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–+ servings

M&M Cookies (in a jar!)

5 from 1 vote
Celebrate holidays and birthdays with these prep-ahead (or gift ahead!) M&M cookies in a jar which epitomize the taste and texture of a classic chocolate chip cookie we all love!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Yield 24 Cookies

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups (254g) all-purpose flour (see notes below for gluten-free option)
  • ½ cup (96g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1¼ cups (255g) M&Ms (or a mixture of M&M and chocolate chips, see notes below)
  • 1 (32-ounce/quart-size) jar or 2 (16-ounce) jars (see notes section below)

Instructions

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and pack firmly into a quart-size jar.
  2. Cover with the lid.
  3. If you prefer to make these cookies right away, there is no need to store to the ingredients in a jar first. Simply follow the instructions for a delicious batch of classic chocolate chip cookies!

Attach card with the following directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat ¾ cup (12 tablespoons) softened butter until creamy. Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated.
  3. Add the contents of the jar to the mixing bowl.
  4. Mix by hand until just combined. Using an electric mixer chips the M&M candy shell (see below for more details on mixing).
  5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until just set.
  7. Enjoy with a glass of milk, coffee, or tea! (Yield: 24 cookies)

Notes

• Need a gluten-free cookie? A good gluten-free blend can be used 1:1 (I like King Arthur Flour's Measure for Measure or my homemade blend). However, for an upgrade that erases the hint of grittiness that can be perceptible, replace 25% of the GF flour with super fine almond flour. So that is 1½ cups (190g) GF flour and ½ cup (56g) super fine almond flour. Even the gluten eaters will have no idea!
• If making a half batch, use 6 tablespoons softened butter, 1 egg, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• I've also used the recipe to make a chocolate chip cookie pizza (see photo in post). To do this, spread the batter evenly over a pizza pan and bake at 350℉ for 15-17 minutes, or until just set in the center. I like to line the pan with parchment for easy removal; otherwise, grease or spray the pan. Once cooled, you may decorate with icing as you would a birthday cake. This recipe for Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is perfect.
When working with M&Ms and chocolate chips, here are some helpful tips:
  • 1 cup of M&Ms is 7 ounces but 1 cup of chocolate chips is 6 ounces, so you really only need 1¼ cups of M&M as an equivalent.
  • As an option, consider using mostly chocolate chips and dollop a few pretty colored M&M to represent a holiday or someone's favorite color for their birthday.
  • Do half and half for a bit of both, using 1 cup M&M and ½cup chocolate chips.
  • Beating the batter with the M&Ms will result in some shell pieces, and almost a tye-dyed look when the batter bakes up. This may be a desirable effect, but if not, we recommend hand mixing once the M&Ms are added to keep them whole.
Notes on gifting:
  • While layering the ingredients creates a pretty effect for presentation, the dry ingredients will fit better when mixed as described below. The prep is also less fussy, and more importantly, the brown sugar won’t clump if the mix isn’t made right away.
  • Store in one 32-ounce jar or two 16-ounce jars. Half batches allow for economical gift giving and freshly baked treats with minimal effort. If cutting the recipe in half, just remember to halve the ingredients on the attached instructions. 
  • Remember to use a pretty ribbon to attach the printable gift tag below which includes the instructions. 
Notes on prep-ahead:
  • The batter may be portioned and refrigerated for several hours or up to three days and baked later. Simply cover to avoid drying out the dough. While you could refrigerate the bowl of batter and scoop later, the batter will become rather firm. In this case, the bowl would need to let it sit at room temperature for a while to make scooping easier.
  • When baking the refrigerated portions, the cookies will spread even less and could be baked at a temperature of 25℉ lower than the above-mentioned temperatures to achieve similar results. 
 
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