M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Amy Dong
Updated Nov. 7, 2024

These M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies are extraordinarily chewy and soft and stay that way for days. They’re loaded with chocolate chips throughout for the ultimate M&M cookie experience.

Closeup shot of three M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked on top of each other on a wire rack. — With the perfect combination of chewy and crunchy, these M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies a big hit.

Video: watch us make this Recipe

Why This Recipe Stands Out

These M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies disappear quickly, everywhere you bring them. Here’s why this recipe works so well:

No Shortening: We use real butter in all our baking, giving these cookies the rich, buttery flavor that we all love, like in our Chewy Soft Snickerdoodles.
Chewy, Not Cakey: Like our Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, these cookies turn out chewy and soft.
Maintains Thickness: The cookies maintain their thickness no matter what size you make them, just like our Thick and Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies.
Keeps Fresh: These M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies stay wonderfully chewy and soft. They keep fresh for days at room temperature, similar to these Chewy Soft Gingerbread Cookies.
Extra Chocolatey: Rather than using just M&M’s, this recipe combines the goodness of M&M’s with semisweet chocolate chips, making them extra chocolatey.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Overhead shot of ingredients to make M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Instant Vanilla Pudding – We use instant vanilla pudding mix to keep these cookies super soft and chewy.
Eggs – Four large eggs act as a binder and help the cookies hold their shape, while adding moisture for a soft texture.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract adds a warm, sweet flavor that complements the chocolate and M&M candies.
Chocolate Chips and M&M Candies – We love the combination of semisweet chocolate chips and M&M candies. You can use minis and chunks for a variety of textures.

Substitutions And Variations

Here are some of our favorite variations and substitution ideas:

Baking Chips: Feel free to use any kind of chocolate chips or baking chips. Try white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch chips.
Add Nuts: If you like a little crunch in your cookies, add a cup of your favorite chopped nuts. Pecans, walnuts, or almonds would work great.
Seasonal M&Ms: Have fun with the different flavors of M&Ms available. Use pastel M&Ms for Easter, red and green for Christmas, or spooky colors for Halloween.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Eggs being mixed into softened butter and brown sugar mixture to make M&M chocolate chip cookies.

Flour mixture being added to wet ingredient mixture to make M&M chocolate chip cookies.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together softened butter and brown sugar.
Add pudding mix and beat until incorporated. Then, add eggs and vanilla, and blend well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and fold the ingredients together using a dough hook.

M&M candies being added to cookie dough mixture that also contains chocolate chips to make M&M chocolate chip cookies.

M&M chocolate chip cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Add chocolate chips and M&M’s to the dough and mix well. Cover the dough tightly and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Form 1-inch balls of dough and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 8 minutes. The cookies may seem slightly underdone, but they will firm up upon cooling.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Here are our top prep-ahead tips and strategies for this recipe:

Make the Dough in Advance: The cookie dough for these M&M chocolate chip cookies can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze the Dough: Unbaked dough can be frozen. Form the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze the dough balls until they are solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.

Overhead shot of M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies stacked on top of each other on a wire rack. — They’re perfect for those who love cookies that are perfectly crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

Commonly Asked Questions

What type of M&M candies should I use for this recipe?

You can use any type of M&M candies for this recipe. The classic milk chocolate M&Ms work great, but you can also use peanut M&Ms, almond M&Ms, or even seasonal varieties for a fun twist.

Why do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling the dough is important for this recipe because it helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking. It also allows the flavors to meld and develop, resulting in a richer, more complex flavor.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

The cookies are done when the edges look golden brown. They may still seem slightly underdone in the middle, but they will firm up upon cooling. Be careful not to overbake them.

How long do these M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies keep?

These cookies can be kept in an airtightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.

Did you make this?

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