Sparkling Christmas M&Ms Chocolate Chip Cookies

Welcome to your new favorite holiday tradition! These delightful Christmas M&M’s chocolate chip cookies are the epitome of festive baking, designed to fill your home with cheer and your tastebuds with joy. With their vibrant colors and irresistible chewiness, they are more than just a cookie; they’re a celebration in every bite. This holiday season, embrace the spirit of togetherness and create sweet memories with this incredibly easy and delicious recipe.

If you’re looking to expand your holiday baking repertoire, you’ll also adore these Grinch Sugar Cookies (often hailed as the best soft Christmas cookie recipe ever!), our beautifulMarbled Christmas Sugar Cookies, festive Christmas M&M Cookie Bars, rich Christmas Fudge, and this fun Holiday Muddy Buddy recipe!

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A stack of perfectly baked Christmas M&M chocolate chip cookies with festive red and green candies

Discover Your New Favorite Easy Christmas M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!

Get ready for a holiday baking experience that’s as simple as it is satisfying. This isn’t just any chocolate chip cookie recipe; it’s a classic transformed into the ultimate festive treat, thanks to the delightful addition of mini M&M candies. Imagine soft, chewy cookies bursting with rich mini chocolate chips and vibrant red and green M&M’s, perfectly capturing the holiday spirit in every bite. This recipe strikes the ideal balance, yielding a batch that’s just right for sharing without overwhelming your kitchen.

Whether you’re baking for a cozy family evening, a bustling holiday party, or preparing a thoughtful cookie exchange box, these M&M Christmas cookies are guaranteed to be a hit. They are wonderfully adaptable; if you need more holiday magic, simply double or triple the ingredients on the recipe card below. Their festive appearance and comforting flavor make them an essential part of any holiday celebration, promising smiles and sweet indulgence for everyone.

Why These Christmas M&M Cookies Are a Must-Bake This Holiday Season

There are countless reasons why these festive chocolate chip M&M cookies deserve a spot on your holiday baking list:

  • Elevate Your Cookie Game: Step beyond traditional cookies with this fun and visually appealing twist. The colorful M&M’s instantly make these stand out on any dessert platter, impressing guests and delighting children.
  • Perfect for Santa: What could be more welcoming for Santa than a plate of warm, festive cookies? These M&M chocolate chip cookies are not only delicious but also visually appealing, making them the ideal treat to leave out on Christmas Eve.
  • A Joyful Family Activity: This recipe is incredibly fun to make with your little ones. From mixing the dough to adding the colorful M&M’s, it’s a wonderful opportunity to create cherished holiday memories in the kitchen.
  • Effortless Preparation: No fancy equipment needed! You can easily prepare these cookies by hand, with a hand mixer, an electric mixer, or a stand mixer. The forgiving nature of the dough makes it accessible for bakers of all skill levels.
  • Ideal for Holiday Gatherings: Planning a holiday party or a cookie exchange? These M&M cookies are the perfect addition. Their festive look and universally loved flavor make them a crowd-pleasing dessert that will disappear quickly.
  • Irresistibly Chewy and Soft: Each cookie boasts a delightful texture – crispy edges giving way to a wonderfully chewy and soft center. The melty chocolate chips and M&M’s add an extra layer of deliciousness that makes them truly addictive.
Fresh ingredients laid out on a kitchen counter, ready for baking Christmas M&M cookies

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Christmas Chewy Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

Gather these simple ingredients to create a batch of family-favorite holiday cookies. For precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.

  • Butter: Use slightly softened butter, whether salted or unsalted. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating a light and airy base for your cookies. If using unsalted, you might add a tiny pinch more salt to the dry ingredients.
  • Brown and Granulated Sugar: The combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar is key to achieving that perfect chewy texture and delightful depth of flavor. Brown sugar adds moisture and a subtle caramel note, while granulated sugar contributes to crisp edges.
  • Egg Yolk: Adding just an egg yolk (instead of a whole egg) makes these cookies extra rich and tender, contributing to their decadent chewiness without making them cakey.
  • Vanilla Extract: A splash of good quality vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, giving your cookies a warm and inviting aroma. Don’t skimp on this!
  • Flour: All-purpose flour provides the necessary structure for your cookies. Remember to measure it correctly using the spoon-and-sweep method to avoid dense cookies.
  • Cornstarch: This secret ingredient is what makes these cookies exceptionally tender and soft. It helps achieve that desirable melt-in-your-mouth quality, preventing them from becoming overly crisp.
  • Baking Soda: A leavening agent that reacts with the acidic brown sugar to help the cookies spread slightly and achieve a perfectly chewy texture with a soft interior.
  • Salt: A small amount of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the cookies, making them taste even richer.
  • Mini Chocolate Chips: Opt for high-quality semi-sweet mini chocolate chips for the best flavor. Mini chips distribute more evenly throughout the dough, ensuring chocolatey goodness in every bite, and add an extra “oomph” factor.
  • Mini Christmas M&M’s: These are the star of the show! While you can use larger Christmas M&M’s, the mini ones not only look incredibly cute and festive but also provide a delightful burst of candy-coated chocolate in every mouthful. Feel free to experiment with white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if you prefer different chocolate notes.
A beautiful stack of Christmas M&M chocolate chip cookies on a white plate, ready to be enjoyed

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Bake Irresistible Christmas M&M Cookies

Creating these delightful Christmas cookies is incredibly straightforward. Follow these detailed steps to bake the best holiday treats. For full, precise instructions and temperatures, consult the recipe card below.

  1. Prepare Your Baking Station: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This ensures even baking and easy cleanup.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with both brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream them together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step incorporates air, contributing to the cookies’ soft texture. You can use a spatula, hand mixer, or stand mixer for this.
  3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are smoothly incorporated, ensuring no streaks of egg yolk remain. This adds richness and flavor.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until the flour mixture has just disappeared. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
  5. Fold in the Festive Mix-ins: Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips and the holiday M&M’s until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. This ensures every cookie is packed with flavor and festive color.
  6. Scoop and Shape: Using a small cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons), portion out uniform balls of cookie dough. This will help ensure all your cookies bake evenly. Place the dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between them for spreading.
  7. Add Extra Sparkle & Bake: For an extra festive touch and a bakery-style appearance, press a few additional mini M&M’s and chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie dough ball before baking. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Don’t worry if they look slightly underdone or gooey in the middle when you pull them out; they will continue to set as they cool.
  8. Cool and Enjoy: Allow the chewy cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This crucial step allows them to firm up and prevents them from breaking when transferred. Then, move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, they are ready to be devoured!
Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl
Cookie dough with chocolate chips and M&Ms in a bowl, ready to be scooped
Close-up of M&M cookie dough being folded
Scooped cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet before baking
Freshly baked Christmas M&M chocolate chip cookies cooling on a wire rack

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Christmas M&M Cookies

How to store these chewy M&M Christmas cookies?

To maintain their delicious freshness, store your baked Christmas M&M cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you wish to extend their shelf life, you can store them in the fridge for a few extra days, but be sure they are in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. For the best texture, always allow them to come to room temperature before serving, or warm them slightly.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Absolutely! These cookies freeze beautifully. Once completely cooled, place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply let them thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a few hours. For that irresistible “fresh from the oven” taste, I highly recommend microwaving them for a few seconds until they are warm and wonderfully ooey-gooey again.

How to get perfectly round cookies every time?

Achieving perfectly round cookies is easier than you think! The first crucial step is using a cookie scoop, which ensures consistent size and shape for your dough balls. Immediately after removing your cookies from the oven, while they are still warm and pliable, take a larger circular cookie cutter (or even a mug) and place it around each cookie. Gently swirl the cookie cutter around the edges of the warm cookie. This simple trick helps to reshape any irregular edges, giving your chewy chocolate chip M&M’s cookies that coveted bakery-perfect, evenly round appearance.

A close-up of a single Christmas M&M chocolate chip cookie, showcasing its chewy texture and colorful candies

The Best Mini M&M Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Christmas M&M's chocolate chip cookies

Christmas Chocolate Chip M&M’s Cookies

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars from 8 votes

These Christmas M&M’s chocolate chip cookies are the perfect sweet treat to bake up during the holidays, offering a burst of festive color and delightful flavor.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 10 cookies

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Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp butter: Slightly softened
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp + 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: Plus extra for topping
  • 1/4 cup mini Christmas M&M’s: Plus extra for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. You can use a spatula, hand mixer, or stand mixer for this step.
  3. Add in the egg yolk and vanilla extract, mixing until everything is smooth and well incorporated.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Avoid overmixing.
  5. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and mini Christmas M&M’s until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  6. Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons), scoop out the cookie dough to create 10 equal-sized cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  7. Top each cookie dough ball with extra mini M&M’s and chocolate chips for a beautiful finish. Bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies may look slightly underdone or gooey in the middle, which is desired as they will continue to set as they cool.
  8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • To accurately measure flour, use the spoon-and-sweep method: spoon flour into the measuring cup, then level off the excess with a flat knife or spatula. This prevents compacting the flour and ensures a lighter cookie.
  • When you remove these cookies from the oven, their tops will appear puffy. Don’t worry! They will deflate and achieve their classic chewy texture as they rest and continue to cook slightly on the baking sheet during the cooling process.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

  • Calories: 201 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Fat: 9g
  • Saturated Fat: 5g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
  • Trans Fat: 1g
  • Cholesterol: 32mg
  • Sodium: 125mg
  • Potassium: 82mg
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Sugar: 11g
  • Vitamin A: 170IU
  • Calcium: 17mg
  • Iron: 2mg
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Loved This Christmas M&M’s Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe? Pin It for Later!

If you found joy in baking and tasting these festive M&M chocolate chip cookies, don’t forget to save this recipe! Pin it to your favorite holiday dessert board on Pinterest so you can easily find it for next year’s baking extravaganzas, or whenever a craving for a cheerful, chewy cookie strikes. Sharing is caring, and we’d love for you to spread the holiday cheer by sharing this recipe with your friends and family!

Christmas M&M's chocolate chip cookies displayed on a festive background, perfect for Pinterest
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