M&M Cookies

Let the official holiday baking season begin!

My oldest daughter is a cellist in our local youth symphony (I love saying she's a cellist rather than she plays the cello!) and has the first holiday event on our calendar tomorrow night with a party immediately following practice so I was excited about baking something for her. She was content with brownies from a box but I wasn't so I turned to the bag of holiday M&Ms in the pantry. I started a tradition this year of sending cookies in pretty little bags to the girls' teachers every Monday so I figured cookies with cheerful M&Ms would be perfect for this time of year.

I have no idea where I found this recipe; it just lives in my tried and true treasure box of recipes. It is written in my 19 year-old handwriting so it must have landed there when I was in college. I can't say that there is anything particularly unique about this cookie recipe; I just know it works so it's the one I use. It is such a fun recipe to make with kids!

The recipe calls for shortening as opposed to butter, but I will always, always choose fat with flavor when it comes to cookies. Sometimes I will use half Crisco and half butter, but for this, I prefer all butter. Feel free to use shortening if you want fluffier cookies. The dough is a little bit sticky so I do recommend sticking it in the fridge for half an hour or so if you have time. I didn't and my cookies turned out just fine.

I make these year round but particularly love using holiday candies!

M&M Cookies (click for printable version)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter (or shortening)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag of M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Cream until fluffy.

With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour. Fold in M&Ms.

Drop by teaspoon onto parchment lined sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly browned. Do not overbake these cookies.