Double Chocolate M&M Cookies with Chunks

Soft and chewy Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies are a playful chocolate treat packed with M&M's and chunks of dark chocolate. This easy recipe skips the dough chilling, so you can bake them any time of year!

Why You'll Love It

These double chocolate chunk M&M cookies grew out of a question from a reader, who asked whether chocolate pudding mix could replace the vanilla in my Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies recipe.

This simple cookie recipe skips the chilling step! They taste chocolatey with a touch of brown sugar, stay very soft in the middle with a crisp edge, and are packed with chunks of chocolate and M&M candies. They're great for sharing with friends, family, and neighbors!

You can also freeze the scooped dough for later. When a chocolate craving hits, grab a few frozen dough balls and bake them straight from the freezer!

Dig in!

What You'll Need

The ingredients in the photo below go into these soft double chocolate pudding cookies. The items in the bullet list need a bit more explanation.

• All-Purpose Flour. I always reach for King Arthur, hands down.
• Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding Mix. Use the powder for this recipe and skip making the pudding. Check that the box reads “Instant Pudding and Pie Filling” rather than “Cook and Serve Pudding and Pie Filling.”
• Unsalted Butter. The first time I shared this recipe I used vegetable shortening. That works fine, but I like butter better.
• Vanilla Extract. You could also try vanilla paste. It has a more concentrated flavor, and you can spot the vanilla bean specks in the dough.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate bars cut into small pieces work too. I used Ghirardelli, one of my favorite brands, but go with whatever you have on hand!
• Sea Salt Flakes. This optional topping goes on the cookies right before they bake. Don't mix them up with table salt. Malden makes sea salt flakes that are very good.

The quantities and full steps are in the recipe card below.

Substitutions

• Pudding Mix. You can swap the chocolate fudge instant pudding for the regular chocolate version or for the substitute mix below. You can also leave it out completely, though the cookies will turn out differently.
• Chopped Chocolate. Instead of chopping a bar, use chocolate chips or pick up a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chunks from Trader Joe's. That saves you the chopping. I used their chunks for this recipe.
• M&Ms. Use the original colors or any holiday shades you like. For this recipe I suggest sticking with the plain ones.

Chocolate Instant Pudding Substitute

If you can't find chocolate instant pudding mix where you live, try this recipe instead.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Nonfat Dry Milk
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Powder
• 3/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions

1. Whisk everything together in a mixing bowl, then keep it in an airtight container.
2. Measure out 1 1/8 cups (110 grams) of this homemade instant pudding mix for the Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies.

For a homemade vanilla instant pudding mix, see my Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

How to Make the Recipe

Here is a quick overview of how these easy double chocolate chunk M&M cookies come together. For the full printable recipe, which works in US customary or metric units via the toggle switch, see the recipe card below.

Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and chocolate fudge instant pudding mix.

Step 2. Beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined.

Step 3. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 4. Pour the whisked dry ingredients into the bowl and mix on low until a dough forms.

Step 5. Fold in the chopped chocolate and M&Ms using a spatula.

Step 6. Scoop the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball.

Step 7. Bake at 375ºF for 8-10 minutes. The bottoms should look lightly browned, and the outside should feel a little crisp.

Step 8. Take them out of the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then move them to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Storage and Freezing Tips

To store, keep the chocolate chip pudding cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For extra softness, tuck a slice of bread into the container.

To freeze, scoop the dough onto a parchment- or wax-paper-lined baking sheet, placing the balls close together. Freeze until solid, then move them to a freezer-safe bag or container. There's no need to thaw before baking. Set the frozen dough on a parchment-lined sheet, bake as directed, and add an extra minute if needed.

Shaping the Cookies

Stella Parks of Brave Tart shared the best trick for round, even cookies. Follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Right when the cookies come out of the oven, leave them on the hot baking sheet.
2. Set a round cookie cutter a bit bigger than the cookie over it. A mug or small bowl works too, as long as it's wider than the cookie. The drawback of a mug or bowl is that you can't see the cookie inside.
3. Turn the cutter in a circle around the cookie until it forms a neat round shape. This takes me about 5-8 seconds. It makes the cookies a little smaller but thicker.

Helpful Tips

• Be sure the pudding box says “Instant Pudding and Pie Filling,” not “Cook and Serve Pudding and Pie Filling.”
• Slide a spatula under the cookies to move them to the cooling rack, since they're very soft.
• If chocolate instant pudding isn't sold near you, use the substitute from this post or skip it. Its job in this recipe is to add moisture and flavor.
• If the cookies spread a lot while baking, shape them into thicker rounds with a round cookie cutter. Do this right after they leave the oven.
• When shaping with a cookie cutter, hold the hot baking sheet with an oven mitt on the hand you aren't using for the cutter. That sheet just came out of the oven and it is VERY HOT!
• To keep the cookies extra soft, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The cookies pull moisture from the bread and stay nice and soft.
• Baked cookies come out about 3 inches across without a cutter, or roughly 2 1/2 inches with one.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the purpose of adding instant pudding mix to cookies?

Instant pudding adds moisture and flavor to cookies.

What can I use in place of the instant chocolate pudding mix?

I've included a homemade version above as a substitute. You can also leave it out, but remember its role is to add moisture and flavor, and skipping it changes the texture.

How long should I leave the cookies on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack?

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They're very soft, so use a spatula.

Can you freeze chocolate pudding cookies?

Yes! To freeze, scoop the dough onto a parchment- or wax-paper-lined sheet with the balls close together. Freeze until solid, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake without thawing on a parchment-lined sheet, adding an extra minute if necessary.

If you make these Double Chocolate Chunk M&M Cookies or anything else from my site, please leave a star rating and tell me how they turned out in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!