These Big Fat Chewy M&M Cookies are soft in the center, lightly crisp around the edges, and loaded with colorful M&M's and melty chocolate chips. Made with melted butter and chilled overnight, these bakery-style cookies develop rich flavor and a chewy texture that's hard to resist.
Recipe Update: This recipe has been updated with new photos, improved instructions, ingredient weights, and additional baking tips to help you get the best results every time.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft centers with lightly crisp edges
- Packed with M&M's and semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Bakery-style cookies made from scratch
- Melted butter creates rich flavor and a chewy texture
- Cookie dough freezes beautifully
- Perfect for parties, holidays, and cookie exchanges
Why This Recipe Works
A few simple techniques help these cookies bake up with their signature bakery-style texture.
Melted butter adds rich flavor while creating a soft, chewy cookie.
Brown sugar keeps the cookies moist and contributes to their chewy centers.
Extra egg yolks add richness and help create a tender texture.
An overnight chill gives the flour time to fully hydrate while allowing the flavors to develop. Chilling the dough also helps the cookies bake more evenly and creates beautifully golden edges with soft centers.
The result is a homemade cookie that's loaded with chocolate, colorful M&M's, and plenty of chewy goodness.
Ingredient Notes
All-Purpose Flour
Provides the structure needed for soft, chewy cookies.
Baking Soda
Helps the cookies rise while keeping the centers tender.
Salt
Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
Unsalted Butter
Using melted butter gives these cookies their rich flavor and chewy texture.
Brown Sugar
Adds moisture and creates soft centers.
Granulated Sugar
Helps the cookies develop lightly crisp edges.
Vanilla Extract
Adds warmth and enhances every bite.
Eggs + Egg Yolks
The extra yolks make the cookies richer and softer.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Create melty pockets of chocolate throughout the cookies.
Plain M&M's
Add color, crunch, and classic chocolate flavor.
Tips for Success
- Cool the melted butter for about 30 minutes before mixing. Butter that's too warm can affect the dough.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 12 hours. This gives the flour time to hydrate and develops deeper flavor.
- Add a few extra chocolate chips and M&M's to each dough ball before chilling for bakery-style cookies.
- Bake one sheet at a time for the most even results.
- Remove the cookies when the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft. They'll continue baking from the residual heat of the pan.
Make Ahead
The cookie dough can be portioned and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking.
You can also freeze the chilled dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes if needed.
Storage
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To freeze baked cookies, place them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQ's
Chilling the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and gives the flavors time to develop. It also helps the cookies bake with soft centers and beautifully golden edges.
Yes! Mini M&M's can be substituted in equal amounts. They distribute more evenly throughout the dough but still provide plenty of chocolate flavor.
Absolutely. Portion the dough, chill until firm, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time if needed.
Dry cookies are usually caused by adding too much flour or baking them too long. For the best texture, measure the flour carefully and remove the cookies while the centers still look slightly soft.
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container. Because these cookies contain brown sugar, they'll stay soft for several days when stored properly.
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Best Big, Fat, Chewy M&M Chocolate Chip Cookie
These thick and chewy bakery-style cookies are packed with colorful M&M's and melty chocolate chips. Chilling the dough overnight develops a richer flavor and helps create cookies with crisp edges, soft centers, and the perfect chewy texture.
Ingredients
Special Tools Needed
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
- Large cookie scoop or ¼-cup measuring cup
- Silicone spatula
- Wire cooling rack
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Parchment paper
- Half-sheet baking pans
Ingredients
- 4 cups (20 ounces/567g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (3 sticks/339g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for about 30 minutes
- 2 cups (14 ounces/397g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (7 ounces/198g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1½ cups (9 ounces/255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1½ cups (8 ounces/227g) plain M&M's
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until well combined and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, eggs, and egg yolks. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips and M&M's with a silicone spatula until evenly distributed.
- Using a large cookie scoop or a ¼-cup measuring cup, portion the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly press the tops of the dough portions just enough to slightly flatten them, then add a few extra chocolate chips and M&M's to each one. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. Chilling the dough gives the flour time to hydrate, develops a richer caramel flavor, and helps produce thick, chewy cookies.
- When you're ready to bake, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Transfer the chilled cookie dough portions to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookie Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 28 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 405Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 153mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 2gSugar: 34gProtein: 5g
*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*
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