Christmas M&M Cookies
Published on October 21, 2026
If you need a cookie that looks festive without any fuss, these easy Christmas cookies are exactly the recipe to pull out. They’re a classic chewy cookie dough loaded with red and green M&M’s and chocolate chips, and they come together with ingredients you probably already have in the pantry.
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They’re also easy to make your own. Swap the M&M colors for whatever holiday you’re celebrating, toss in white chocolate chips instead, or make a double batch for a cookie platter alongside other treats. If you’re building out a full holiday spread, check out more Christmas party food ideas or browse the Christmas cupcakes and hot cocoa fudge for more sweets to add to the table.
Quick Look: Christmas M&M Cookies
- •Prep Time: 15 minutes
- •Cook Time: 10 minutes
- •Total Time: 30 minutes
- •Servings: 24
- •Perfect For: Christmas and Cookie Exchange Parties
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What You Need for Christmas M&M Cookies
All-Purpose Flour: Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off so you don’t pack in extra flour.
Baking Soda: Gives the cookies their rise and that classic soft center.
Salt: Balances the sweetness so the cookies don’t taste flat.
Unsalted Butter: Let it sit out until it’s truly room temperature for the fluffiest texture.
Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the edges crisp up slightly.
Brown Sugar: Packed brown sugar keeps these cookies soft and chewy in the middle.
Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla if you can, it makes a noticeable difference.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend into the dough more smoothly.
Christmas M&M’s: The red and green ones are what make these cookies instantly festive looking.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Optional but adds extra chocolate in every bite.
How to Make These Festive Christmas Cookies
Step 1: Turn the oven on to 350°F so it’s fully heated by the time your dough is ready, and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set that bowl to the side.
Step 3: In a larger bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until the mixture turns pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. This step matters because it’s what gives the cookies a light texture instead of a dense one.
Step 4: Mix in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one goes in.
Step 5: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, stirring just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing here is what makes cookies tough, so stop as soon as it comes together.
Step 6: Fold in the Christmas M&M’s and chocolate chips by hand so you don’t crush the candy shells.
Step 7: Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one so they have room to spread.
Step 8: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are just turning golden while the centers still look slightly underdone, that’s what keeps them soft once they cool.
Step 9: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack, they’re too fragile to transfer right out of the oven.
Step 10: Once they’ve cooled completely, pile them onto a plate and serve with milk, hot cocoa, or whatever holiday drink you’ve got going.
Tips for the Best Easy Christmas Cookies
Make Ahead:
- You can mix the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
- Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray, then bake straight from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time.
Storage:
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Layer parchment paper between cookies if you’re stacking them so the M&M’s don’t stick together.
Baking Tip:
- Press a few extra M&M’s on top of each dough ball right before baking so the colors show up front and center.
- Rotate your baking sheet halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.
Easy Swaps for This Christmas Cookie Recipe
Candy Swap: Regular M&M’s work fine if you can’t find the holiday ones, or try peppermint M&M’s for a minty twist.
Chocolate Chip Options: White chocolate chips give these a sweeter, creamier flavor than semi-sweet.
Flour Swap: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour works in place of all-purpose if needed.
Butter Swap: Salted butter works if that’s what you have, just cut the added salt in the recipe by half.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Your butter was probably too warm or melted. Make sure it’s just softened, not greasy, and chill the dough for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
Absolutely, regular M&M’s work the same way, you just won’t get the red and green holiday look.
Store them in an airtight container and don’t overbake them. Pulling them out while the centers still look slightly underdone keeps them chewy as they cool.
Yes, they hold up well for a few days stored airtight, making them a great pick for a cookie swap or holiday party tray.
Christmas M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Christmas M&M’s (red and green)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in vanilla, then eggs one at a time.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined.
- Fold in M&M’s and chocolate chips.
- Scoop tablespoons of dough onto sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers look soft.
- Cool on sheet 5 minutes, then move to wire rack.
- Serve once fully cooled.
