If you’re looking for fun and easy ideas for spring or Easter cookies then you’ve got to try these M&M cookies! They are a bright and colorful version of the M & M cookies original recipe you know and love… plus, these spring sugar cookies are much easier to make than traditional frosted cookies.
What’s Covered in this post:
The Best Easy Easter M&M Cookies
During spring break, one of our favorite activities was making cookies for Easter. Usually, we would make spring 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 cookie recipe from the bag.
One of the things to love about this simple cookie 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, and it helps develop fine motor skills in smaller children when they place the M&M candies on the cookies.
Not to mention you can forget about messy frosting and instead have fun making cookies. Since this spring 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 M&M candies for a sweet finishing touch. From start to finish they only take 30 minutes to make!
This Easter cookie idea is based on my M&M cookies original recipe but swaps traditional M and M candies with bright and colorful pastel-colored sweets. The whole family will love celebrating the season with these tasty treats!
Love Cookies? Here are more cookie recipes you should try: White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Original M&M Cookie Recipe, Oatmeal Cookies Like Your Mom Made, or this Spritz Cookie Recipe.
Ingredients You need to Make M&M Spring Cookies
There are only 9 ingredients needed 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!
For these fun Easter cookies you need:
- All-purpose flour
- Fine sea salt
- Baking soda
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated cane sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- M&M’s Pastel candies
How to Make M & M Cookies From Scratch
This homemade M & M cookie recipe couldn’t be any easier. Here are the 6 steps for making a delicious batch of fresh, tasty, perfectly sweet spring sugar cookies with M&M candies:
First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and prep your baking sheets. You can either line them parchment paper, a Silpat baking sheet, or spray thoroughly with nonstick spray.
Next, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugars and softened butter until light and fluffy. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl down, then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat for just another minute until creamy, but do not over-mix.
Turn the mixer to low, and slowly begin to incorporate the flour mixture into the bowl. Work just a bit at a time, and turn off the mixer as soon as all of the ingredients are blended together. (If you over-work the dough you’re more likely to have sad, flat cookies.)
Then use a wooden spoon to gently fold half of the pastel M&M candies into the dough.
Drop scoops or spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping them a couple of inches apart to allow spreading. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set and slightly browned on the outside and no longer raw in the middle.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Then quickly move to a wire cooling rack, and immediately add the other half of M&M candies by gently pressing them into the tops of the Easter cookies.
Serve and enjoy!
Get The Full Spring M&M Cookies Recipe + Other Ideas for Easter Cookies and Treats Below!
Frequently Asked Questions
M&Ms will melt and crack when baked, which makes for a great crunchy and melty cookie consistency. 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 the cookies 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 or caramel M&Ms.
Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, these cookies will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
These M&M cookies freeze well, too! Wrap individual cookies in plastic wrap for the freshest taste. Then store all of the cookies together in an airtight bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
These kid-friendly oatmeal cookies are great for all occasions, and my homemade Pop-Tarts are easy to customize and make for any celebration. This easy Corn Pops Treats recipe is also excellent for making your kids’ favorite cereal as a sweet snack!
If you love cookies, you’ll love these Cookie Recipes
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies Like Your Mom Made
- Original M&M Cookie Recipe
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
M&M Cookies For Easter Recipe
Original MM Cookie Recipe for Spring
Equipment
- Baking Sheet or cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp 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 sugars 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.
I love your ideas for turning these yummy cookies into an enrichment activity for the kids! Plus, the Caramel M&M…genius!
Thank you, Sandra. Cooking with kids can be so much fun!