Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies made with butter, sugars, instant pudding mix, and colorful M&Ms. The dough bakes to lightly crisp edges and a tender, chewy center, studded with chocolate and candy for a bakery-style treat you can make at home.
Homemade M&M cookies are a colorful, chocolate-packed classic. After testing many variations, this version captures the ideal balance: crisp-but-not-hard edges, a soft and chewy middle, and an even distribution of chocolate and candy. Simple tweaks—instant pudding in the dough, mini chips and mini M&Ms, and pressing extra candies on top—deliver a consistently great result.
Recipe Highlights
- Perfect texture combo – Crisp edges with a soft, chewy center that stays tender for days thanks to instant pudding mix in the dough.
- Chocolate in every bite – Mini chocolate chips plus mini M&Ms give even distribution so no bite is plain.
- Bakery-style finish – Pressing extra M&Ms onto the tops of the dough before baking creates a colorful, picture-perfect appearance.
Ingredients for M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
Butter (½ cup) & Shortening (½ cup): A blend of fats gives a rich flavor and helps produce crisp edges with a tender center.
Granulated Sugar (¾–1 cup) & Brown Sugar (¾–1 cup): Granulated sugar adds structure while brown sugar contributes moisture and a caramel note for chewiness.
Eggs (2 large): Eggs bind the dough and create a cohesive, tender texture.
Milk (2 TBSP): A small amount of milk loosens the dough for easy scooping and helps keep the cookies soft.
Vanilla Extract (2 tsp): Vanilla enhances the cookie’s overall flavor and complements the chocolate.
All-Purpose Flour (about 2½–3 cups), Baking Soda (1 tsp), Salt (½–1 tsp), & Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (3.4 oz): Flour provides structure, baking soda controls rise and spread, salt brightens flavor, and instant pudding keeps the cookies especially soft and chewy.
Mini Chocolate Chips (about 1–1½ cups) & Mini M&Ms (about 1 cup + extra for topping): Small chips and mini candies distribute evenly so every bite has chocolate and candy without weighing down the dough.
Tips & Tricks for making M&M Cookies
- Use instant pudding mix: Instant (not cook-and-serve) pudding is the key to keeping the cookies soft and bakery-style for days.
- Choose mini chips and minis: Smaller candies spread through the dough more uniformly and keep dough easy to scoop.
- Press candies on top before baking: For an attractive finish and to prevent M&Ms from cracking or sinking too far into the cookie, press extra pieces on the dough balls just before baking.
Storage and Freezing
Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days to keep them soft. For longer storage, freeze either baked cookies or the unbaked dough:
- Baked cookies: Cool completely, then freeze in a sealed container or freezer bag for 2–3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
- Cookie dough: Scoop dough balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen—add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Freezing dough is convenient when you want fresh-baked cookies on demand.
Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 oz box instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 10 oz bag mini M&M’s, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and shortening with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until pale. Add granulated and brown sugars and mix until combined.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and milk; mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, instant pudding mix, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips and half the mini M&Ms, reserving the rest in a small bowl.
- Scoop dough using a medium cookie scoop. Press each dough ball into the reserved mini M&Ms so the top is coated. Place dough balls 1½–2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake 11–12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to light brown and tops still look slightly doughy. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
Freeze baked cookies or dough for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving. Dough can be baked from frozen—add 1–2 minutes to bake time.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 24 g
| Protein: 2 g
Common Questions
Can I use regular sized M&Ms?
Yes, but mini M&Ms distribute more evenly and give a better chocolate-to-dough balance without making the dough difficult to scoop.
Do I really need the pudding mix?
Yes. Instant pudding mix keeps these cookies exceptionally soft and chewy and helps them stay fresh longer. Without it, the texture is more ordinary and less bakery-like.
How do I know when my M&M cookies are finished baking?
They’re done when the edges are lightly browned and the tops still look slightly underdone. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 10 minutes to finish setting before moving them to a cooling rack.
Can I skip the shortening and use all butter?
You can use all butter, but the texture will change slightly—cookies may be more buttery, spread a bit more, and have a slightly firmer center.
Why press M&Ms on top instead of just mixing them in?
Pressing candies on top creates the colorful bakery look and helps keep M&Ms from cracking or sinking too far into the cookie during baking.
More cookie ideas
- Cake Mix Rolo Cookies — soft, chewy cookies with a melty caramel-chocolate surprise.
- Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies — a classic recipe with a few simple upgrades for even better texture.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza — a crowd-pleasing dessert with a chewy cookie crust topped with frosting and fresh berries.
- Copycat Chewy Chips Ahoy Cookies — a simple, pantry-friendly version that captures the classic texture.
- Heath Bar Cookies — crunchy toffee bits in a buttery cookie for a sweet, satisfying bite.
- Eggless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — perfectly textured cookies made without eggs.
Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies—buttery dough, warm vanilla flavor, and bright pops of candy in every bite. The instant pudding mix is the secret to keeping them tender and irresistible, and pressing extra M&Ms on top gives that tempting bakery finish.