If you’re looking for cute spring cookies to make, these M&M sugar cookies are perfect! They are a bright and colorful version of the m m cookies original recipe you know and love…plus, these are easier to make than traditional frosted cookies.
During spring break, one of our favorite activities is making sugar cookies for Easter. Usually, we would make frosted sugar cookies, but I began to dread the mess that came with the tinted frosting.
Then, M&M’s came out in pastel, spring colors and we started making the recipe from the bag.
One of the things to love about this simple recipe is that it’s perfect for making with kids. They get to participate in a creative, hands-on learning experience without a dozen complicated steps.
Older kiddos learn about fractions and counting when measuring the ingredients. And it helps develop fine motor skills in smaller children when they place the spring M&M candies on the cookies.
Not to mention you can forget about messy frosting and instead have fun making it. Since this sugar cookie recipe has an easy, simple clean-up, everyone enjoys helping out because there’s a great treat afterward.
You simply form a basic cookie dough, shape, and bake, then add these M&M candies for a sweet finishing touch. From start to finish, they only take 30 minutes to make!
Why We Love These M&M Sugar Cookies
- Fun & Festive for Any Occasion
These sugar cookies with M&Ms are perfect for spring, Easter, and any special celebration! With their soft, chewy texture and colorful M&M’s, they make great holiday or everyday treats. - Simple Ingredients & Easy to Make
Made with basic pantry staples, this recipe is incredibly simple. No fancy techniques—just mix, scoop, and bake! Using a cookie scoop ensures evenly sized cookies every time. - Customizable & Kid-Friendly
You can easily swap in different M&M colors for various holidays or mix in sprinkles for extra fun! These cookies are a great baking activity for kids to enjoy decorating and mixing.
This Easter cookie idea is based on my original M&M recipe but swaps traditional M&M candies with bright and colorful pastel-colored sweets. The whole family will love celebrating the season with these tasty treats!
Need more dessert recipes? You’ll love these! For a fruit twist, make our raspberry white chocolate cookies, or traditional better than Costco chocolate chip cookies, or this spritz cookie recipe.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
There are needs to make tender, slightly crispy, and lightly chewy M & M cookies from scratch. Many are even pantry staples you probably have on hand right now!
- All-purpose flour – The base of the dough, providing structure. If needed, you can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute.
- Sea salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor. Kosher salt works as a substitute.
- Baking soda – Helps the dough rise and stay soft. Baking powder can be used, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Butter – Gives the cookies richness and moisture. Use unsalted butter for better flavor control, or swap with melted coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
- Sugar – Creates the perfect sweet and crisp edges. You can use half brown sugar for a chewier texture.
- Eggs – Bind the ingredients together and add moisture. To make these egg-free, check our egg substitutes for baking.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances the flavors. Pure vanilla extract is best, but you can use almond extract for a slightly nutty twist.
- M&M’s – The star ingredient! Use seasonal M&M’s for a fun holiday touch or swap them with chocolate chips or sprinkles.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate lovers’ version – Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the dough for a chocolate sugar cookie base.
- Chewy brown sugar – Swap half the white sugar for brown sugar for extra chewiness.
- Holiday – Change up the M&M’s color scheme for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Halloween.
Equipment Used in Our Recipe
- Cookie scoop
- Sheet pans / prepared baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Wire cooling rack
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How To Make Spring Cookies
This homemade M&M sugar cookies recipe couldn’t be any easier. Here are the 6 steps for making a delicious batch of fresh, tasty, perfectly sweet spring cookies:
- Preheat your oven. This recipe bakes the cookies at 375º F.
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Cream the softened butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla. Do not over-mix otherwise, your sugar cookies will be dense and flat.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Chill the Dough – For thicker cookies, chill the dough balls in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.
- Slowly add your dry ingredients to the wet until combined, then gently fold in half of the pastel M&Ms to the dough. Overmixing the dough will result in flat, dense cookies.
- Drop scoops or spoonfuls of dough and bake for 10-12 minutes, until they are set and slightly browned on the outside and no longer raw in the middle.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to the wire cooling rack to add the other half of the M&Ms by gently pressing them into the tops of the cookies.
Serve and enjoy!
If you’re craving another citrusy treat to pair with these cookies, be sure to check out our refreshing lemon poke cake with lemon glaze for a delightful twist on classic spring desserts!
Serving Suggestions
These sugar cookies with M&Ms are delicious on their own, but they’re even better when served with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee. For a festive touch, arrange them on a platter with chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles for variety. Pair them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or use them to make fun ice cream sandwiches. If serving at a holiday gathering, consider a dessert spread with brownies, cupcakes, and chocolate-dipped fruit to complement these colorful treats.
Sugar Cookies with M&Ms Recipe FAQs
The M&Ms will melt and crack when baked, which makes for great crunchy and melty sugar cookies. But have the prettiest spring cookies, it’s best to add the other half of the candies to the tops immediately after baking. That way they are still soft enough so that the candy sticks, but they stay whole and lovely looking.
Feel free to swap colorful pastel candies with traditional M & Ms, or any colors you like! You can also change the recipe to use 1/2 M&M candies and 1/2 of another preferred treat… Like chocolate chips or white chocolate chips, nuts, or other fun goodies like peanut butter chips..
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
These freeze well! Wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap for the freshest taste. Then store all of it together in an airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes! A sturdy whisk and some patience will do the trick. Make sure the butter is softened for easier mixing.
Love Easy Cookie Recipes? Here’s More…
If you tried this M&M sugar cookie recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
M&M Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- parchment paper
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
- stand mixer
- silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups granulated cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups M&Ms reserve 1 cup for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, a Silpat baking sheet, or spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set bowl aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Scraping down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until creamy.
- Turn the speed of the mixer to low and add flour mixture just until blended. Gently stir in 1 cups of M&Ms by hand with a spoon *see notes*.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoons (or with a small scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake cookies in the middle rack of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges, and just set in the center.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack. Gently press in remaining cup of M&Ms into cookies before cooling *see notes*.
Notes
M and M cookies are great to freeze, too! To keep the freshest I recommend you first wrap the cookies individually with plastic wrap, and then store together in an airtight freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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Kechi says
My kids enjoyed making and eating this cookies. Thanks for sharing!
Kechi says
This recipe was easy to follow, and my kids enjoyed making them and eating them. Thanks for sharing.