Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

by Kayla Berman on Nov 29, 2021 (updated Jun 29, 2022) 0 comments

You know what’s better than the peanut butter and chocolate combo? That combo in the form of rich & delicious peanut butter cookies studded with colorful chocolate candies. Yup, I’m talking Peanut Butter M&M Cookies!

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies are soft, chewy, colorful, and loaded with delicious sweet & salty flavor in every bite! Made with simple ingredients and needing only 30 minutes of cookie dough chilling … these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are perfect for any occasion, including Christmas. They’ll be a hit with anyone who tries them!

Ingredients needed for Peanut Butter M&M Cookies…

You’ll need only 8 classic cookie ingredients for this easy recipe! Nothing fancy, just the basics are needed… but boy do the basics deliver here. They make for an irresistibly delicious cookie!

Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is the delicious base of these cookies! It makes for the perfect sweet & salty flavor. Make sure to use a natural peanut butter, one with only peanuts and salt as ingredients. Add 1/3 cup!
Butter: You will also need salted butter here for that rich cookie flavor we all know and love. 1/2 cup is perfect.
All Purpose Flour: These cookies call for regular all purpose flour. Just 1 cup!
Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar provides these M&M Cookies with just the right level of sweetness. You’ll need 1 cup.
Egg: 1 egg is used in this cookie dough for binding and moisture.
Vanilla Extract: Add 2 tsp of vanilla extract for all that classic flavor!
Baking Powder: You will also need 1/4 tsp of baking powder here. It gives these cookies a soft, chewy, and melt-in-you-mouth texture. So good!
M&M Candies: The star of the show here is of course M&Ms! They’re both colorful & delicious …. giving these cookies a great look and taste. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup, but I say add to your heart’s delight.

How to make Easy Peanut Butter Cookies…

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies are truly so simple! You mix the dough, chill it, and then bake. You’ll have a delicious smelling kitchen and warm cookies ready to eat in about an hour!

Set the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the peanut butter and combine until smooth.
Add the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Combine until smooth again.
Next add in the dry ingredients – flour and baking powder. Mix until evenly combined and a cookie dough forms.
Stir in the m&m candies.
Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Remove from the fridge and roll large (about 2 tbsp sized) scoops of the dough into balls. Place the balls on a parchment paper lined baking tray and top with more m&ms. You should make 12 cookies.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and bang the pan flat on the counter a couple of times. Bake for another 3 minutes. Bang the pan again.
Let cool & enjoy!

Do you need to chill the dough for this Peanut Butter M&M Cookie Recipe?

Yes, you really do need to chill the cookie dough for this recipe! The cookies just won’t bake as intended if the dough is not chilled.

But do not worry, only 30 minutes of chilling is required. None of that overnight nonsense! And you can still have these cookies ready to eat in about 1 hour.

Peanut M&M Cookie tips…

Follow the tips below for the perfect cookies each & every time:

Chill your dough! This makes the cookie dough easier to work with, allows the flavors to develop further, and helps the cookies bake the way they are intended to.
Bang the pan! This gives the cookies a slightly crackly top and flattens them out. It also makes them extra chewy!
Let cool! Peanut Butter M&M Cookies will continue to finish baking and setting even after you remove them from the oven. That is why it is important to let them sit for a few minutes before touching them.
Add more M&Ms! When you mix the M&M candies into the cookie dough they get a little lost in the sauce. I love to really stud the top of the cookies with extra M&Ms right before baking … this way the cookies have a beautiful & colorful look when done!

Peanut Butter M&M Cookie additions…

The mix-in options are truly endless when it comes to these cookies! You could throw whatever you like in and make them more of a monster or everything-but-the-kitchen-sink cookie.

Here are some of my ideas below!

Chocolate Chips
Peanuts
Oats
Peanut Butter Chips
Other candy – Reese’s cups, KitKat, Snickers (anything you want!)

Storing this simple cookie recipe…

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days!

For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator. They will last there for 1-2 weeks. Or you could even store these cookies for a couple months in the freezer!

Love these M&M Cookies? Check out some more favorite cookies below…

Connect with me!

If you make Peanut Butter M&M Cookies or any of my other recipes I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on instagram, so I can see and share your recreations!!

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.