Chocolate M&M’s Cookies Recipe

Double chocolate cookies meet M&M’s candies. Chocolate M&Ms Cookies are decadently rich with a pop of color. With lots of chocolate flavor and a satisfying crunch from the candy coating, these cookies are perfect with a glass of milk!

Remember these thick and fudgy M&M Brownies? Today’s cookie recipe is another delicious combination of fudgy chocolate and melt-in-your-mouth M&Ms. For another festive treat, try our slice and bake cookies!

Chocolate cookies with m&m's on a wire cooling rack.


If you love Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies and M&M’s Cookies, today’s recipe is about to shoot to the top of your favorites list!

  • Fudgy chocolate cookies packed with mini M&M’s!
  • Uses a full cup of cocoa powder for the richest flavor.
  • Easy to make with only 15 minutes of prep time.

The sheer amount of cocoa powder in the dough means there’s no debate: this is a chocolate lover’s M&M’s cookie recipe. These will remind you of my thick fudgy brownies!

We balanced out the bitterness of the cocoa with sweet milk chocolate M&M’s.

Because more chocolate is always a good idea, you know? Try our cookies and cream cookies for that same thick and fudgy treat.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make chocolate m&ms cookies.
  • Melted butter. You can use unsalted or salted butter in this recipe. Melt it in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup then let it cool for a few minutes. If using salted butter, feel free to skip the kosher salt.
  • Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder. Can’t find Ghirardelli? Substitute it for another premium brand of cocoa. There’s a LOT of it in this recipe, so use the good stuff!
  • Chocolate chips. We preferred the flavor of milk chocolate morsels here. Substitute semi-sweet morsels for a darker chocolate version of these cookies!
  • Mini M&M’s. The rainbow of color in the original mini M&M’s makes the cookies beautiful. You can also use the special seasonal varieties to change up the colors for different occasions.

How to Make Chocolate M&M Cookies

Step by step photos showing how to make chocolate M&M cookies.

To make the chocolate cookie dough:

Mix together the melted butter with brown sugar. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract.

Now, add the dry ingredients (except the candies and chocolate chips) and mix to form a dough.

Fold in chocolate candies:

Set aside 1/4 cup of M&Ms and chocolate morsels. Fold the rest into the chocolate cookie dough.

Bake:

Use a cookie scoop to drop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Press a few of the reserved candies and chocolate chips onto the top of each scoop of cookie dough.

Bake for about 10 minutes. Let the Chocolate M&M’s Cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Two chocolate M&M cookies on a white plate, one broken in half.

Recipe FAQs

Why do you add extra chocolate chips and M&Ms on top of the cookies?

I press on the extra chocolate chips and candies to the tops of unbaked cookies mostly for aesthetic reasons. If you fold them all into the dough they can sink into the cookies while baking.
Putting a few on top instead gives the cookies a beautiful appearance. And everyone will know exactly what is inside the cookie they’re about to eat!

If I freeze the dough, do I have to thaw it before baking?

No need to thaw! You can place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet and bake as directed. Add a couple of minutes of extra baking time.

I can’t get Ghirardelli cocoa powder where I live. What can I use instead?

Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder is another good option for these cookies. Try to find a high quality premium cocoa. I don’t recommend Nestle cocoa or off-brand cocoa for this recipe.

How can I tell when the cookies are done baking?

Chocolate Mu0026Ms cookies are best when they are removed from the oven before fully baked. The cookies should look soft but not runny when they are done baking.
They’ll continue to firm up to the perfect chewy, fudgy texture as they cool!

Stacks of chocolate cookies with M&M's on wire cooling rack.

Easy Cookie Recipes

See all Cookies recipes

Chocolate M&M’s Cookies

4.86 from 7 votes
By: Aimee
Double chocolate cookies meet M&M's candies. Chocolate M&Ms Cookies are decadently rich with a pop of color. With lots of chocolatey flavor and a satisfying crunch from the candy coating, these cookies are perfect with a glass of milk!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 package milk chocolate chips, divided 11 oz
  • 1 package mini M&M’s, divided 10 oz
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter with brown sugar. Mix until completely blended. Add in eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
  • Add flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt, and baking soda to mixing bowl. Beat just until incorporated. Fold in the milk chocolate chips and mini M&M’s.  Reserve about a ¼ cup of each for later.
  • Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Using the reserved milk chocolate chips and mini M&M’s, press 5 or 6 on top of each cookie before baking.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will be slightly underbaked, but not runny. Allow to cool on baking sheet 5-10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Storage– store cookies in airtight container at room temperature after they have cooled completely. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze cookie dough balls instead of the baked cookies.
  • Cocoa Powder– I love the Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder because of it’s rich flavor. Hershey’s special dark is delicious as well. Do not choose off brand or Nestle as I feel like they leave a bitter taste in this cookie recipe.
  • Substitutions- I choose milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet because of the large amount of cocoa powder. Dark chocolate chips are also a delicious option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 136mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! These Double Chocolate M&Ms Cookies are about to become your family’s new favorite M&M cookie!



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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

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Posted on August 13, 2021

Comments & Reviews

  1. Of my goodness Aimee these are sooooo good!! Very rich and chocolatey. I used semisweet chips instead of milk. My family is already asking them to make them again…and they’re still warm!

  2. Enjoyed these cookies so much! Used Halloween M&M’s, leftover white chocolate chips and added some chopped pecans to the batter!

  3. These cookies are so yummy and very rich! My family and I devoured these cookies so fast, and we loved these! I can’t wait to make another batch for my teens when they go back to school!

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