocolate, peanut, almond, dark chocolate, or peanut butter—to change the flavor profile. These cookies are always crowd-pleasers.

Recipe details

Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies

These M&M cookies are soft, chewy, and generously sized. They bake up like bakery cookies and work with regular or mini M&Ms.

Equipment

• Cookie sheets

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (105 g), light or dark
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188 g), plus more if needed
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup M&Ms (85 g), regular or mini, plus extra for dotting tops
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (90 g), plus extra for dotting tops

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown and granulated sugars until creamy (about 2 minutes).
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Start the mixer low and increase to medium until combined. Pinch a bit of dough—if it sticks, beat in 1–2 more tablespoons of flour.
5. Turn off the mixer and stir in the M&Ms and chocolate chips by hand.
6. Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon balls and place about 2 inches (4–5 cm) apart on lined sheets.
7. Bake one sheet at a time in the center rack for 9–11 minutes, until the tops are just set.
8. Optionally press a few extra M&Ms and chocolate chips into the tops after baking.

Notes

1. Doubling: The recipe scales easily.
2. For larger cookies: Make 3-tablespoon balls and bake 12–14 minutes.
3. For thicker cookies: Chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to 48 hours before baking.
4. Freezing: Dough balls freeze up to 3 months; bake from frozen and add 1–2 minutes to bake time.
5. Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
6. Nutrition: Nutrition estimates are approximate and based on the recipe yield.