There are staples in every kitchen. In mine, it’s usually a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough waiting in the fridge. This time, though, I got suckered in at the supermarket checkout. Whether it was clever marketing, hunger or the impossible-to-resist packet of mini M&Ms staring back at me, I came home with a bag that was destined for cookies rather than disappearing on the drive home.
There is something deeply satisfying about having homemade cookie dough ready to go. When the craving for a warm cookie strikes, all that’s left to do is scoop, bake and wait the very longest ten minutes of your day. Or, if we’re being honest, pinch a little dough straight from the fridge if you can’t be bothered with the baking. No judgement here.
Usually I only bake as many cookies as we’ll eat that day. Freshly baked cookies are one of life’s small luxuries, and I’d much rather keep the dough in the fridge than end up with a container of day-old biscuits. Unfortunately, the teenagers discovered this batch before my carefully planned cookie dough stash lasted very long. Taking photos for the blog also meant baking far more at once than I normally would.
These Mini M&M Cookies are buttery, just crisp around the edges and soft through the middle, with pops of colourful M&Ms in every bite. They’re simple, nostalgic and exactly the sort of recipe that doesn’t need improving with a long list of extras. Sometimes simplicity is good for a reason—and this one is definitely simplicity worth making.
Worth Making?
- Yes — if you’re feeding children, teenagers or adults who behave like children around M&Ms
- Yes — if you want a fun colourful and tasty cookie that is easy to put together
- Yes — if you like your cookies a little on the crispy side and need a deviation from the traditional chocolate chip cookie
- Skip it — if you’re looking for a sophisticated dark chocolate chunk cookie
- Skip it — if you prefer your M&Ms unadulterated
- Skip it — if self-control is an issue when keeping M&Ms in the house
Mini M&M Cookies
Equipment
- 1 stand or hand held mixer
Ingredients
- 125 grams butter
- 100 grams brown sugar
- 50 grams caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 200 grams plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 120 grams mini M&Ms
Instructions
- Heat oven to 175°C fan (190°C conventional)
- Line a baking trays with baking paper (or 2 to 3 if baking all at once)
- Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
- Beat in vanilla and egg, add flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix just until soft dough forms
- Fold through mini M&M’s and roll into balls about 20g each (roughly a heaped tablespoon)
- Place on trays allowing room for spreading. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden but centres still look slightly underdone
- Leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack
Make it your own way
- Make a slightly thicker cookie by increasing the flour to 190–195g and adding 5g cornflour
- Swap the mini M&M’s for regular M&M’s if you prefer larger bursts of chocolate.
- Replace some of the M&M’s with milk or dark chocolate chips for a less sweet cookie
- Use seasonal-coloured M&M’s for birthdays, Christmas, Easter or Halloween
- Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt after baking to balance the sweetness
