If you want a simple and reliable dessert to serve after Easter dinner, I can't recommend these M&M Easter Cookies enough! I use a simple cookie base and decorate them with pastel M&M's to look like adorable tiny bunnies. They're delicious, party-ready, and an absolute hit every time.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 14 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Soft and chewy vanilla cookies packed with colorful Easter M&M's and rich chocolate flavor.
- 🍚 Best Served With: A cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, chill the dough ahead or freeze it for later baking.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I've made these for small family gatherings and larger Easter celebrations, and there are never any leftovers to take home. They're hands down the best spring cookies ever because they taste good, they're easy to make, and the decorations are simple but adorable.
If you're looking for more M&M cookie recipes, you'll enjoy peanut butter M&M cookies and chocolate M&M cookies. This M&M Ice Cream is really good too.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There's no need to chill the dough: You can make this cookie dough at the last minute, scoop, and bake it right away. It doesn't require any chilling time beforehand, making it a great last-minute treat.
- Kids can help decorate them: If you have kiddos who like to help in the kitchen, they can help decorate these cookies with the adorable M&M bunnies.
- You can make them ahead: If you'd like to prepare the cookie dough or bake the cookies in advance, you can. Feel free to make them up to 24 hours ahead for a party or celebration.
Ingredients
Here are the most important ingredients needed for this Easter cookie recipe. The rest are common baking staples you likely already have in your kitchen!
- Butter: The butter must be softened but not melted. If the butter is too warm, it can make the cookie dough sticky and difficult to work with. If it's too cold, it won't mix well with the other ingredients.
- Sugar: I use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar to get soft, chewy cookies with slightly crispy edges. The brown sugar adds moisture, helping prevent the cookies from becoming hard and crispy as they cool.
- M&M's: Since these are Easter cookies, it makes sense that you use pastel M&M's. The light purple, blue, pink, etc., are all perfect for Easter and spring!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Use mini M&Ms: Swap the pastel M&Ms for mini regular or pastel M&Ms to make smaller bunnies.
- Add peanut butter chips: Swap the chocolate chips for ½ cup of peanut butter chips to add some salty and nutty flavors.
- Finish with sprinkles: Top the warm cookies with sprinkles after you add the bunnies to make them extra festive.
How to Make M&M Easter Cookies
Before you work on the Easter cookie dough, preheat your oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then you can work on your Easter cookie recipe!
Step 1: Prepare and scoop the cookie dough. Make the cookie dough first by combining the wet and dry ingredients separately before mixing them all together. After the mix-ins are added, use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared sheet pan, leaving some space between them.
Step 2: Bake, decorate, and cool. Pop the pan in the oven for 12-14 minutes. After they come out of the oven, add whole pastel M&Ms for the bunny faces and halves on top for the ears. Once the cookies have cooled, enjoy one with a hot chocolate made with one of these Easter hot cocoa bombs.
Expert Tips
- Don't overbake the cookies: Avoid overbaking the cookies to prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly. When they're done, the edges will be set and slightly golden, but the centers of the cookies will still be soft, just not wet.
- Decorate them immediately: Add the M&Ms to the cookies while they're still warm, but not hot. If they cool completely, the M&Ms won't stick.
- Storage directions: Store your M&M Easter cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
A similar cookie recipe to this one, perfect for Easter, is this one for Cadbury egg cookies.
Serving Suggestions
- A scoop of ice cream and a warm M&M Easter cookie make the ultimate dessert. Try M&M ice cream, banana split ice cream, or you can use your favorite store-bought flavor.
- Enjoy a spread of Easter desserts that includes these cookies and mini Easter cheesecakes.
- These make a great dessert after a delicious Easter dinner, too. Try this ham with bourbon glaze for your holiday table.
Recipe FAQs
This is a scoop and drop cookie dough recipe. Instead of rolling them into balls, dropping the dough prevents overhandling, so they don't get too warm and bake perfectly round and thick. Also, I like to swirl a round cutter around each one while the cookies are still warm to get that perfect circle shape.
First, gently press the M&Ms into the warm cookies. If you press too hard, they can break. Also, remember that the decoration on top is added after the cookies bake. Baking the cookies with M&M bunnies can cause them to crack, too.
If the cookie dough gets too warm, it causes the cookie dough to spread too much in the oven, resulting in flat cookies. If you find that the dough is warm, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes to cool, but not get cold.
More Delicious Easter Recipes
Do you like Easter recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
M&M Easter Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pastel M&Ms
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Decorating
- Additional pastel M&Ms for bunnies
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
For the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and fold in with a large spoon or rubber spatula until combined and a dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips.
- Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop dough directly onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2½ inches apart.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
- To get a uniform round shape, immediately after removing from the oven, swirl a round cup or cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookies around each one to create a perfect circular shape.
To Decorate
- While the cookies are still warm, press one whole pastel M&M into the center for the bunny face.
- Cut another M&M in half and place the halves above the center candy to form ears.
- Add 2-3 bunnies per cookie.
- Add a few extra chocolate chips and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If the dough gets too warm, your M&M Easter cookies will spread too much in the oven. Place it in the fridge for a few minutes to chill if this happens.
- Overbaking these cookies will make them very dry. They're done when the edges start to brown, but the centers are still soft.
- Be gentle with the M&M bunnies so the candies don't crack. Add them while the cookies are still warm, so they stick.
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