Description
Delight in these festive M&M Christmas Cookies, featuring a soft and chewy texture packed with colorful M&M’s and holiday sprinkles that add a joyful crunch. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting, these cookies combine classic cookie dough ingredients with a fun, seasonal twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened but still cool)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (lightly packed, fresh and soft)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 1½ cups M&M’s or a mixture of M&M’s and chocolate chips (divided)
- ¼ cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture.
- Add egg and vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, mixing until fully combined while scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed for even mixing.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients on low speed, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Fold in M&M’s and chocolate chips: Gently stir in about one generous cup of M&M’s and chocolate chips, reserving the remaining for topping the cookies.
- Prepare sprinkles: Place the holiday sprinkles into a shallow bowl to easily coat the cookies.
- Shape cookie dough: Scoop the dough into balls approximately 1½ to 2½ tablespoons each. Press a few M&M’s onto the top of each dough ball, then press the tops into the bowl of sprinkles for a festive coating. Optionally, chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to help cookies maintain thickness during baking.
- Arrange and bake: Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or two of space between each to allow for spreading. Aim for dough balls that are mounded rather than wide to keep cookies thick. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly underdone for a soft cookie texture.
- Cool: Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely, during which they will firm up while retaining softness inside.
Notes
- This recipe produces soft and chewy cookies bursting with festive M&M’s and colorful sprinkles—our favorite holiday treat!
- Chilling the dough balls before baking helps maintain a nice thickness for the cookies.
- Baking until the centers are slightly underdone ensures a soft, chewy texture once cooled.
- Pressing M&M’s onto the dough balls before baking enhances their visual appeal and flavor distribution.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 73 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
