Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

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Last Updated on March 22, 2026 by Kiersten James

Soft and chewy chocolate chip M&M cookies with crisp edges, soft centers, and the perfect mix of melted chocolate and colorful candy.

These are the same chocolate chip cookies I always make, just with M&Ms added in. Same soft, chewy texture, just a little more fun.

If you need something quick to make with your kids that doesn’t require a lot of steps or extra ingredients, this is it.

You can mix the dough, let them handle the candy, and have a tray of cookies in the oven in no time.

Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

• Soft, chewy centers with just enough crisp on the edges
• Big, bakery-style appearance
• Easy enough to make with kids without destroying the kitchen
• Holds up well for school snacks, playdates, or packing treats on the go
• Bright, colorful cookies that look great when you set them out on platters

Ingredients You’ll Be Using:

All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies structure without making them cakey.

Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread and gives them those golden edges.

Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out the chocolate.

Unsalted butter: This is where the richness comes from. Make sure it’s softened (firm but can be indented with your finger), not mushy or melting. If the butter is too warm, the cookies will spread too much and bake up like flat pancakes.

Light brown sugar: Keeps the cookies soft and chewy.

White sugar: Helps create crisp edges.

Egg: Binds everything together and adds moisture.

Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor – everything is better with vanilla.

Chocolate chips: Including them in the recipe elevates it from a homemade cookie to a bakery-style cookie. Don’t skip them!

M&Ms: Add crunch and color. Use full-size, standard M&Ms, not the minis.

Tips for the Best M&M Cookies Ever

Use BOTH chocolate chips and M&Ms

If you use all M&Ms, the cookies will lose their bakery-style, melted-chocolate texture.

Press extra M&Ms on top before baking

Otherwise, they will disappear into the dough during baking. If you forget, you can gently press them in immediately after removing them from the oven.

Don’t overbake

The centers should still look slightly soft (almost raw) when you pull them out of the oven.

*If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping so the cookies don’t spread too much.

If you just want a classic version, make my soft chocolate chip cookies. Same base dough, just without the candy.

If you like them thicker, go with my Levain-style chocolate chip cookies. And if you don’t feel like scooping dough, the chocolate chip cookie bars are easier.

How to Make Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

Equipment:

• Stand Mixer
• Paddle Attachment
• LIFE CHANGING flour funnel my husband got for me
• Cookie Scoop (medium 2 tablespoon size)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup standard-sized M&Ms, plus extra for topping

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Mix in the egg and vanilla extract on low speed until fully combined.

Add the flour mixture a little at a time. Mix on the lowest speed until the white of the flour is no longer visible. You will smooth everything out by hand when you fold in the chocolate.

Fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms with a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Scoop dough into balls (I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop) and place on the baking sheet 3″ apart – no more than 6 per baking sheet.

Press a few extra M&Ms onto the tops of each dough ball. If you forget, you can gently press them in immediately after removing them from the oven.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking, until the edges are set and the centers are still soft. They will look underdone in the middle, but will finish setting on the cookie sheet.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack.

Storage & Freezing:

You can freeze the dough balls and bake them straight from the freezer when you are in a pinch for time.

1. Scoop dough onto a baking tray
2. Freeze until solid
3. Store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months
4. Bake from frozen at the same temperature, adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time.

If you’re baking this week, also try my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or double chocolate chip cookies – they’re made with the same reliable dough and minor adjustments.

For a bakery-style version, my Levain chocolate chip walnut cookies are bigger, thicker, and worth making at least once; just swap the walnuts for M&Ms.

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