Christmas M&M Cookies are perfect for busy families who want festive holiday treats without spending hours in the kitchen. With just basic pantry ingredients and colorful red and green M&M’s, you can have warm cookies ready in under 35 minutes.
Christmas M&M Cookies
What I love most is how simple these cookies are to make. The dough comes together quickly, and kids can help by adding the M&M’s and chocolate chips. They’re great for cookie exchanges, classroom parties, or just keeping on hand for surprise holiday visitors.
Ingredients & Equipment
You’ll need these ingredients for this recipe:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Packed brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Large eggs
- Christmas M&M’s (red and green)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Full measurements for each ingredient can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also need a few things from your kitchen:
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Whisk
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- Tablespoon or cookie scoop
Step By Step Directions
This recipe makes 24-36 servings. It takes 15 minutes of prep time and 10-12 minutes of cook time.
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Step 6. Gently fold in the Christmas M&M’s and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Step 7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Step 8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
Step 9. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10. Serve and enjoy your festive Christmas M&M cookies with a glass of milk or your favorite holiday beverage!
Variations
- Use white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a sweeter cookie
- Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract along with the vanilla for minty cookies
- Use all M&M’s and skip the chocolate chips if you want more colorful cookies
- Make them extra festive by pressing a few additional M&M’s on top right after baking
- Try using holiday-colored sprinkles mixed in with the M&M’s
Leftovers & Storage
Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. Cookie dough can be scooped and frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugars for soft, chewy cookies
- Don’t overbake these cookies. They should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them from the oven. They’ll continue cooking as they cool
- For evenly sized cookies, use a cookie scoop instead of a spoon
- Reserve a handful of M&M’s to press on top of the cookies right after they come out of the oven for a prettier presentation
- If you want flatter cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking
- Line up your M&M’s by color before mixing them in so you can ensure an even distribution of red and green
Recipe FAQs
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted? Yes, but reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Using unsalted butter gives you better control over the overall saltiness of the cookies.
How do I keep the cookies soft and chewy? Don’t overbake them and make sure to remove them from the oven when the centers still look slightly underdone. Storing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread also helps maintain softness.
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 2 months. Let refrigerated dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before scooping and baking.
What if I can’t find Christmas M&M’s? Regular M&M’s work just fine, or you can use any color combination you like. You could even sort out red and green M&M’s from a regular bag.
Can I double this recipe? Yes, this recipe doubles easily. Just make sure you have enough baking sheets and oven space to bake multiple batches.
Why are my cookies spreading too much? This usually happens if the butter was too warm or the dough was too warm when it went into the oven. Try chilling your dough for 15-30 minutes before baking.
More Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies
- Santa’s Trash Cookies
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Reindeer Gingersnap Cookies
- Christmas Oreos
- Hungarian Cookies (aka Kiffles Cookies)
- Twix Cookies
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Butterscotch Haystack Cookies
- Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups Christmas M&M's red and green
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Gently fold in the Christmas M&M's and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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