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Chocolate M&M Cookies – Soft, chocolatey cookies with a brownie-like center and pops of crunchy mini M&M’s in every bite. Easy to make, quick to bake, and perfect when you want a colorful, crowd-pleasing chocolate cookie without extra fuss.
These chocolate M&M cookies came out of one of those afternoons where I wanted something chocolatey, colorful, and a little nostalgic—but not fussy. The kind of cookie you bake when you’re already preheating the oven before you’ve fully decided what you’re making.
They’re rich without being heavy, soft in the middle, and dotted with mini M&M’s that melt just enough to look pretty but still give you that candy crunch.
If you’ve made my M&M Cookies or M&M Brownies, this one feels like it lives right between the two—cookie shape, brownie vibes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Butter – I always use unsalted when baking
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Large Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Milk – make sure to see the notes in the recipe card, how much you will use really depends on your dough.
- Mini M&M’s
How To Make Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Mix the Dough – Cream the butter and sugars until smooth, then blend in the egg and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients, finishing with the milk and mini M&M’s to create a thick, chocolatey dough.
- Chill Briefly – Let the dough rest in the fridge so the cookies bake up thicker and hold their shape.
- Portion & Prep – Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and press extra mini M&M’s on top for color and crunch.
- Bake Until Set – Bake just until the edges are firm and the centers still look soft.
- Cool & Store – Let the cookies cool slightly before moving them to a rack, then store once fully cooled.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Use Soft Butter – Let the butter sit out until it presses easily with a finger so it creams smoothly with the sugars.
- Measure Cocoa Carefully – Too much cocoa can dry out the dough, so level it off rather than scooping straight from the container.
- Adding Milk – if you live in a dry climate or you add a tiny bit more flour, you will want to the 2 Tablespoons of milk. But if you life where it is humid, and you carefully spoon measure your flour, you will probably want 1 Tablespoon of milk. So if you dough is super dry use the full 2 Tablespoons, but you don’t want it to get sticky or wet.
- Don’t Skip the Chill – A short rest in the fridge keeps the cookies thicker and prevents them from spreading too much.
- Add M&M’s in Layers – Mix some into the dough and save a handful for the tops so every cookie looks loaded.
- Watch the Bake Time – Pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly soft; they’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Adjust Thickness Easily – Chill longer for thicker cookies or bake sooner for slightly flatter ones.
- Swap the Candy – Mini peanut butter candies or chopped chocolate-coated candies work well if that’s what you have.
Storage
Store cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days before they will start to dry out.
You can freeze both the dough and the baked cookies. Scoop the dough first for easy baking later, or freeze cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to two months.