Every Easter, I reach for pastel M&Ms and whip up these soft, chewy cookies—because who has time for complicated Easter decorated cookies? These are simple, festive, and packed with melty chocolate and crunchy candy shells.
Perfect for an easy Easter treat, they’re crisp on the edges, gooey in the center, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Whether for brunch, a spring party, or just a sweet craving, these cookies bring all the holiday joy—no piping bags required. Let’s bake! 🍪🐰💛
Soft & Chewy Easter M&M Cookies
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Electric mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips plus extra for topping
- 1 cup Easter M&Ms plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and fluffy, about 1 minute.14 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.1 large egg, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Fold in Chocolate and M&Ms: Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup Easter M&Ms
- Form Dough Balls: Scoop out heaping spoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Press a few extra M&Ms and chocolate chips on top of each cookie for a bakery-style look.
- Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): For the best texture, cover and refrigerate the dough balls for 30 minutes. If chilling overnight, let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden but the centers look slightly underbaked.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Enjoy: Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies also freeze well for up to 3 months!
Easter M&M Cookies: Pro Tips from a Cookie Addict
Alright, friend, I’ve made these Easter M&M Cookies a few times now, and let me tell you—I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way. These little gems are dangerously good, so if you plan on sharing, maybe double the batch. Or don’t. No judgment. Let’s get into the good stuff!
💡 My Best Tips & Tricks for the Perfect Cookies
1. Don’t Melt the Butter—Just Soften It!
You want that butter soft but not melty—think squishy, like a marshmallow, but not liquidy. If your finger goes right through it, it’s too soft. Pop it in the fridge for a few minutes to save your cookies from spreading into sad, thin pancakes.
2. Brown Sugar = Magic
Brown sugar is the secret to that chewy, rich texture. If you’ve only got white sugar, you can make it work, but you’ll lose some of that soft, gooey goodness. (Pro tip: Make your own brown sugar by mixing white sugar with a bit of molasses—instant fix!)
3. Don’t Overmix!
When you add the flour, stir just until combined. If you go wild with the mixing, you’ll get tough cookies instead of soft, pillowy ones. And nobody wants that.
4. Let the Dough Rest (If You Can Wait)
Technically, you can bake these right away, but letting the dough sit for 30 minutes (or overnight!) makes the flavors even better. It also stops them from spreading too much in the oven. Think of it like marinating… but for cookies.
5. Save Some M&Ms for the Tops
Mix some in, sure, but also press extra M&Ms and chocolate chips on top before baking for that bakery-style, “look how pretty I am” finish. You’ll thank me later.
6. Underbake, Underbake, Underbake!
These babies will look just slightly underdone when you pull them out—that’s what you want! They’ll set up as they cool, leaving you with soft, chewy centers instead of sad, dry cookies.
7. Fix “Not-So-Round” Cookies
If your cookies spread weirdly (it happens!), grab a large glass or biscuit cutter, place it over a warm cookie, and swirl it around in a circular motion. Boom—perfectly round cookies in seconds.
🎭 Fun Ingredient Swaps & Add-Ins!
Because sometimes you just gotta mix things up…
➡️ No M&Ms? Swap them for Reese’s Pieces, chopped peanut butter cups, or white chocolate chips. Basically, throw in whatever makes your heart happy.
➡️ Want extra crunch? Stir in some chopped pretzels, toffee bits, or even crushed Oreos for a little extra texture.
➡️ Love a salty-sweet combo? Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top right after baking. You will NOT regret this.
➡️ Make it festive! Swap out the pastel M&Ms for red, white, and blue ones for the 4th of July, or green and red for Christmas. Seasonal cookies = instant fun.
➡️ Want to make them extra thick? Use cold butter instead of softened butter and chill the dough before baking. They’ll stay taller and chunkier.
🍪 Storing & Freezing Like a Pro
Look, I love fresh cookies, but I also love having cookie dough ready at all times for emergencies (a.k.a. every day).
➡️ To freeze cookie dough: Roll it into balls, freeze them on a tray for an hour, then toss them in a Ziploc bag. When the craving hits, just bake them straight from frozen—add an extra minute or two to the bake time!
➡️ To freeze baked cookies: Let them cool completely, then stash them in an airtight container. They’ll keep for 2-3 months (but let’s be real, they won’t last that long).
🎉 Final Words of Wisdom
Honestly? There’s no wrong way to enjoy these cookies. Eat them warm, dunk them in milk, sandwich some ice cream between them—just make sure you grab one before they disappear. Happy baking, and don’t forget to taste-test at least two right out of the oven. Quality control, you know? 😉
Got any wild mix-ins or secret cookie tricks? Drop ‘em in the comments—I’m always down to try new cookie experiments! 🍪✨
