These soft, chewy Easter M&M Sugar Cookies combine buttery vanilla goodness with festive pastel candies for an irresistible springtime treat. The pretty pink dough studded with colorful Easter M&Ms creates a beautiful cookie that’s perfect for holiday gatherings, Easter baskets, or simply brightening up your day with a sweet touch of spring. Ready in just 21 minutes, these cookies are as quick to make as they are delicious to eat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Festive: The pink-tinted dough with Easter M&Ms creates the most adorable holiday cookies without any complicated decorating.
- Super Quick: From start to finish in just 21 minutes, these cookies are perfect for last-minute gatherings or when you need to satisfy a sudden sweet craving.
- Crowd-Pleaser: The classic sugar cookie base with the addition of chocolate candies appeals to both kids and adults – they’ll disappear fast!
- Customizable: Easy to adapt for different holidays or occasions by simply changing the color of the dough and switching up the candy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: Use softened, salted butter for the perfect texture and flavor foundation. It creates that melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes these cookies irresistible.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides the perfect sweetness and helps create those slightly crisp edges while keeping the centers soft.
- Eggs: Act as a binder and add richness to the dough. Make sure they’re at room temperature for better incorporation.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds that warm, classic flavor that complements the buttery base. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Baking Soda: Provides just the right amount of lift to keep the cookies light without being cakey.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness. Don’t skip this even though you’re using salted butter!
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure of your cookies. Measure correctly by spooning into measuring cups and leveling off for the perfect texture.
- Easter M&M’s: The star of the show! These colorful candies add chocolate flavor, crunch, and festive spring colors.
- Pink Food Coloring: Creates that pretty pastel dough. Gel food coloring works best as it won’t thin your dough.
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Variations
Color Customizations
Switch up the dough color for different holidays – green for St. Patrick’s Day, orange for Halloween, red for Christmas, or leave it natural for year-round treats.
Candy Combinations
Mix and match candies – try chocolate chips, chopped Reese’s pieces, or Cadbury mini eggs for a different twist.
Flavor Boosts
Add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract with the vanilla for a more complex flavor, or incorporate orange or lemon zest for a citrusy note.
Cookie Size
Make them smaller for bite-sized treats (reduce baking time by 2 minutes) or larger for bakery-style cookies (add 2-3 minutes to baking time).
How to Make Easter M&M Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Cream the butter and sugar together in your mixer for a full three minutes until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for the perfect texture, so don’t rush it! Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat for another three minutes until the mixture is pale and voluminous.
Step 2: Add Color and Dry Ingredients
Add three drops of pink food coloring and mix until you achieve that pretty pastel shade. If you want a deeper color, add one drop at a time until you’re satisfied. Then gently mix in the salt, baking soda, and flour just until combined. Over-mixing will make your cookies tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Step 3: Shape and Decorate
Take a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball between your palms. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on your cookie sheet. Gently press down on each ball to slightly flatten it, then press several Easter M&Ms onto the top of each cookie.
Step 4: Bake to Perfection
Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10-11 minutes. The cookies should be just barely set in the center and lightly golden around the edges. They might look slightly underdone in the middle, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven.
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are truly at room temperature for the smoothest, most incorporated dough.
- Don’t Skip the Creaming Time: The full three minutes of creaming butter and sugar creates air pockets that give your cookies the perfect texture.
- Watch Your Cookies Carefully: Even one minute too long in the oven can take these from perfectly soft to overly crisp. Pull them out when the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Candy Placement: Press some M&Ms into the tops of the cookies rather than mixing all into the dough. This ensures they’re visible and makes for prettier cookies.
- Chill for Thicker Cookies: If you prefer thicker cookies that spread less, chill the dough balls for 30 minutes before baking.
How to Serve
Festive Presentations
Arrange cookies on a pastel-colored platter or in Easter baskets for holiday gatherings. They make adorable additions to Easter brunch dessert tables.
Sweet Pairings
Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for a simple but delicious dessert, or with cups of milk for the classic cookies-and-milk combination.
Gift Giving
Stack cookies in a clear cellophane bag tied with pastel ribbon for a thoughtful homemade Easter gift for teachers, neighbors, or family.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place a slice of bread in the container to keep cookies soft.
Freezing Baked Cookies
Freeze completely cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Freezing Cookie Dough
Roll dough into balls, place on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen dough balls to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating
Warm cookies for 10 seconds in the microwave for that fresh-baked taste, or place frozen dough balls directly on a baking sheet and bake, adding 1-2 minutes to the original baking time.
FAQs
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Why did my cookies spread too much?
If your cookies spread too thin, your butter might have been too warm or you might have used too little flour. Make sure to measure flour correctly, and if it’s a hot day, chill your dough for 30 minutes before baking.
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Can I make these cookies without food coloring?
Absolutely! The food coloring is purely decorative and doesn’t affect the taste or texture. Skip it entirely for classic sugar cookies, or substitute with natural alternatives like beet powder for pink coloring.
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How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
The perfect cookie will have slightly golden edges but still look a bit underdone in the center. They’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. If you wait until they look completely done in the oven, they’ll end up overbaked and crispy rather than soft.
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Can I use regular M&Ms instead of Easter M&Ms?
Yes! This recipe works beautifully with any variety of M&Ms. Switch them up depending on the season or holiday – red and green for Christmas, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, or classic colors for everyday treats.
Final Thoughts
These Easter M&M Sugar Cookies bring together the classic comfort of a perfect sugar cookie with the festive fun of spring colors. They’re incredibly simple to make but look impressive enough for any Easter celebration. The soft, buttery texture paired with the candy crunch creates an irresistible combination that’s sure to become a seasonal favorite in your home. Whether you’re filling Easter baskets or simply brightening someone’s day, these cookies deliver smiles with every colorful bite!
Print
Easter M&M Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Easter M&M Sugar Cookies are soft, sweet, and bursting with festive pastel colors. Perfect for holidays or any special occasions, these cookies combine buttery dough with colorful Easter M&M’s to brighten up dessert tables. The addition of pink food coloring adds a fun and seasonal touch to your cookies, making them both delicious and visually appealing!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter (Sweet Cream, Salted, Softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Add-ins
- 1 package Easter M&M’s
- Wilton Color Right Food Coloring – Pink (3 drops)
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugar
Cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar in a mixer for three minutes until light and fluffy. This step ensures the cookies have a soft and tender texture. - Add Wet Ingredients
Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to blend for another three minutes. This creates a rich and flavorful cookie dough base. - Incorporate Food Coloring
Add 3 drops of pink food coloring and mix until the coloring is evenly distributed throughout the dough, giving it a soft pastel hue. - Add Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the salt, baking soda, and flour to the wet mixture. Mix just until combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft and tender. - Shape the Dough
Scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and roll it into a ball. Repeat this step for the remaining dough. - Prepare for Baking
Place the cookie dough balls approximately 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Lightly press down on each ball to slightly flatten it. - Add the M&M’s
Press Easter M&M’s onto the top of each dough ball, ensuring even spacing for a visually beautiful result. - Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes. The edges should be set, but the centers should remain soft. Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- For perfectly round cookies, use a cookie scoop to create evenly sized dough balls.
- You can substitute the Wilton pink food coloring with any food-safe dye of your choice.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature to ensure it creams properly with the sugar.
- To prevent overbaking, remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145kcal
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
