Soft, buttery, and bursting with colorful candies, Valentine M&M cookies are the sweet treat your February 14th celebration needs. They’re festive, simple to make, and irresistibly chewy.
Each bite delivers gooey chocolate and crisp candy shells wrapped in golden, tender cookie dough. These cookies are just as perfect for gifting as they are for sneaking straight off the tray.
Sweet Essentials for Valentine M&M Cookies
- Unsalted butter – Provides richness and softness, giving these cookies their signature chewy texture.
- Light brown sugar – Adds moisture and a deep, caramel-like flavor that complements the chocolate perfectly.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the brown sugar and helps achieve that irresistible crackly edge.
- Eggs – Essential for structure and moisture, creating a soft and chewy interior.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor, tying the sweetness and chocolate together beautifully.
- All-purpose flour – Gives the cookies body and a tender crumb.
- Baking soda – A leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and spread just right.
- Fine sea salt – Balances sweetness and intensifies flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Melts into gooey pockets of chocolate in every bite.
- Valentine M&M’s – Festive and colorful, these add crunch, chocolate, and holiday charm.
Baking Up Love: How to Make Valentine M&M Cookies
Start by creaming together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs and vanilla until just combined. The flour, baking soda, and salt come next—stirred in gently to avoid overmixing.
Fold in your chocolate chips and Valentine M&M’s for a dreamy dough speckled with sweetness. Scoop generous mounds onto lined baking sheets, spacing them out to allow for spreading.
Add a few extra M&M’s or chips on top if you want them picture-perfect. Bake at 375°F just until the edges turn golden brown, then let them set on the pan briefly before transferring to a cooling rack.
Recipe Tips & Festive Variations to Try
For thicker cookies with a more bakery-style bite, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour or mix in a teaspoon of cornstarch with your dry ingredients. This small tweak helps the cookies puff up slightly rather than spread out thin.
Want to make them extra special? Swap in dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chunks, or even peanut butter M&M’s for a twist on the classic. These cookies also adapt well to other holidays—just change the candy colors to match the occasion.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can also enhance flavor and prevent over-spreading, especially if your kitchen is warm.
Love Leftovers? Here’s How to Keep Them Fresh
Once cooled, these cookies stay soft and delicious in an airtight container for up to three days. To enjoy them longer, freeze them in a sealed bag or container for up to three months.
To serve from frozen, let them sit at room temperature for about an hour. For a warm-from-the-oven experience, pop one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds and enjoy that melty, gooey chocolate all over again.
Valentine’s day Chocolate M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Valentine M&M’s plus additional for garnish if desired
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more for topping if preferred
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. In a large mixing bowl, use electric beaters to cream the butter with both sugars for 1–2 minutes, until the texture is light and fluffy. Incorporate the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until just blended.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s, ensuring an even distribution throughout the dough.
- Using a large cookie scoop (approximately 3 tablespoons), portion the dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing each scoop about 2 inches apart. If desired, press extra M&M’s or chocolate chips into the tops of the dough mounds.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 7–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw for one hour at room temperature or microwave for 10–15 seconds.
