These Thick and Chewy M&M Cookies are a colorful spin on my popular Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Made with cold butter and a generous mix of M&Ms, these extra-large and extra-thick cookies are soft in the center and crisp on the edges! Customize the M&M colors for any holiday or celebration—these cookies are as festive as they are delicious! Craving more M&M magic? Check out my Crispy Pretzel M&M Bars, too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: For these cookies, I used cold unsalted butter. The cold butter takes longer to melt when the cookies are baked, which keeps the cookies nice and thick! It also helps keep the cookies soft and chewy. If using salted butter, you may want to reduce the amount of salt.
- Sugar: I use both light brown sugar and granulated sugar for the best texture—chewy centers, crisp edges, and perfectly balanced sweetness. It’s cookie perfection if you ask me!
- Flour: To keep the cookies soft (considering how large they are), I used both all-purpose and cake flour. If you don’t have cake flour, make a homemade version of it to use.
- M&Ms: Using both regular and mini M&Ms gives these cookies the perfect mix of melty chocolate pockets and colorful candy crunch in every bite. You can use all regular M&Ms or all minis–both work!
Can I Make Thick and Chewy M&M Cookies Without Cake Flour?
If you don’t have cake flour, you can make these cookies with all-purpose flour instead. Simply substitute the same amount of all-purpose flour for the cake flour. The cookies might not be as soft, but they’ll still be chewy, delicious, and full of flavor!
Do I Need To Chill The Dough For M&M Cookies?
No, you don’t need to chill the dough for these M&M cookies. I’ve made them without chilling, and they turned out great! However, if you’re concerned about the cookies spreading too much, you can chill the dough balls for about 30 minutes, or even overnight, before baking. (For example, I chilled the dough for my Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies to prevent excess spreading.)
How To Tell When Thick and Chewy M&M Cookies Are Perfectly Baked
Because these M&M cookies are thick and packed with candy, it can be tricky to tell when they’re done just by appearance. I like to use an internal thermometer—when inserted in the center, it should read between 175°F (for a gooey center) and 200°F (for more set cookies). The edges should look golden and feel set, even if the centers still look slightly soft. Use this method for my other massive cookies like my Thick and Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Thick and Chewy Sprinkles Cookies, too!
How To Store Baked M&M Cookies
Store your baked M&M cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them soft, you can add a slice of bread to the container—the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread without getting soggy.
How To Freeze Thick and Chewy M&M Cookies {Before or After Baking}
To Freeze Cookie Dough (before baking): Scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour, or until frozen. Once frozen, store the cookie dough in a freezer-safe container for up to three months, labeling and dating the container. When ready to bake, simply bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
To Freeze Baked Cookies: First, let the cookies cool completely. Then, store them in a freezer-safe container, making sure to label and date the container. Let them thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
Check out my Guide to Freezing, Baking, and Storing Cookies for more tips.
Thick and Chewy M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups (67 g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (203 g) M&Ms
- 1 cup (240 g) mini M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine cold butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until creamy and no visible butter chunks remain.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Add the vanilla extract and continue mixing, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until almost fully combined.
- Add the M&Ms and mini M&Ms. Mix just until incorporated and the M&Ms are evenly distributed.
- Divide the dough into 8 large balls.
- Place 4 cookie dough balls onto each lined baking sheet, spacing them out evenly.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Serve warm.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These cookies are so fun! I love the mini M&Ms in them, and I love how they are so chewy!
Elizabeth
These are impressive cookies, for sure! If you love M&M cookies, you will love these!
Stephanie
Don't think that 8 cookies are not enough… they are massive! And super good, too!
Annabelle
I love all of the M&Ms in these cookies! They don't get lost, even with how big the cookies are. And the best part is the texture, so soft with crispy edges.
Bella
I love how thick these cookies are. The balance of chewy center and crispy edges is spot on!
