How To Make M&M Cookies & Chocolate M&M Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour see note

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened but still cool

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed make sure it's fresh and soft

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups M&M's or a mixture of M&M's and chocolate chips divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

• In a separate bowl, beat butter and both sugars for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.

• Gently stir in M&M's/chocolate chips  - I usually add about 3/4 cup into the batter, the rest get pressed on top of the cookies before baking.

• Scoop balls of dough, between 1.5 and 2.5 tablespoon portions (a little smaller or a little larger than a golf ball). Drop dough onto prepared baking sheets leaving an inch or two for spreading. Using the remaining M&M's, press several (5 or so) onto the top of each mound of dough. Keep in mind that the cookies will spread out while baking, so be generous with the M&M's. 

• Bake for 8-11 minutes (see note), until the edges of the cookies are set but the center is still slightly underdone , this will create a soft cookie. For a crispier cookie, continue baking for another minute two. 

• Place the baking sheets on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool. Optional: for a slightly thicker cookie, you can gently press the edges of each cookie inward (just a bit!) while they are still warm. 

Milan's Notes: TO PROPERLY MEASURE FLOUR: Fluff the flour with your measuring cup, scoop a heaping portion and level it off with the back of a knife. BAKING TIME: Adjust according to the size of dough balls. 

How To Make The Chocolate Kind:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened but still cool

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup M&M's divided

• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (don't skip this step, it helps keep the cookies from spreading).

• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat until combined.

• In a separate bowl whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to stir in chocolate chips and 1/2 cup M&M's. At this point, I like to let the dough rest at cool room temp for 30 minutes before baking (this helps with the texture of the cookies). If you prefer your cookies thick, you can transfer the dough to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions, roll into balls and place a few inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. Lightly press the remaining 1/4 cup M&M's onto the tops of the dough mounds.

• Bake for 9-11* minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back. Bake until the edges are beginning to set, but the rest of the cookie is still slightly underdone. Note: They should be so soft that you should not be able to pick them up immediately after removing from the oven. They will set as the cool.

• Place the baking sheet on wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough, allowing the baking sheets to cool completely between batches.

Notes *If you chilled your dough in the refrigerator, you will likely need to add 2-4 minutes to the bake time.  These cookies are best the day they baked. They also freeze well. If desired, you can heat them briefly in the microwave to make them soft and fudgy.