I used to make these all the time, I don’t know why it’s been a good year or so since I last made them.  It’s been a pretty busy holiday season: lots of holiday parties, birthday parties, a quick trip to Hawaii, upcoming holiday travel preparations, and other general life going-on’s, that I realized I needed an easy, reliable, and festive holiday cookie. Cue: The One and Only M&M Holiday Cookie!

I’ve had this recipe for so many years that I don’t even recall where I got it.  However, it’s a tried and true staple in my book, tested time and time again. I make them during Valentine’s Day with the pink, white, reddish colored M&M’s, on St. Patrick’s Day with green M&M’s, and even with your boring, everyday colored M&M’s when needed.  If you scoop the dough out in 1 tablespoon scoops, as I do, you end up with a solid 36 cookies. In our house, that means there’s plenty for us, and even more left over to share with the sweet neighbors who live in our little court with us. Merry Christmas!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups plus 2 tblsps all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 12 tblsps salted butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 white sugar
• 1 egg and 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1 cup M&M’s, I used Christmas colors on these

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 and place rack on upper third of the oven.

1. Mix the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and all the sugars until they are thoroughly combined.
3. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Stir until mixed together.
4. Gradually add the flour and mix until a dough forms.  You may want to use your hands to bring it all together, because it tends be a little crumbly.
5. Fold in the M&M’s.
6. Scoop about a tablespoon of dough out at a time and roll into balls, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes.  I know to take them out when the edges are just barely beginning to turn brown.
8. Let cool and enjoy!

Notes:

• This a cookie that I personally prefer slightly undercooked, and that 10 minutes at 375 in the upper third of the oven does the trick!
• Also, these cookies are so forgiving! You can melt the butter low and slow in a pan, in the microwave on high, in the microwave on low where you still have chunks of whole butter and it will come out the same, every time.

cheers!

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