Nothing says holiday cheer quite like a plate of M&M Christmas Cookies! These soft, chewy cookies are packed with colorful red and green M&M candies, buttery dough, and just the right amount of sweetness—perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or family baking traditions.
They’re easy to make, kid-friendly, and festive enough to brighten any holiday cookie platter.
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Festive and colorful – bright red and green M&Ms make them perfect for Christmas.
- Soft and chewy – perfectly tender inside with a slight crisp on the edges.
- Easy to make – simple ingredients and minimal prep time.
- Kid-friendly – fun to make and eat!
- Perfect for gifting – wrap in a holiday tin for friends and family.
🍪 Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups M&M candies (holiday red & green if possible)
- Optional: ½ cup white chocolate chips for extra sweetness
🔥 How to Make M&M Christmas Cookies
1. Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
Set aside.
3. Cream Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat:
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in:
- Eggs, one at a time
- Vanilla extract
Mix until fully incorporated.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
6. Fold in M&Ms
Gently fold in M&M candies and optional white chocolate chips.
7. Scoop Cookies
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden but centers are still soft.
Tip: Do not overbake—they continue to cook slightly on the hot baking sheet.
9. Cool
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- Serve on a festive holiday platter for parties.
- Package in cellophane bags or holiday tins for gifting.
- Pair with hot cocoa, coffee, or milk for a cozy treat.
- Stack in layers with parchment paper to share at cookie exchanges.
🌟 Tips for the Best M&M Christmas Cookies
✔ Use fresh M&Ms
Old candies can crack or lose color during baking.
✔ Don’t overmix
Overmixing the dough can lead to tough cookies. Fold in the M&Ms gently.
✔ Customize flavors
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for a holiday twist.
- Substitute white or milk chocolate chips for extra variety.
✔ Make ahead
Dough can be chilled for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Bake when ready.
✔ Cookie size
Use a medium cookie scoop for uniform size and even baking.
🧊 Storing & Freezing
Store:
Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freeze:
Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Freeze dough balls for baking later.
Reheat:
Warm cookies for a few seconds in the microwave for that fresh-baked feeling.
❤️ Final Thoughts
M&M Christmas Cookies are a colorful, festive, and crowd-pleasing treat that’s perfect for the holidays. Soft, chewy, and loaded with sweet candies, they’re ideal for family traditions, parties, and gift-giving. Simple to make and impossible to resist, these cookies are sure to become a holiday favorite year after year.
Print
M&M Christmas Cookies – Colorful, Chewy, and Festive
Ingredients
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (or vegan butter)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1:1 blend)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1–1.5 cups holiday M&Ms (red, green, white, or assorted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Gently fold in M&Ms (don’t overmix to prevent color bleed).
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place on trays (they spread slightly).
- Bake 9–11 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool on the tray 5 minutes—they’ll firm up as they cool. Then transfer to a wire rack.
✨ Perfect for:
• Cookie exchanges 🎁
• Santa’s plate 🎅
• DIY edible gifts in festive tins 🎀
💡 Make ahead: Dough freezes well—bake from frozen (+1–2 mins).
PREP TIME & NUTRITION :
Prep Time : 15 mins , Cook Time : 10 mins , Total Time : 25 mins , Servings : 24 cookies , Calories : 140 per cookie , Net Carbs: 19g , Fats: 7g , Protein: 2g