Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
These peanut butter M&M cookies are soft, chewy, and made with classic pantry ingredients for a perfectly balanced bite. After a complete recipe overhaul and plenty of retesting, this version delivers rich peanut butter flavor with pops of chocolate and crunch in every cookie.
Ingredients
- ½ cup classic creamy peanut butter such as Jif, Skippy, etc.
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (187.5g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups M&Ms, divided or M&Ms and chocolate chips, plus more for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the molasses, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat for another minute, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Gently stir in 1 ¼ cups of the M&Ms (and chocolate chips, if using).
- Scoop the dough into 1½-tablespoon portions and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Press a few extra M&Ms onto the tops of the balls.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are just set and lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or until just warm. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Use classic creamy peanut butter. Brands like Jif or Skippy create the best texture and structure; natural peanut butter can make the cookies greasy or crumbly.
- Press extra M&Ms on top before baking. Gently pressing a few M&Ms into each dough ball creates a prettier, bakery-style finish with visible pops of color.
- Boost the peanut butter flavor if desired. Swap regular M&Ms for peanut butter M&Ms for a richer peanut butter bite without changing the base dough.
- Don’t overbake. Pull the cookies when the edges are just set and lightly golden — they’ll continue to firm up as they cool and stay soft in the center.
- Gluten-free works with a quick chill. Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour, then chill the dough (covered) in the refrigerator for 1 hour before scooping and baking. Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature before enjoying for the best texture.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Once fully cooled, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Freezing cookie dough: Scoop the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 108mgPotassium: 58mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 168IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
