Soft and Thick M&M Cookies with Chocolate Chips

M&M Cookies

These large M&M cookies have lightly golden edges, soft centers, and plenty of colorful candies and chocolate chips on top. Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions, then press some of the mix-ins onto the exposed surfaces so they stay visible after baking.

For this thicker cookie, chill the portioned dough for 45 minutes to help control spreading. Take the cookies out when the edges are set but the centers still look pale and soft; they will firm up as they rest on the baking sheet.

Ingredients for M&M Cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170g), softened but still cool
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g), spooned and leveled
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup regular milk chocolate M&Ms (150g), divided
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (85g), divided

Yield: 17–18 large cookies. Prep: 20 minutes. Chill: 45 minutes. Bake: about 11–13 minutes per batch. Allow about 1 hour 30 minutes total, depending on batches and cooling time.

How to Bake M&M Cookies

1. Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugars: Beat the butter with both sugars until creamy and lighter in appearance. The butter should be pliable, not melted or greasy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Finish the dough: Mix in the dry ingredients just until no flour pockets remain. Fold in 1/2 cup M&Ms and 6 tablespoons chocolate chips. Reserve the remaining 1/4 cup M&Ms and 2 tablespoons chips for the tops; these come from the listed amounts, not from extra add-ins.
4. Scoop and chill: Scoop roughly 3-tablespoon mounds onto a parchment-lined tray. Press the reserved candies and chips onto the exposed tops. Refrigerate for 45 minutes, until the dough feels firmer.
5. Bake in batches: Fully preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place chilled portions at least 3 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack, keeping the remaining dough refrigerated. Start checking at 10 minutes; each batch will generally take about 11–13 minutes. Rotate the sheet only if your oven browns unevenly.
6. Let the cookies set: Remove them when the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look pale and soft. Leave them on the baking sheet for 8–10 minutes, until they hold together when lifted, then transfer to a wire rack.

How to Keep M&M Cookies Soft and Thick

Overly warm butter or dough can make these cookies spread too far. Use butter that is soft enough to cream but still cool, complete the chill, and place each new batch on a cool baking sheet rather than a hot one.

Do not wait for the centers to look dry. The large portions continue to set on the sheet after baking. Scoop size, dough temperature, and oven differences can shift the timing, so judge doneness by the set edges and soft centers as well as the clock. For another soft-centered bake without candy shells, try these classic chocolate chip cookies.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Cool baked cookies completely, then store them airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days for best quality.

To make the dough ahead, portion and top the cookies, then refrigerate them covered for up to 2 days before baking. Fully cooled baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

To freeze dough, freeze the topped portions until solid, then store airtight for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 350°F, allowing extra time. Look for set, lightly golden edges and soft centers rather than relying on a fixed number of added minutes.

Nutrition

Approximate per cookie, based on 18 large cookies: 240 calories, 3g protein, 11g fat, and 33g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of baked cookies: 480 calories, 5g protein, 22g fat, and 66g carbohydrates. Values are estimates; cookie size, ingredient brands, and moisture lost during baking will affect them.