One bowl, 20 minutes, 6 delicious m&m cookies
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20 minute m&m cookies
If you’re craving cookies and want them RIGHT NOW, you’ve come to the right place. These cookies take just 20 minutes and are SO delicious. They also yield just 6 small cookies, so you don’t have to worry about having enough to feed a whole party just because you wanted a freshly baked cookie! These cookies are a sister recipe to my 20 minute chocolate chip cookies and are essentially just those but with a mix of chocolate and mini m&m’s.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the dough carefully:
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Over mixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the cookies thicker and more tough in texture.
Under bake for perfect cookies:
Cookies continue baking after they have been taken out of the oven. Once the edges turn slightly golden brown, and the cookies look just a little wet on top still, they are ready to come out. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
The secret to perfectly round cookies:
Wanna know the secret to perfectly round cookies? It’s cookie scooting! Right when the cookies come out of the oven, take a bowl, cup, or biscuit cutter that is just slightly larger than your cookies and place it over one of the cookies. Gently swirl the bowl around the cookie to make the cookie perfectly round (and slightly thicker). And that’s all there is to it!
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for 20 minute m&m cookies –
- All purpose flour: for structure and chewiness. If you’d like to make these gluten free, you can use a 1:1 gluten free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
- Baking powder & baking soda: for helping the cookies rise.
- Salt: to help balance and bring out the sweetness of the cookies
- Unsalted butter: for tenderness and flavor. You can use salted butter in place of the unsalted, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the cookies. I highly recommend splurging a little and using European style butter here for the best flavor.
- Light brown sugar: for sweetness and for moisture. We’re not going to use any granulated sugar here since these are fast and we want the maximum amount of flavor possible in the dough. Brown sugar will also help these cookies bake up a little thicker. You could also use dark brown sugar here for some extra flavor!
- Egg yolk: for binding and for moisture.
- Vanilla: for flavor. I use and love this vanilla extract!
- Chocolate: put your favorite chocolate here. I used Valrhona baking discs (these ones here) and can’t recommend them enough. Just look at those puddles! But they are definitely on the pricier side. If not using the discs, I recommend using a chocolate baking bar. You can also of course use chocolate chips here, just note that the cookies will most likely end up a little thicker. In terms of using milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate, use your favorite!
- Mini m&m’s: the star of the show. Personally mini m&m’s > regular m&m’s but you can put whichever you prefer! If you choose to use regular sized m&m’s, I would use more since they won’t be as dispersed in the dough.
how to make 20 minute m&m cookies
These small batch m&m cookies could not be easier to make. Here’s a little look at the process, but you can find the full recipe at the end of this blog post! 🙂
20 minute m&m cookies recipe q&a
can I double this recipe?
Definitely – simply double all of the ingredients in the recipe to make 12 delicious chocolate chip cookies. I even more strongly recommend measuring by weight if you are going to double the recipe for the best results.
can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Definitely – cookie dough really only gets better with time. You can keep the cookie dough tightly covered in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. For longer term storage, you can also freeze the cookie dough balls. Just be sure to take the dough out of the fridge at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before you want to bake, so that it becomes soft enough to scoop again.
How to store chocolate chip cookies
If for some reason you don’t feel like inhaling these 6 cookies (like I did IMMEDIATELY after taking these pictures), you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will taste the best on the day that they are baked, but will keep fresh for up to 3 days.
cookie troubleshooting
why did my cookies come out thick and crumbly?
If your cookies are thick, dry and crumbly, it’s most likely because you added too much flour. If you use cup measurements, it’s very easy to over-measure without even realizing it! I always recommend a kitchen scale (this one is super cheap and a great starter scale), but if that’s not an option for you, here’s the best way to measure flour: fluff up the flour with a fork, then use a spoon to fill up the measuring cup and level off the top with a knife.
why are my cookies crispy instead of soft?
The texture of these cookies should be quite soft, with slightly crisp edges. If the cookies are crispy, it could be that you added too much flour, but it’s most likely that you overbaked them. The cookies are done when the edges are slightly golden brown, and the middle looks like it’s just *almost* done setting. Your oven temperature may also be hotter than it claims to be, which is why I can’t recommend an oven thermometer enough.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
20 Minute M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 50 g unsalted butter (3 ½ tbsp.)
- 65 g light brown sugar (⅓ c.)
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 65 g all purpose flour (½ c.)
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¾ tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 56 g mini m&m's (¼ c.) + extra for topping
- 56 g semi sweet chocolate chips (¼ c. + 1 tbsp.)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or with a silicone mat.
- In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in 20 second intervals, until it's *just* melted. The hotter the butter, the more the cookies will spread.
- Add the light brown sugar into the butter and whisk until combined.
- Add in the egg yolk and vanilla, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to lightly fold the mixture together until there are only a few flour streaks remaining. Add in the mini m&m's and chocolate chips, and fold just until no flour streaks remain.
- Use a 3 tbsp. cookie scoop to dish out the cookies and evenly space them out on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middles of the cookies are almost completely set.
- Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, you can take a bowl that is slightly larger than the cookies and swirl it around over the cookies to make them a little more uniform and circular. Serve and enjoy!