Christmas M&M Cookies

These festive Christmas cookies are so soft and packed full of chocolate. Serve with hot cocoa or milk for the perfect holiday treat!

Yield: 12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened (see note)

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour (see note)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips

• 3/4 cup Christmas M&M's

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cut each butter stick into 5 pieces and place in your stand mixer.

3. On a low setting, start beating the butter and then add the sugar, mixing until just combined and there are no visible chunks of butter (1-2 minutes).

4. Mix in the vanilla and egg.

5. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and then pour in the flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly mix until just combined.

6. Add in the chocolate chips and M&M's. Pulse the mixer until the chocolate is evenly distributed.

7. Use a cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon to portion out 12 cookies and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and cool on a baking rack.

Notes:

• Butter: Soften the butter either by leaving on the counter for 30 minutes or heating in the microwave for 5-15 seconds until it is soft enough to leave an indentation but firm enough to still be solid. Make sure you don't soften too much or the dough will be too soft. I do this by rotating it every 3-4 seconds so it evenly softens.

• Flour: Elevation plays a role in the amount of flour you need. If you aren't at a high elevation, start with 1 cup and add from there.

• Doubling: This recipe doubles very easily to make 24 cookies!

Top Tips for Soft Cookies

• Mix as little as possible! Creaming the butter and sugar a lot will whip in too much air and result in cake-like cookies. Mixing too much after the flour is added will cause too much gluten development, resulting in firm cookies. Always leave the mixer speed on low and only mix until just combined.

• Make sure the butter is not too soft (see Notes section) or the cookies will spread out too much in the oven. If your dough is soft and sticky, refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes before baking.

• Use a cookie scoop to portion out the dough evenly. This is my favorite one from Amazon (commissionable link).

• I usually pull the cookies out of the oven just before they look done. The edges will start to turn golden brown, but the top will still look moist. I'd rather have an under-baked cookie instead of an over-baked cookie and you can always throw them back in the oven for a few more minutes if needed.

Love this recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment or messaging me on Instagram! I'd love to hear what you think.