Thin and chewy cookies with crispy edges — they're quick and so easy to make! This M&M cookie recipe requires only one bowl, no hand or stand mixer is needed!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- One bowl, no hand or stand mixer necessary.
- Using melted butter leads to chewier cookies that spread more.
- Mini M&Ms, because they are small, get evenly distributed throughout the cookie.
- Flaky salt on top of the cookie balances its sweetness.
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Unsalted butter: If salted butter is all you have, that's okay too. Reduce the amount of salt in the recipe by half.
- Granulated sugar: Aside from sweetness, it makes the cookies wrinkly on top and crispy around the edges.
- Dark brown sugar: The molasses in brown sugar add flavor and color. Its acidity reacts with baking soda and helps in leavening. Light brown sugar may also be used.
- Mini M&Ms: I used smaller (mini) M&Ms – you get plenty of them in each bite! You can use any multi-colored candy-coated chocolates.
- Flaky salt: A nice finishing touch that brings out so much flavor and balances the sweetness.
How to make this recipe
Mise en place (prep and organize): Measure all ingredients correctly using a kitchen scale, if you have one. For measuring cups and spoons, make sure to level the top off with a flat edge. Pack down the brown sugar, but never the flour. Prepare a baking sheet (two, if you're baking all 12 cookies at the same time) and line it with parchment paper.
(1)Bring the egg to room temperature by letting it sit in a bowl of warm tap water for a few minutes until no longer cool to the touch. (2)In a ziptop bag, roughly crush 2 tablespoons of mini M&Ms with the bottom of a glass or any heavy object.
Make the cookie dough: (3)Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a microwave-safe bowl (preferably a medium bowl you're making the cookie dough in). (4)Heat until just melted for 45 to 60 seconds — keep an eye on it.
(5)Add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Make sure the butter is not hot, or it'll cook the egg. (6)Whisk vigorously for about a minute until lighter in color and slightly thickened.
(7)Add in the baking soda, stir the mixture before adding the flour. (8)Switch to a rubber spatula and gently mix it in until little to no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.
(9)Add in the mini M&Ms. (10)Fold into the dough.
Chill the cookie dough: (11)Cover and let the dough ripen for 30 minutes — rest in the fridge to slightly firm up for even baking and a more developed flavor. It will be easier to scoop when it's slightly chilled, and the cookie won't be too flat or spread out. If you can't wait, you can bake right away. It will spread out a little more than it should but will be just as delicious.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius).
(12)Using a 1¼-ounce cookie scoop (2 tablespoons or about 50 grams), portion out 6 cookie dough balls and arrange them on the baking sheet an equal distance apart. Each cookie will spread to about 3.75 inches in diameter. (13)Sprinkle some flaky salt on top of each dough ball.
(14)You can bake all 12 cookies and use two separate baking sheets or portion out the rest of the dough for future baking. If they are well-wrapped or in an airtight container, they last 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
(15)Bake for 10 minutes (plus or minus 1 minute, depending on your oven) or until lightly golden around the edges and the center looks slightly underdone and moist. They will continue to bake as they sit on the baking sheet. (16)As soon as they're out of the oven, sprinkle some of the crushed M&Ms on top of the cookies.
Serve and Store: Cookies are best when freshly baked and slightly warm.
Keep the leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container or ziptop bag, ideally for up to 3 days.
Baking chilled or frozen cookie dough
You can bake the cookies straight out of the fridge or freezer when they are solid and firm, but they will be puffier, won't spread as much, and will require extra minutes of baking. The longer time in the oven means crispier cookies that are darker on the outside. If you want thin cookies, thaw the cookie dough at room temperature until slightly soft before baking.
Frequently asked questions and tips
I have tried doing so, but the cookies don't come out the same way in decreasing the amounts of granulated and brown sugar. The granulated sugar makes the cookie wrinkly, chewy, and crispy around the edges. On the other hand, brown sugar makes the color better, gives more flavor, and ensures the cookie isn't too thin. If you decrease the sugar, you won't have the same type of cookie.
You can, but the cookie will have less flavor, will be too flat, and pale.
You can, but the cookie won't come out as crispy and wrinkly; instead, it will be cakey and puffy.
The key takeaway
Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake; overbaking can quickly dry these crispy, chewy cookies.
Watch how I make it here
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📖 Recipe
Easy M&M Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 1¼-ounce cookie scoop (#30)
- Baking sheet(s)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (73 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt use half for table salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (28 grams) mini M&M candies
- Flaky salt topping
Instructions
Mise en place (prep and organize):
- Measure all ingredients correctly using a kitchen scale, if you have one. For measuring cups and spoons, make sure to level the top off with a flat edge. Pack down the brown sugar, but never the flour.
- Prepare a baking sheet (two, if you're baking all 12 cookies at the same time) and line it with parchment paper.
- Bring the egg to room temperature by letting it sit in a bowl of warm tap water for a few minutes until no longer cool to the touch.
- In a ziptop bag, roughly crush 2 tablespoons of mini M&Ms with the bottom of a glass or any heavy object.
Make the cookie dough:
- Cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a microwave-safe bowl (preferably a medium bowl you're making the cookie dough in). Heat until just melted for 45-60 seconds — keep an eye on it.
- Add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Make sure the butter is not hot, or it'll cook the egg. Whisk vigorously for about a minute until lighter in color and slightly thickened.
- Add in the baking soda, stir the mixture before adding the flour. Switch to a rubber spatula and mix it in until little to no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.
- Fold the mini M&Ms into the dough.
Chill the cookie dough:
- Cover and let the dough ripen for 30 minutes — rest in the fridge to slightly firm up for even baking and a more developed flavor. It will be easier to scoop when it's slightly chilled, and the cookie won't be too flat or spread out. If you can't wait, you can bake right away. It will spread out a little more than it should but will be just as delicious.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (177° Celsius).
- Using a 1 ¼-ounce cookie scoop (2 tablespoons or about 50 grams), portion out 6 cookie dough balls and arrange them on the baking sheet an equal distance apart. Each cookie will spread to about 3.75 inches in diameter.
- Sprinkle some flaky salt on top of each dough ball.
- Bake for 10 minutes (plus or minus 1 minute, depending on your oven) or until lightly golden around the edges and the center looks slightly underdone and moist. They will continue to bake as they sit on the baking sheet.Note: You can bake all 12 cookies and use two separate baking sheets or portion out the rest of the dough for future baking. If they are well-wrapped or in an airtight container, they last 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- As soon as they're out of the oven, sprinkle some of the crushed M&Ms on top of the cookies.
Serve and Store:
- Cookies are best when freshly baked and slightly warm.
- Keep the leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container or ziptop bag, ideally for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Unsalted butter: If salted butter is all you have, that's okay too. Reduce the amount of salt in the recipe by half.
- Granulated sugar: Aside from sweetness, it makes the cookies wrinkly on top and crispy around the edges.
- Dark brown sugar: The molasses in brown sugar add flavor and color. Its acidity reacts with baking soda and helps in leavening. Light brown sugar can also be used.
- Mini M&Ms: I used smaller (mini) M&Ms – you get plenty of them in each bite! You can use any multi-colored candy-coated chocolates.
- Flaky salt: A nice finishing touch; the salt brings out so much flavor and balances the sweetness.
- On baking chilled/frozen cookie dough: You can bake the cookies straight out of the fridge or freezer when they are solid and firm, but they will be puffier, won't spread as much, will require extra minutes of baking. The longer time in the oven means crispier cookies that are darker on the outside. If you want thin cookies, thaw the cookie dough at room temperature until slightly soft before baking.
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