M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies that are Perfect for Valentine’s Day

I’m really excited to share this cookie recipe today. I found it on Averie Cooks a year ago and these are seriously some of the softest chocolate chip cookies I have ever made. And trust me, I’ve made a lot of chocolate chip cookies in my life (I was a stress baker in high school). Who would have thought that adding vanilla pudding mix would make such a difference!

Also, I decided to have some fun put a bit of a twist on these cookies. The try out the first batch from Averie Cooks and then scroll to the bottom for my fun twist!

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free and not ‘cook & serve’), OR use 2 teaspoons cornstarch in place of pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

A pinch of salt (optional)

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup milk chocolate M&M’s mixed into the dough + about 1/2 cup for placing on top of dough mounds

1. Combine the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined.

2. Add the flour, pudding mix (or cornstarch), baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.

3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, 3/4 cup M&Ms, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Using a 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form 15 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.

5. Add about 1 tablespoon M&Ms to the top of each dough mound.

6. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.

7. Preheat oven to 350F. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for 11 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Dipped M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Follow all of the above ingredients to make the cookies and let the cookies cool completely.

2. In a separate bowl, melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. You can do this microwaving the chocolate for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for 30 seconds. Repeat this until the chocolate is melted, but make sure to watch the chocolate so it doesn’t burn!

3. Dip half of each cookie (one at a time) into the melted chocolate and then lay it out on parchment paper.

4. Once all of the cookies have been dipped, put them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the chocolate.

If you aren’t serving the cookies right away, you can store them in air tight containers in your fridge. Keeping them in the fridge will help the chocolate would stay firm and not melt.

Enjoy!