M&M Cookies (Christmas Cookies)

M&M Cookies filled with colorful, candy-coated chocolate and melty chocolate chips are the kind of treat everyone loves. They’re fun for kids to make and impossible for adults to resist.

The ultimate Christmas M&M Cookies to leave out with a glass of milk (or hot cocoa ) for Santa, these buttery bites are soft, chewy, and loaded with holiday cheer. Every cookie melts in your mouth with a perfectly tender center, making this the best M&M cookies recipe to bake all season long.

• What Makes This Recipe So Good
• What Goes Into M&M Cookies
• How To Make M&M Cookies
• Tips For Making M&M Cookies
• Recipe FAQ’s
• M&M Cookies (Soft Santa Cookies) Recipe

What Makes This Recipe So Good

There’s something special about a batch of warm M&M Cookies straight from the oven. Each one is soft and buttery, with just the right balance of chewy edges and melty chocolate inside. The colorful M&M’s don’t just add a festive touch—they bring a satisfying crunch and extra sweetness in every bite.

This M&M cookies recipe is foolproof, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced bakers. Whether you’re baking a batch for a holiday party or whipping up Christmas M&M Cookies with the kids, these will easily become your go-to treat for the season.

What Goes Into M&M Cookies

These M&M Cookies come together with simple pantry staples that create the perfect balance of buttery, chewy, and chocolatey goodness. Here are the key ingredients that make them so irresistible:

• Butter: Melted butter gives these cookies a rich flavor and creates that soft, chewy texture everyone loves. Just be sure it’s melted, not spreadable.
• Brown Sugar: Adds depth and a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with the M&M’s and chocolate chips.
• Golden Syrup: A secret ingredient that makes the cookies extra soft and chewy. You can substitute it with honey, maple syrup, or agave if you prefer.
• M&M’s: The stars of the show! Red and green M&M’s bring a festive look and a pop of crunch in every bite.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

How To Make M&M Cookies

1. Preheat The Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so it’s ready to go.

1. Melt The Butter: Microwave butter for 30 seconds, just until it’s half melted and half soft to create the perfect chewy cookie texture.

1. Cream Butter And Sugars: Beat the butter with both sugars until creamy, pale, and smooth, making sure sugar has mostly dissolved.

1. Add The Wet Ingredients: Mix in the syrup, vanilla extract, and egg, and beat lightly until everything is just combined.

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Add flour, baking soda, and salt, then mix until a dough forms. If needed, add a bit of flour at a time until dough is firm enough to roll.

1. Fold In The Chocolate And M&M’s: Gently fold in half of the chocolate chips and M&M’s, using your hands to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.

1. Shape The Cookies: Scoop out 18 to 20 cookie balls and place them on your prepared baking sheet. Press the remaining M&M’s and chocolate chips on top of each ball for that picture-perfect look.

1. Bake And Cool: Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes to set perfectly.

If you’re baking a batch of these M&M Cookies, don’t stop there—make it a full holiday treat spread! These soft, buttery cookies pair beautifully with comforting sips and cozy sweets that keep the festive spirit going.

Try them with a steaming mug of Nutella Hot Chocolate for the ultimate chocolate-on-chocolate moment, or pair them with a slice of Pumpkin Pie for that warm, spiced holiday flavor that complements the cookies perfectly. For something a little extra indulgent, add a side of Saltine Cracker Toffee and let that salty-sweet crunch bring your dessert plate to life.

Tips For Making M&M Cookies

• Chill the dough if it’s too soft. If your dough feels a little sticky, pop it in the fridge for 15–20 minutes. It’ll make shaping easier and keep the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Bringing your egg and butter closer to room temp helps everything mix smoothly and evenly, giving you that perfect soft texture.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies should look pale and slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out. They’ll continue to cook on the tray as they cool, staying chewy instead of turning hard.
• Add extra M&M’s on top. Press a few candies onto each dough ball before baking for that classic, colorful bakery look.

Yes! You can use any variety you love—peanut, crispy, caramel, or minis. Just keep in mind that larger M&M’s might make the cookies slightly chunkier and more textured.

Store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a small piece of tortilla. The cookies will absorb the moisture and stay soft for days.

Flat cookies usually mean your butter was too warm or you skipped chilling the dough. Try refrigerating the dough next time and double-check your baking soda isn’t expired.

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IngredientsUSMetric1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/2 cup stick butter melted, not spreadable
• ▢ 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated white sugar or a granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons golden syrup or coconut syrup, agave, rice malt syrup, maple syrup or honey may be substituted
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all purpose or plain flour, scooped and levelled – add more as needed – only up to 1/4 cup extra
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/3 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup M&M’s red and green, divided
• ▢ 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips dark or milk chocolates can be used

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds to just barely melt it (half soft and half melted).
• Beat the butter with the brown and white sugar/s until creamy and pale in colour and sugar has dissolved. Pour in the syrup, vanilla and the egg, and lightly beat until just mixed through.
• Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until combined. If needed, add in one tablespoon of the ‘extra’ flour at a time until the dough is still soft but easy to handle and firm enough to form one large ball (the dough should not be dry. I only needed 3 tablespoons of the extra flour).
• Fold in half of the chocolate chips and m&m’s with your hands.
• Scoop out 18-20 balls* and arrange them on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the remaining candies onto the tops of each cookie.
• Bake for about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will look pale and puffed up, but should be golden around the edges. DO NOT OVER BAKE or your cookies will become hard once they have cooled.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes.

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

M&M Cookies (Soft Santa Cookies)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup stick butter melted, not spreadable
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar or a granulated sweetener that measures 1:1 with sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or coconut syrup, agave, rice malt syrup, maple syrup or honey may be substituted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose or plain flour, scooped and levelled - add more as needed - only up to 1/4 cup extra
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup M&M’s red and green, divided
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips dark or milk chocolates can be used

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Microwave the butter for about 30 seconds to just barely melt it (half soft and half melted).
• Beat the butter with the brown and white sugar/s until creamy and pale in colour and sugar has dissolved. Pour in the syrup, vanilla and the egg, and lightly beat until just mixed through.
• Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, mixing until combined. If needed, add in one tablespoon of the ’extra’ flour at a time until the dough is still soft but easy to handle and firm enough to form one large ball (the dough should not be dry. I only needed 3 tablespoons of the extra flour).
• Fold in half of the chocolate chips and m&m’s with your hands.
• Scoop out 18-20 balls* and arrange them on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Press the remaining candies onto the tops of each cookie.
• Bake for about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will look pale and puffed up, but should be golden around the edges. DO NOT OVER BAKE or your cookies will become hard once they have cooled.
• Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes.

Notes

Nutrition

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Okay, can we all agree that Taco Tuesday is literally the best night of the week?! It’s my go-to for a fun, easy dinner that I know everyone will love. And since this year’s National Taco Day is happening on a Tuesday (Oct 7th!), we are going ALL out!

I’ve gathered my absolute best, most-loved Taco Tuesday ideas to make your next taco night a total knockout. We are not the only ones crazy about Taco Tuesday Old El Paso is declaring October 7 “ National Taco Day-Off ” and giving you a chance to win a trip to a Cowboy Ranch.

How to Make The Quickest Tacos

I know weeknights are crazy! You want an amazing Taco Tuesday, but you need it FAST. These are my secret weapons for getting delicious tacos on the table in under 30 minutes.

• Prep Ahead: Chop your lettuce, tomatoes, and onions in the morning or the night before. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, you just have to set them out!
• Use Smart Shortcuts: Don’t be afraid to use pre-shredded cheese, a bag of slaw mix, or a good quality store-bought pico de gallo or guacamole to save time. You can find pico de gallo in the refrigerated section, I love the one from Trader Joe’s . It’s known for being consistently fresh, chunky, and having a great flavor. My biggest tip for any store-bought pico is to drain off any extra liquid at the bottom of the container and give it a stir. If you want to make it taste homemade, add a quick squeeze of fresh lime juice and a little chopped cilantro. It makes all the difference!
• Cook The Meat in Batches: I love to cook a double batch of taco meat on Sunday. I use half for dinner that night and save the other half for Tuesday. It reheats in minutes and its good to store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

What to stuff in a Perfect Taco?

Building the perfect taco is an art, and it’s all about the layers! Here’s my guide to the essential components.

• The Tortilla: Choose your base! Flour tortillas are soft and pliable, great for over-stuffed tacos these are my personal favourite, I use the Tortilla Land uncooked flour tortillas. You find them in the refrigerated section and cook them in a hot pan for about 30 seconds per side. They puff up and taste incredible. Corn tortillas offer an authentic, slightly sweet flavor and are amazing when quickly charred on a gas stove or in a hot pan. Hard Shells give you that classic, satisfying crunch.
• The Protein: While the recipes below give you tons of options, don’t be afraid to mix it up! Pick from seasoned ground beef, shredded chicken, spicy chorizo, or black beans for a great veggie option.
• The Toppings (The Best Part!): Get creative with a taco bar! Set out bowls of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole!

Our 10 Must-Make Taco Recipes

Now that you’re armed with all the pro tips, let’s get to the recipes!

Planning a bigger fiesta? Check out my Best New Year’s Eve Appetizers for more crowd pleasing bites that pair perfectly with tacos! Or downsize for a couples romantic date night menu ideas here.

Crispy Fish Tacos

Beef Mince Tacos (Better Than Takeout)

Viral Smash Burger Tacos

Easy Birria Tacos

Oven-Baked Barbecue Chicken ‘Pizza’ Tacos

Korean Bulgogi BBQ Beef Tacos

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Short Rib Tacos

Easy Taco Salad

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken Taco Salad

The Only Salsa Recipe You’ll Ever Need

Pico De Gallo

Best Creamy Guacamole