Candy-coated chocolate (M&M) cookies

I reached tentatively into the corners of my bag of candy-coated chocolates. It was empty, all too soon. These button-shaped confections get me every time, with the satisfying crunch of their thin outer sugary shell, followed by the sweet sensation of chocolate melting on my tongue. But it’s the rainbow colors of these treats that make them impossible to ignore. That’s how I found myself with a big box of mini chocolate lentils in my baking cupboard waiting patiently for just the right recipe to showcase their eye-popping gem-colored hues. This recipe by Matthew Fairman, is from Cook’s Country magazine, December/January 2021.

Candy-coated chocolate (M&M) cookies

These cookies are chewy, soft and buttery with just enough salt to provide a contrast to the taste of the crackling candy-coated chocolates. Because this recipe calls for melted  butter (margarine), I did an experiment and substituted out the butter (margarine) for oil (I knew that you were going to ask). Although the cookies made with oil produced a very fine result, to my surprise, the cookies made with melted butter (margarine) were even better. I believe that the butter (margarine) allows for more spreading when the cookies bake. As a result, more of the cookies’ surface is exposed to the heat of the baking sheet, causing increased caramelizing of the sugars and more of a Maillard reaction. I used Klein’s dark chocolate mini lentils for this recipe. The original recipe was written for M&M candies.

This recipe is an easy one requiring no special equipment and can be mixed together in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Assemble your ingredients. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Melt the butter or margarine in the microwave. I used the high setting for 45 seconds. Set aside.

Combine the melted butter or margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in half of the reserved flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Add the candies and the remaining flour. Mix well with a spoon and refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out the cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. The dough portions should be about 2 tablespoons. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the balls of cookie dough and using a cup with a smooth bottom, press on the balls of cookie dough to flatten them slightly to 3/4 inch thickness. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until they are very lightly golden (about 9 minutes in my oven). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before serving. 

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Candy-coated chocolate (M&M) cookies

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Matthew Fairman, Cook's Country, December/January 2021 – Serves: 24

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 18 minutes (9 min. /batch) – Total Time: 28 minutes

A cookie that is chewy, soft and buttery with the taste of crackling candy-coated chocolates in every bite.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon table salt (don't skimp on this)
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted (I used Fleischmann's stick margarine)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups candy-coated button-shaped chocolates (I used Klein's. The recipe was written for M&Ms)

Instructions

1

Assemble your ingredients. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Melt the butter or margarine in the microwave. I used the high setting for 45 seconds. Set aside.

2

Combine the melted butter OR margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla.

3

Stir in half of the reserved flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Add the candies and the remaining flour. Mix well with a spoon and refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

4

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

5

Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out the cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet(s). The portions of dough should be about 2 tablespoons each. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the balls of cookie dough and using a cup with a smooth bottom, press on the balls of cookie dough to flatten them slightly to 3/4 inch thickness. Remove the plastic wrap.

6

Bake the sheet(s) of cookies one at a time until they are very lightly golden (about 9 minutes in my oven). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Notes

These cookies can be prepared up until the end of step 5 and frozen on a baking sheet. The raw disks of frozen cookie dough can be transferred to a resealable plastic bag (between layers of parchment paper) and frozen for up to one month. Bake them frozen for 12 minutes. I also made these cookies using oil. Instead of butter or margarine, substitute 9 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of water. If the dough is too dry, you can add UP TO another tablespoon of water. These cookies freeze very well once baked, in a resealable plastic container.