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These M&M chocolate chip cookies have crisp, buttery edges and soft, chewy centers, loaded with both M&M’s and semi-sweet chocolate chips. No mixer required — just mix in a bowl, chill, and bake for the best chocolate chip M&M cookies!

If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen trying to decide between making chocolate chip cookies or M&M cookies, this recipe solves that problem for good. These M&M chocolate chip cookies use both — a mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips and M&M’s for the best of both worlds. Most M&M cookie recipes out there use M&M’s alone, but combining them with chocolate chips gives you the best texture and flavor of both cookies at once — gooey, chocolatey, and just the right amount of crunch from the M&M’s.

I am a huge M&M fan and it has been my favorite candy from day one. I keep a Costco sized jar of M&M’s in our pantry at all times, just ready for those cravings to strike. M&M cookies are one of my top 3 cookies so I had to share a chocolate chip and m&m cookie version. You are going to love these homemade cookies!

These M & M cookies have crisp, slightly caramelized edges that give way to soft, chewy centers. In my opinion…the perfect cookie texture. This cookie recipe starts off with melted butter which is an interesting technique. You end up with chewier, slightly denser cookies. When butter is melted rather than creamed, you lose the air pockets that creaming normally whips into the dough. Without that aeration, melted butter cookies bake up denser and chewier instead of fluffy or cakey. Cookie recipes made with melted butter tend to develop those crisp, slightly caramelized edges while the center stays soft and chewy.

Another upside? You get a slightly browned butter flavor without going through the work and time of browning butter. Melted butter contains milk solids that are already starting to break down slightly from the heat of melting, which encourages more browning in the oven.

This dough also gets a chill in the fridge before baking, which isn’t a step you want to skip. Chilling deepens the flavor, firms up the butter so the cookies bake up thick instead of spreading thin, and gives you that slightly chewy, bakery-style texture. The extra time in the fridge also gives the sugars and flour a chance to fully hydrate, which is part of what creates that deeper, more complex flavor you notice in cookies that taste like they came from a real bakery.

Best of all, this cookie recipe doesn’t require a stand mixer or any special equipment. I use a microwave-safe bowl and it couldn’t be any easier. Since the butter is melted rather than creamed, you can make the entire dough in one bowl with just a whisk and a spoon — which means less cleanup, less time, and a cookie dough that comes together in minutes even on a busy day. My kids in college love to make these cookies because they don’t have expensive mixers! You only need a bowl, a spoon, and ingredients.

Ingredients for M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Butter, melted
Brown sugar
Sugar
Egg
Vanilla extract
Flour (use 1 1/2 cups if you prefer a thicker cookie)
Baking soda
Salt
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
M&M’s — plain chocolate M&M’s

A quick note on the flour: this recipe is written with a little flexibility built in. If you like a thinner, chewier cookie, stick with 1 1/3 cups of flour. If you prefer a thicker, bakery-style cookie that holds its height, bump it up to 1 1/2 cups.

I found that Costco started carrying their Kirkland Signature chocolate chips again and they are set at a great price if you are looking for a deal on chocolate chips. Also, I buy my M&M’s from Costco or Sam’s Club and they seem to always be on sale at Sam’s and I stock up.

Why combine M&M’s and chocolate chips in cookies?

Chocolate chips and M&M’s bring different things to the table, and using both plays to each of their strengths:

Chocolate chips melt into the dough as they bake, creating pockets of gooey, rich chocolate throughout the cookie.
M&M’s hold their shape and candy shell during baking, adding crunch, color, and little bursts of chocolate that don’t melt away completely.

How to Make M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

Melt the butter. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave until fully melted.
Mix in the sugars. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the melted butter. Whisk or stir vigorously until smooth and well combined.
Add the egg and vanilla. Add the egg and vanilla extract, whisking until the mixture is silky and slightly glossy.
Stir in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix — stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.
Fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and M&M’s, using more M&M’s than chocolate chips for the best mix of texture and color.
Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — this step is essential. If you have the time, chilling for 24–48 hours will give you even better flavor and texture, as the dough has more time to hydrate and develop.
Preheat and scoop. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough onto light-colored baking sheets (dark pans can cause the bottoms to overbake).
Bake. Bake for 10–13 minutes, or until the cookies turn a light golden color. They’ll look slightly underdone in the center — that’s exactly what you want for a soft, chewy texture.
Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tips for the Best M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Don’t skip the chill. At minimum, give the dough 30 minutes in the fridge. Longer is better if you have the time.
Use light-colored baking sheets. Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the bottoms of the cookies to overbake before the centers are done.
Underbake slightly. Pull the cookies out when they’re just barely golden — they’ll continue to cook slightly from residual heat as they cool on the pan.
Press a few extra M&M’s on top before baking. This is a simple trick bakeries use to make the cookies look extra loaded and bakery-style once they come out of the oven.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour and lead to dry, dense cookies.

Why you should chill the cookie dough:

Chilling the dough isn’t just a suggestion here — it makes a real difference in the final cookie. As the dough rests, the flour has time to fully hydrate, which deepens the flavor and gives the cookies a richer, more complex taste. Chilling also firms up the butter, so the cookies spread more slowly in the oven and bake up thicker instead of thin and flat. If you have the time, letting the dough rest for 24–48 hours takes these cookies from great to bakery-quality — but even a 30-minute chill will noticeably improve the texture compared to baking the dough right away.

Substitutions and Variations:

Double chocolate M&M cookies: Add a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dough for a chocolate base beneath the M&M’s and chips.
Holiday M&M cookies: Swap in seasonal M&M colors (red and green, pastel, red-white-blue) to match the occasion.
Bigger, bakery-style cookies: Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and add a minute or two to the bake time.
Brown butter version: Brown the butter on the stovetop instead of simply melting it for a deeper, nuttier flavor throughout the cookie.

How to Store M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I love to keep the cookies in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag and let them come to room temperature or place in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Can You Freeze M&M Cookie Dough?

Yes, and it’s a great way to always have fresh cookies on hand. You can freeze this dough in a couple of ways:

Freeze the dough in a log: Roll the chilled dough into a log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Slice off rounds and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Freeze pre-scooped dough balls: Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.

Baked cookies also freeze well — let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to chill the cookie dough? Yes, at minimum for 30 minutes. Chilling firms up the butter so the cookies don’t spread too thin, and it gives the flour time to hydrate, which improves both flavor and texture. Chilling longer (up to 24–48 hours) will give you even better results.

Can I use mini M&M’s instead of regular? Yes, mini M&M’s work well and distribute a little more evenly throughout the dough. You may want to use a slightly larger quantity since they’re smaller.

Why did my cookies turn out flat? This usually happens when the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and measure your flour accurately. If you want a thicker cookie, use 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Can I double this recipe? Yes — simply double every ingredient, including the egg (you’ll need 2 eggs for a doubled batch). The ratios stay the same regardless of batch size.

Do I need a mixer to make this recipe? No — that’s one of the best things about this recipe. Since the butter is melted rather than creamed, you can mix the entire dough by hand with just a whisk and a spoon. A stand or hand mixer isn’t necessary, though you’re welcome to use one on low speed if you prefer. My one bowl chocolate chip cookies is super a popular cookie recipe on Modern Honey.