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How to Make Perfectly Soft M&M Cookies

Kylie

Perfectly soft M&M cookies are so magical. There’s a bit of nostalgia, and something extra special about them. And if you put out a plate of chocolate chip cookies AND M&M cookies, 103% of the time, people will pick the M&M cookies.

Yup. That’s a real statistic.

My husband’s favorite cookie is “chocolate chip without the chips” aka boring cookies. This recipe makes pretty dang good “boring” cookies. Dean was perfectly happy with these perfectly soft and mild boring cookies for months.

But one day I had M&Ms that I hadn’t eaten (miracle), so I used them in my cookie dough instead of chocolate chips, and the results were magical. Even my boring-loving husband can’t resist these perfectly soft M&M cookies.

Perfectly Soft M&M Cookies

They’re just the right amount of sweet too. Decadent cookies that give you that sugary burn in the back of your throat are fun once in awhile. But these perfectly soft M&M cookies have a really mild sweetness. Its hard to describe, but you’ll understand when you try them.

A note about preventing flat cookies:

Do your cookies ever “melt” or “spread” when you bake them? When we moved to Charleston SC last year, I discovered that many of my usual awesome go-to cookie recipes produced flat cookies. Chewy, but flat. I tried chilling my dough, adding more flour, raising the temp and cooking them for a shorter amount of time, but nothing really worked. I don’t know if its an altitude thing, or a humidity thing?

One day, my SIL here in Charleston told me her secret to preventing flat cookies: a bit of baking powder. It totally works! If a recipe calls for 1 tsp of baking soda (like this one), she substitutes 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder. You can adjust the ratio as you’d like. More baking powder means a more cakey/crumbly cookie, so don’t go overboard!

So depending on where you live, you may want to tweak the baking soda/powder thing. Just tuck that cookie tip in your apron and use it if you need it!

Perfectly Soft M&M Cookie Recipe

Another bit of cookie advice:

If you don’t have a variety of cookie scoops, its time to get some! I have 3 sizes, a large scoop that scoops the perfect amount for cupcake tins, a medium scoop that I use for this recipe, and a small scoop that I also use all the time. Its nice to be able to make smaller (and evenly sized!) cookies for the kids. And that also means I can eat 5 smaller cookies, instead of 2 big ones! My favorite scoops are from Pampered Chef, but you can find other good ones on Amazon too: large, medium, small or this awesome set with all three that has gleaming reviews. Just don’t get cheap-o ones! They break or feel flimsy in your hand and are no fun. Quality is important!

With this recipe, I use that medium scoop and then I rolls the balls a bit to smooth out the top.  It makes for prettier cookies.

Oh! One last thing I love about this recipe:

It uses the bare minimum amount of measuring cups/spoons! I can do it with only one measuring spoon (1/2 tsp) and one measuring cup (3/4c)!  Silly thing to be excited about, but it means LESS DISHES! Which is something I know we can all get behind. I love a set of measuring cups that has ALL the sizes like this set.

Without further adieu…

Perfectly Soft M&M Cookies

Recipe by Kylie Harris, thehowtomom.com

Ingredients:

1 c butter (softened)
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 c flour
1 tsp baking soda (OR 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder, see notes above)
1/2 tsp salt
2 c M&Ms (optional) (or chocolate chips, if you’re boring)

Directions:

Cream butter, sugars and vanilla. Add eggs and beat well. Add flour, baking soda (and baking powder, if necessary) and salt.  Mix til dough forms. Fold in M&Ms.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake!

Let me know if you love them like we do! You can find me most often on Instagram (I’m @thehowtomom).

If you want more yummy cookie recipes, check out my Cherry Chip Cheesecake Cookies and my Triple Chocolate Cookies!

Perfectly Soft M&M Cookies

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Julie Provost

Tuesday 2nd of May 2017

These are my favorite type of cookies. I should make them again soon.

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