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Home » Christmas Cookies » M&M Christmas Cookies

M&M Christmas Cookies

Published: Nov 13, 2023 by Arlene Mobley · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Long vertical image Red and Green M&M Christmas Cookies recipe.

Nothing says Christmas quite like baking up deliciously festive cookies for the season! These M&M Christmas Cookies are a perfect holiday cookie exchange recipe, to package up for holiday food gifts, and just for snacking around the house.

Not only are they incredibly easy to make and take less than an hour to whip together–they also require minimal ingredients making them perfect for any home baker.

Plus, these colorful treats will bring some extra cheer to your holiday dessert table.

Keep reading to get the full step by step recipe on how you can create these melt-in-your-mouth delicious treats guaranteed to kick off your Christmastime festivities with gusto.

Long vertical image Red and Green M&M Christmas Cookies recipe.

Classic M&M Christmas Cookies

M&M Christmas Cookies is a perfect treat to spread some holiday cheer!

These deliciously festive cookies are loaded with colorful M&M's that sparkle like Christmas lights amidst the rich, buttery dough.

Every bite you take is a celebration of classic cookie goodness, intertwined with a burst of chocolatey M&M delight.

Ideal for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or cozy evenings by the fire, these M&M Christmas Cookies are sure to become a cherished part of your family's holiday traditions.

Recipe Prep

  • Place the butter on the counter to soften 2 hours before needed. It may take longer if it is cold in your home.
  • Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. degrees if using light colored aluminum baking sheets or 325 F. degrees if using dark non stick cookie sheets.
A large bowl whisking mm cookie dry ingredients together.

M&M Christmas Cookies Ingredients

Below is a quick look at the ingredients and directions. You can find the entire ingredient amounts and step by step directions in the recipe card below. P. S. You can also save your favorite recipes to your personal recipe box! ⬇️

M and Christmas Cookies ingredients premeasured in small bowls.

👇See the step by step directions below!

  • All-Purpose Flour: This is the most common type of flour used in baking. It's a blend of hard and soft wheat and it's versatile enough to use in recipes for cookies, bread, pancakes, etc.
  • Baking Powder: A leavening agent that helps baked goods rise. It contains a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes cornstarch. Always check the expiration date as it loses its effectiveness over time.
  • Baking Soda: Another leavening agent that's used in baking. It reacts with acidic ingredients in your recipe to produce carbon dioxide gas. This gas helps to lighten and soften the mixture.
  • Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of other ingredients. In baking, it also strengthens the gluten structure in dough and can help to prevent cookies from spreading too much.
  • Softened Unsalted Butter: Butter adds flavor and a tender texture to baked goods. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
  • White Granulated Sugar: This is your standard table sugar. It not only sweetens the cookies but also helps in browning and crisping.
  • Packed Dark Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added to it. The dark version has a higher molasses content than light brown sugar. It adds a rich, caramel-like flavor to baked goods and provides extra moisture.
  • Large Egg: Eggs contribute to the structure by providing proteins that set during baking. They also add moisture and can act as a leavening agent.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: This is made by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol and water. It's used to enhance the flavors in the cookies. You can easily make your own homemade vanilla extract at home.
  • Red and Green M&M's: These are milk chocolate candies coated in a colorful candy shell. They add a festive touch to the Christmas cookies, providing both a pop of color and a sweet, chocolatey taste. The candies are divided, with some mixed into the dough and others pressed into the tops of the cookies before baking.

Check out my M&M Sugar Cookie Bars for another festive Christmas cookie recipe you can also make.

Step by Step Directions

  • Step 1: In a large mixing bowl with a hand held beater beat the softened butter, white and brown sugars until light and fluffy.
  • Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat for 3 minutes.
Beating the wet ingredients together.
  • Step 3: Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture. If the cookie batter is too thick for the hand beater switch to a wooden spoon and stir the flour mixture into the dough until completely combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl well to bring any flour up into the batter. Mix until there are no streaks of flour visible.
Adding the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and beating them together.
  • Step 4: Fold 1 cup of red and green M&M's into the cookie batter until the candy pieces are evenly distributed through out the cookie dough.
Red and green M and M's folded into the cookie dough in a mixing bowl.

Step 5: If the cookie dough is extremely soft cover the bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes to allow the dough to firm up. Well chilled cookie dough is best or the soft dough may spread too much as it bakes and you will have flat thin cookies.

M&M cookie dough balls on a lined cookie sheet.

Step 6: Use a 2 inch dough scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Drop each scoop of cookie dough 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press 5 red and green M&M's onto the top of each of the cookie dough balls on the baking tray.

M&M cookie dough balls with red and green m and m's pressed into the dough on a lined cookie sheet.
  • Step 7: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around the edges.
  • Step 8: Remove the tray from the oven when the cookies are done. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring the cookies to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Baked and cooling M and M Christmas cookies on a wire rack.
  • Step 9: Serve on a holiday dessert plate or store the cookies in an airtight container.
Serving a stack of M&M Christmas cookies on a white cake stand.

Optional Cookie Decorations

  • Holiday red and green sprinkles can also be added to the top of the cookies to add a festive look.

Recipe FAQS

What are some tips for baking the perfect M&M Christmas cookies?

Do not let the cookie dough get too warm. Warm and soft cookie dough will spread more than chilled cookie dough and the baked cookies will be thin and flat.

How can I store M&M Christmas cookies to keep them fresh?

M&M Christmas cookies will stay fresh longer if you store them in an airtight container. Less exposure to air will keep the cookies from drying out and getting stale.

How long do M&M Christmas cookies take to bake?

M&M Christmas cookies only take 10 minutes to bake. The cookies should be slightly golden around the edges.

📌Pro Cooking Tips

  • always use softened butter when the recipe calls for you to cream or beat butter and sugars together.
  • tender cookies: overbaking the cookies will make them hard and crunchy. Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as you see that the edges are turning a light golden brown.
  • red & green M&M's: red and green M&M's are used for a festive holiday appearance. You can use plain regular colored M&M's to make this recipe.
Red and green M&M cookies on a wire rack.

Bake it!

What better way to celebrate the Christmas season than with a delicious plate of festive red and green M&M Christmas cookies?

The combination of the two colors holiday colors is an eye-catching delight, sure to be a hit at any holiday party.

Perfect for a cookie exchange, these delectable yuletide treats bring the flavors of the season into your home.

So grab the ingredients, turn on your favorite Christmas movie, and get baking; you won’t regret it!

If you think this recipe should be on your holiday must-have list, try it today and tell us all about it in the comments down below.

More Cookie Exchange Recipes

Explore more holiday cheer with our other delightful Christmas cookie exchange recipes - each one is a delicious new tradition waiting to happen!

  • Cranberry Christmas Cookies arranged on a holiday plate.
    Cranberry Christmas Cookies
  • red, green and white Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies decorated with a powdered sugar glaze and Christmas sprinkles
    Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
  • A holiday plate with 3 Raspberry Thumbprint cookies with a white chocolate drizzle.
    Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
  • Mexican Wedding Cookies on a red holiday plate.
    Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe

⭐Leave a Star Rating

Have you tried the recipe? Leave a star rating in the recipe card below to let me know how the recipe turn out.

Email questions or recipe requests to flouronmyface@gmail.com. Follow me on Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

M & M Christmas Cookies stacked on a holiday plate.

M and M Christmas Cookies

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face
Get into the holiday spirit with homemade red and green M&M Christmas cookies. Find out how to make them for a cookie exchange, homemade holiday gifts or just to enjoy during the holiday season.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 2 hours hrs
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Cooling 1 hour hr
Total Time 3 hours hrs 12 minutes mins
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 24 Cookies
Calories 159 kcal

Ingredients  

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (check expiration date)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup softened unsalted butter
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups red and green M&M's (divided)
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Instructions 

  • In a large mixing bowl with a hand held beater beat the softened butter, white and brown sugars until light and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat for 3 minutes.
  • Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture. If the cookie batter is too thick for the hand beater switch to a wooden spoon and stir the flour mixture into the dough until completely combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl well to bring any flour up into the batter. Mix until there are no streaks of flour visible.
  • Fold 1 cup of red and green M&M's into the cookie batter until the candy pieces are evenly distributed through out the cookie dough.
  • If the cookie is extremely soft cover the bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes to allow the dough to firm up. Well chilled cookie dough is best or the soft dough may spread too much as it bakes and you will have flat thin cookies.
  • Use a 2 inch dough scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Drop each scoop of cookie dough 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press 5 red and green M&M's onto the top of each of the cookie dough balls on the baking tray.
  • Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around the edges.
  • Remove the tray from the oven when the cookies are done. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring the cookies to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
  • Makes 2 dozen three inch cookies.

Recipe Expert Tips

  • always use softened butter when the recipe calls for you to cream or beat butter and sugars together.
  • tender cookies: overbaking the cookies will make them hard and crunchy. Remove the cookies from the oven as soon as you see that the edges are turning a light golden brown.
  • red & green M&M's: red and green M&M's are used for a festive holiday appearance. You can use plain regular colored M&M's to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 2CookiesCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 17mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 159IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Share a picture on Instagram and tag @flouronmyface2

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About Arlene Mobley

Arlene Mobley author of Flour On My Face-a Food & Lifestyle website helping busy families get dinner on the table by serving easy recipes every week.

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Long vertical image Red and Green M&M Christmas Cookies recipe.

Hi, I'm Arlene Mobley the cook & photographer here at Flour On My Face. I have been cooking for my family for over 40 years. I love sharing recipes to help busy families get dinner on the table.

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