The Best Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies (Thick, Chewy & Bakery-Style!)
These bakery-style Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies are soft, thick, and loaded with chocolate chips and colorful candy! Made with cold butter, brown sugar, and a secret ingredient for extra chew, they’re the perfect treat for cookie lovers of all ages.
Why You’ll Love These M&M Cookies
These are not your average chocolate chip cookies. These are bakery-style, thick, chewy, golden-edged, soft-centeredmasterpieces—and they’re ridiculously easy to make.
Why you’ll fall in love:
Thick & chewy: Thanks to cold butter, cornstarch, and a hot bake.
Packed with chocolate: The combo of semi-sweet chips and M&M’s is unbeatable.
Festive & fun: Perfect for parties, holidays, or adding a little joy to your week.
Make-ahead friendly: The dough can be chilled or frozen for later!
Whether you’re baking with kids, prepping for a cookie exchange, or just craving the best chocolate chip cookie ever, this recipe delivers every single time.
Ingredient Breakdown (and Why They Work!)
Let’s take a closer look at each component and how it contributes to the cookie magic:
🧈 Unsalted Butter (1 cup, cold and cubed)
Most cookie recipes call for softened butter—but not this one. Cold, cubed butter straight from the fridge helps create extra thick cookies with a tender crumb. It also prevents over-spreading in the oven.
Tip: Cube the butter before adding to your mixer for easier creaming.
🍬 Light Brown Sugar (1 cup, packed)
Brown sugar contains molasses, which adds moisture, chewiness, and rich caramel flavor. It’s the key to that deep bakery-style taste.
🍚 Granulated Sugar (½ cup)
White sugar provides structure and sweetness and balances the moisture from the brown sugar. The mix of both sugars helps create crisp edges and soft centers.
🥚 Eggs (2 large)
Eggs bind the dough and add richness. They also help give the cookies structure and a bit of lift.
🍦 Vanilla Extract (1 tbsp)
Adds warmth and enhances the flavors of the butter and chocolate. Don’t skimp!
🌾 All-Purpose Flour (3 cups)
The base of the cookie dough. Use scoop and level method for accurate measurement—too much flour can lead to dry cookies.
🌽 Cornstarch (1 tbsp)
This is the secret ingredient for a soft and tender crumb. Cornstarch reduces gluten development and gives the cookies that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
🥄 Baking Soda (1 tsp)
Provides just enough leavening to keep the cookies thick and soft without puffing them up too much.
🧂 Salt (1 tsp)
Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor. If using salted butter, reduce this by half.
🍫 Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (1 cup)
Semi-sweet chips bring classic chocolatey depth without making the cookies too sweet. You can also use chopped chocolate or chunks for more texture.
🍭 M&M’s (1½ cups + extra for topping)
These add a fun pop of color, crunch, and sweetness! Pressing a few extra M&M’s into the top of each dough ball makes the cookies look picture-perfect.
Seasonal twist: Swap classic M&M’s for themed versions (like red & green for Christmas or pastel for Easter).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make these thick and chewy cookies from scratch:
Step 1: Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This slightly hotter oven helps set the edges quickly while keeping the centers soft.
Why 410°F? The high heat creates the perfect contrast—crisp edges and gooey middles.
Step 2: Cream the Butter & Sugars
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the cold, cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.
Don’t worry if it looks a bit crumbly at first—it’ll come together as the butter breaks down.
Step 3: Add Eggs & Vanilla
Beat in 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until well combined and creamy.
Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Gradually add to the wet mixture. Mix for 3–4 minutes until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Step 5: Add Chocolate Chips & M&M’s
Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1½ cups M&M’s using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix just until combined—about 1 minute.
Step 6: Scoop & Shape
Scoop out large dough balls using about ¼ cup of dough per cookie. Roll gently into rough, tall mounds and place on the prepared baking sheets.
Optional: Press a few extra M&M’s on top of each dough ball before baking for that bakery-style look.
Step 7: Bake
Bake for 9–11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set. Do not overbake—the centers should still look slightly underdone.
Step 8: Cool
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This helps them set without becoming dry.
Tips for Success
✅ Use cold butter – This makes a huge difference in texture.
✅ Don’t overmix – Overworking the dough leads to tough cookies.
✅ Scoop large cookies – The bigger the dough ball, the better the contrast between the chewy center and crisp edge.
✅ Rest after baking – Don’t skip the 10-minute cool on the tray!
How to Store and Freeze
Store: Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to help retain moisture.
Freeze: Freeze dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen at 410°F, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Variations
🎉 Party Cookies: Swap in rainbow sprinkles or chopped candy bars.
🍫 Double Chocolate: Replace ¼ cup flour with cocoa powder for a chocolate base.
🍪 Mini Version: Use a tablespoon-sized scoop and bake for 7–8 minutes.
🎃 Holiday Twist: Use seasonal M&M’s and add cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe combines smart baking science (cold butter, cornstarch, high heat) with tried-and-true ingredients for cookies that look and taste like they came straight from a bakery display case. The texture is unbeatable—thick, soft, gooey in the middle, with just enough crisp on the edges.
It’s simple enough for a weekday treat, but impressive enough for gifting, parties, or making with your kids on a rainy afternoon.
The Best Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
These bakery-style Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies are soft, thick, and loaded with chocolate chips and colorful candy! Made with cold butter, brown sugar, and a secret ingredient for extra chew, they’re the perfect treat for cookie lovers of all ages.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups M&M's (plus extra for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 410°F (210°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream cold butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy (2 min).
- Add eggs and vanilla extract; mix to combine.
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually mix into wet ingredients (3–4 min).
- Fold in chocolate chips and M&M's (1 min).
- Scoop ¼ cup-sized dough balls. Press extra M&M’s on top.
- Bake 9–11 minutes until edges are golden.
- Let cool on tray 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
🍪 Ready to bake up some joy? These Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies are the feel-good dessert you’ll want to make again and again.
If you give them a try, leave a review in the comments or tag me on Instagram @CookSnapBake—I LOVE seeing your creations! 💬✨
📌 Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your cookie board and save it for your next bake sale, birthday, or cozy weekend bake session!
These bakery-style Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies are soft, thick, and loaded with chocolate chips and colorful candy! Made with cold butter, brown sugar, and a secret ingredient for extra chew, they’re the perfect treat for cookie lovers of all ages.