Description
Celebrate the holiday season with these festive Christmas M&M Cookies. Soft and chewy sugar cookies are loaded with red and green M&Ms, making them colorful and perfect for holiday parties or gift-giving.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 1 ½ cups red and green M&Ms, divided (1 cup mixed into dough, ½ cup pressed on tops)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This creates a creamy base for the cookie dough.
- Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the large egg and the vanilla extract until fully combined, ensuring the dough is smooth and evenly mixed.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution of leavening agents and seasoning.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a consistent dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Add M&Ms to dough: Fold 1 cup of the red and green M&Ms gently into the cookie dough to distribute the candies evenly throughout the batter.
- Shape and place on baking sheet: Scoop dough into rounded tablespoon-sized balls and arrange them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press the remaining ½ cup of M&Ms gently into the top of each cookie ball for extra festive color and crunch.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. This baking time ensures chewy, soft cookies with a slightly crisp edge.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them firm up and prevents breaking.
Notes
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake the cookies and allow them to cool on the baking sheet.
- You can substitute regular M&Ms with peanut-free or allergy-friendly candy if needed.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For a festive touch, drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies before serving.
