Easter Mm Cookies

A rich, buttery cookie packed with pastel M&Ms, featuring a chewy center and perfectly crisp edges.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Chilling the dough solidifies the fat emulsion, preventing excessive spreading during baking.
• Using a mix of brown and white sugar balances chewiness with crisp edges.
• Adding extra M&Ms on top immediately after baking ensures a picture-perfect look.

Three Easters ago, I sat on my kitchen floor at midnight, picking cracked pastel candy shells out of a greasy puddle of melted butter on my baking sheet. My first attempt at these festive treats had completely pancaked in the oven. I actually cried over those ugly, flat discs.

The culprit was a cheap, thin grocery-store baking sheet that warped instantly under the heat. It heated up too fast, causing the fat to liquefy prematurely.

Bear with me here on the physics.

When cookie dough hits a hot pan, a race begins between the fat melting and the flour's protein matrix setting. If the butter melts before the starch gelatinization occurs, the dough spreads uncontrollably into a sad, greasy sheet. That is why we must control the temperature of our fat emulsion. Chilling the dough slows down this melting process, giving the structure time to firm up first.

This recipe is hands down the easiest way to get bakery-style thickness without any fancy equipment. You probably already have most of these ingredients in your pantry. It is a foolproof method that I have tested dozens of times.

Let's get into how to make these absolutely perfect.

Easter Mm Cookies

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American
• Category Dessert, Cookies
• Prep Time 15 mins
• Cook Time 10 mins
• Servings 24
• Calories 180 calories
• Rating 4.8 1251
• Tags Easter cookies, M&M cookies, pastel cookies, holiday baking

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, softened but cool (1 cup)
• 150g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 165g packed light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 360g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 150g Easter M&Ms (pastel colors)
• 100g semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
5. Fold in the Easter M&Ms and chocolate chips using a spatula.
6. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Scoop 2-tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between them.
9. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
10. Press a few extra M&Ms into the tops of the warm cookies immediately after removing them from the oven.

Notes

• Use 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you only have fine table salt, reduce this to 1/4 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.
• Brown sugar is naturally acidic, which reacts with the baking soda to create carbon dioxide bubbles. This reaction is what gives the cookies their signature rise and chewy texture.
• Watch the bottom of your cookies closely if using dark non-stick baking sheets. Dark metal absorbs heat faster and can easily burn the bottoms before the centers are fully baked.
• These cookies will soften slightly after a day in an airtight container. The moisture from the brown sugar redistributes, making them even chewier on day two.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these colorful treats on a festive platter alongside other spring desserts. They are perfect for Easter brunch or a weekend baking project.

• Pair them with my Banana Pudding Easter Truffles for a beautiful holiday dessert table.
• Serve alongside a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee.
• If you want a classic cookie spread, serve them with my sugar cookies.
• For a chocolate-heavy option, display them next to my Chocolate Sugar Cookies.

Storage and Reheating

Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay incredibly soft and chewy for up to five days.

Actually, they taste even better on day two.

If you want to store them longer, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to three months. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer bag. This prevents freezer burn from ruining the delicate butter flavor.

To reheat, simply pop a cookie in the microwave for eight seconds. The chocolate chips will melt beautifully, making it taste like it just came out of the oven.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to make some adjustments based on what is in your pantry, here are a few easy swaps.

1. M&Ms: Swap the pastel M&Ms for regular chocolate chips or even chopped Magic Cookie Bars chunks if you want to experiment.
2. All-Purpose Flour: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour works beautifully here without changing the texture.
3. Light Brown Sugar: Dark brown sugar can be used for a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.

Happy baking, and I hope these bring a little bit of pastel joy to your kitchen this spring!