Welcome to your new favorite cookie recipe! These **M&M double chocolate cookies** are the epitome of fudgy perfection, generously loaded with both rich chocolate chips and vibrant M&M candies. Each bite delivers an explosion of deep chocolate flavor, complemented by irresistibly gooey centers and the delightful crunch of candy-coated shells. What makes this recipe truly special is its incredible ease and speed – there’s absolutely no need to chill the dough, meaning warm, fresh cookies can be enjoyed in under an hour!
This beloved recipe, originally shared in March 2017, has been thoughtfully updated on April 15, 2024, to bring you even more perfect results. We’ve refined the recipe slightly, added stunning new photos, and included a wealth of comprehensive baking tips to ensure your M&M chocolate cookies are nothing short of spectacular every single time.
Why These Fudgy M&M Double Chocolate Cookies Are a Must-Bake
If the mere thought of a deeply chocolatey, supremely fudgy cookie makes your mouth water, then you absolutely *need* to add these M&M double chocolate cookies to your baking repertoire. They stand out as a true crowd-pleaser, delivering a sensory experience that’s hard to beat. Here’s why these cookies will become your go-to:
- **Unrivaled Fudgy Perfection:** Crafted to achieve that ideal fudgy consistency, these cookies boast a rich cocoa base that melts in your mouth. Unlike drier, cakey cookies, ours are designed for ultimate indulgence.
- **Chewy Edges, Gooey Centers:** Experience the best of both worlds with a slight chewiness around the edges giving way to an incredibly soft, almost molten center. This textural contrast is what elevates a good cookie to a great one.
- **A Burst of M&M Magic:** Beyond the decadent chocolate, the inclusion of M&Ms adds a delightful pop of color and a subtle crunch that brilliantly contrasts with the soft cookie dough. Whether you opt for mini or regular M&Ms, their candy coating brings a playful element that makes these cookies particularly appealing, especially to younger palettes.
- **Kid-Friendly Indulgence:** While many double chocolate recipes can lean towards a very dark, intense chocolate flavor, we’ve carefully balanced the cocoa here. The result is a rich chocolate cookie that’s incredibly satisfying without being overly bitter, making it a perfect treat that children adore. It’s a delightful alternative to more intensely flavored bakery-style double chocolate cookies.
- **Effortless & Fast (No Chill Required!):** One of the biggest advantages of this recipe is its simplicity. With minimal effort and no chilling time necessary for the dough, you can whip up a batch of these glorious cookies from start to finish in less than an hour. Perfect for sudden cravings or last-minute gatherings!
These aren’t just cookies; they’re a celebration in every bite, promising smiles and satisfaction. Their ease of preparation combined with their irresistible flavor and texture makes them an ideal choice for bake sales, parties, lunchbox surprises, or simply a cozy evening treat.
Mastering Your M&M Double Chocolate Cookies: Essential Baking Tips and Tricks
Achieving bakery-quality M&M double chocolate cookies at home is simpler than you think. By following these key baking tips and tricks, you’ll unlock the full potential of this recipe, ensuring every batch is perfectly fudgy, chewy, and bursting with flavor:
- **The Importance of Softened Butter:** This is a crucial step often overlooked. Always use butter that has been softened to room temperature – it should be pliable enough to leave an indent when pressed, but not melted or greasy. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air that creates a lighter, more tender crumb. Cold butter won’t cream properly, leading to dense cookies, while melted butter can make them too greasy and spread too much.
- **Choosing Your Cocoa Powder: Dutch Process vs. Natural:**
- **Dutch Processed Cocoa:** This is my preference for these cookies, as it’s treated with an alkali to reduce its acidity. The result is a darker, almost black cookie with a smoother, less bitter, and deeper chocolate flavor. It also reacts differently with leavening agents (primarily baking soda, which needs an acid to activate), contributing to the fudgy texture.
- **Natural Cocoa Powder:** If Dutch process cocoa isn’t available, natural cocoa powder works perfectly fine. Your cookies will have a slightly lighter color and a tangier, more pronounced chocolate flavor due to its acidity. Just know that the color and flavor profile will be a little different, but still delicious!
- **Sift Your Dry Ingredients:** Cocoa powder and flour are notorious for forming lumps. Sifting these dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, corn starch, baking soda, salt) together before adding them to the wet ingredients ensures a uniformly smooth dough, preventing pockets of unmixed powder and guaranteeing an even distribution of leavening agents. This simple step contributes significantly to the cookies’ consistent texture.
- **The Magic of Corn Starch:** Don’t skip the corn starch! It’s a secret ingredient that helps create that desirable chewy, soft-centered texture that makes these cookies so addictive. It interferes with gluten development, resulting in a more tender bite. If you don’t have it, the cookies will still be good, but they won’t have quite the same chewiness.
- **M&M Variety:** The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. Whether you prefer the classic size for a bold candy statement or mini M&Ms for a more even distribution of crunch and color throughout the cookie, both work wonderfully. Feel free to mix and match or use holiday-themed M&Ms for a festive touch.
- **Don’t Overmix the Dough:** Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of soft and tender ones. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain.
- **Reserve Some Toppings:** For that picture-perfect, bakery-style look, reserve a few tablespoons of M&Ms and chocolate chips. Immediately after scooping the dough onto the baking sheet, gently press these extra candies and chips onto the tops of the cookie dough balls. This ensures a beautiful distribution of colorful M&Ms and gleaming chocolate on the surface of your baked cookies.
Cookie Sizes and Baking Durations: Customize Your Batch
One of the joys of baking these M&M double chocolate cookies is the ability to customize their size to suit any occasion or preference. Whether you’re craving an indulgent, oversized treat or a batch of dainty, snackable bites, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Here’s a guide to help you achieve the perfect size and bake time:
1. Big, Bakery-Sized Cookies: For an Indulgent Treat
If you’re aiming for those impressive, generously sized cookies that rival your favorite bakery, this is the method for you. These large cookies are perfect for a satisfying dessert or a special occasion when you want to make a statement.
- **Dough Amount:** Form each cookie dough ball with approximately **3 tablespoons of dough**. This is typically the capacity of a large cookie scoop, ensuring consistent and substantial cookies.
- **Yield:** Expect to yield around **14-15 decadent cookies** from one batch of dough.
- **Baking Temperature & Time:** Preheat your oven to **350°F (180°C)**. Bake these larger cookies for **12-14 minutes**. Keep a close eye on them; the edges should be set, but the centers should still look slightly soft and gooey. They will continue to set as they cool.
2. Smaller, After-School Cookie Size: Perfect for Everyday Snacking
For a more manageable, bite-sized option that’s ideal for lunchboxes, quick snacks, or when you want to share a bigger batch, smaller cookies are the way to go. These are often referred to as “after-school” cookies for their perfect, less-indulgent size.
- **Dough Amount:** Use about **1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough** for each cookie. This amount fits nicely into a medium cookie scoop, resulting in dough balls that are slightly smaller than a golf ball.
- **Yield:** You’ll get a more generous quantity, typically around **22-24 smaller cookies**, from the same recipe.
- **Baking Temperature & Time:** Maintain the oven temperature at **350°F (180°C)**. Bake these smaller cookies for a shorter duration of **9-11 minutes**. Again, look for set edges and slightly soft centers.
Regardless of the size you choose, remember to space your dough balls about 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) apart on your parchment-lined cookie sheets to prevent them from spreading into each other during baking. Always bake one sheet at a time in the middle rack of your oven for the most even heat distribution. Adjust baking times slightly based on your oven and desired level of chewiness. A truly perfectly baked cookie will look slightly underdone in the very center when you pull it out of the oven.
Storage, Freezing, and Serving Suggestions
Once you’ve baked your irresistible M&M double chocolate cookies, you’ll want to ensure they stay fresh for as long as possible, or perhaps prepare for future cravings. Here are some tips for storage, freezing, and making the most of your delicious creations:
Optimal Storage for Freshness
To maintain their soft, chewy texture and rich flavor, store your baked and completely cooled M&M double chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh for up to 5 days. You can also place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies to help keep them soft, as the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.
Freezing Baked Cookies
If you’ve made a large batch or simply want to have cookies on hand for a quick treat, baked cookies freeze exceptionally well.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once fully cooled, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes, or until firm. This prevents them from sticking together.
- Transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Label with the date. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- To enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours, or gently warm them in the microwave for a few seconds for that freshly baked feel.
Freezing Cookie Dough for Later
Having frozen cookie dough on hand is a game-changer for spontaneous baking!
- Prepare the cookie dough as directed in the recipe.
- Scoop the dough into individual balls (according to your desired size, as discussed above) and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze the dough balls until solid, typically 1-2 hours.
- Once firm, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag.
- Label with the date and baking instructions (temperature and approximate time). Frozen dough can be stored for up to 2 months.
- When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake as directed in the recipe. They may require an additional 1-2 minutes of baking time compared to fresh dough. No need to thaw!
For more detailed instructions on freezing cookie dough, be sure to check out this comprehensive guide on how to freeze cookie dough.
Perfect Serving Suggestions
These M&M double chocolate cookies are delightful on their own, but here are a few ideas to elevate your experience:
- **Classic Milk Pairing:** A tall, cold glass of milk is the quintessential accompaniment to these rich chocolate cookies.
- **Ice Cream Sandwich:** For an ultimate treat, sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or your favorite flavor!) between two cooled cookies.
- **Coffee or Tea:** Enjoy them with your morning coffee or an afternoon cup of tea for a sweet pick-me-up.
- **Dessert Platter:** Arrange them beautifully on a dessert platter with other treats for parties and gatherings. Their vibrant M&M colors make them visually appealing.
Irresistible M&M Double Chocolate Cookies Recipe
M&M Double Chocolate Cookies
Fiona Dowling
15 minutes
10 minutes
45 minutes
22 cookies
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Equipment
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Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (156 grams)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder (30 grams)
- 2 teaspoons corn starch, AKA cornflour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams) , softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 grams) , packed, light or dark works
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup M&Ms, mini or regular
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
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In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, corn starch, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and creamy.
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Beat in the egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture until just incorporated.
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With the mixer on a low speed, gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture, adding about half at a time, until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
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Turn off the mixer and gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms by hand. I typically reserve a few tablespoons of chocolate chips and M&Ms to press onto the tops of the cookies before baking for a more appealing finish.
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Scoop the dough into balls, using about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough for regular-sized cookies or 3 tablespoons for large bakery-style cookies. Place dough balls about 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
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Bake cookies one sheet at a time in the middle of the preheated oven for about 9-11 minutes for smaller cookies, or 12-14 minutes for larger cookies. Take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are set and the tops look just barely set, with centers still looking slightly soft.
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Cool cookies on the cookie sheets for at least 10 minutes to allow them to set further, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Optionally, while warm, place a few extra chocolate chips or M&Ms on top of each cookie for visual appeal.
Notes
- **Cocoa:** I used Dutch-process for a very dark color and smooth flavor. Natural cocoa powder works well too, resulting in a lighter color and slightly tangier chocolate taste.
- **Corn Starch:** If you don’t have corn starch on hand, it can be omitted. However, it significantly contributes to a chewier cookie texture, so it’s highly recommended.
- **Freezing Dough:** Cookie dough balls can be prepared and frozen for up to 2 months in a freezer bag or airtight container. Bake cookies directly from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time specified in the recipe.
- **Storage:** Store baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness. For longer storage, baked and cooled cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months. See our detailed post on how to freeze cookie dough for more tips.
- **Nutrition:** Nutritional details provided are an estimate only. They are based on 1 large cookie, assuming the recipe yields 14 very large cookies. Values may vary based on exact ingredient brands and measurements.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 22g,
Protein: 2g,
Fat: 7g,
Saturated Fat: 4g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 1g,
Trans Fat: 0.2g,
Cholesterol: 21mg,
Sodium: 63mg,
Potassium: 39mg,
Fiber: 1g,
Sugar: 15g,
Vitamin A: 161IU,
Vitamin C: 0.1mg,
Calcium: 20mg,
Iron: 1mg
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Discover More Chocolate Cookie Delights
If you’re a true chocolate enthusiast, your journey doesn’t have to end with these M&M double chocolate cookies. Explore some of my other favorite classic and creative chocolate cookie recipes:
- Soft Batch Double Chocolate Chip Cookies: For those who crave an intensely chocolatey experience with a pillowy soft texture.
- Chocolate Orange Cookies: A sophisticated blend of rich cocoa and bright citrus notes, a match made in heaven.
- Chocolate Cookie Cake: Turn your favorite cookie into a magnificent cake, perfect for celebrations.
- Single Serving Giant Chocolate Cookie: When a craving strikes and you need a truly indulgent, giant chocolate cookie just for one!
These M&M double chocolate cookies are more than just a sweet treat; they’re an experience. Their fudgy texture, chewy goodness, and vibrant M&M bursts make them an unforgettable dessert. Dive into this recipe and taste the magic for yourself – you won’t be disappointed!