These are seriously impressive cookies: oversized, soft in the center with a slightly crisp edge, filled with chocolate chunks, peanut butter M&M’s, and plenty of creamy peanut butter. They’re bright, colorful, and satisfyingly indulgent — a fun cookie for sharing or for keeping all to yourself.
I discovered peanut butter M&M’s and immediately wanted to build a cookie around them. They bring a crunchy, peanutty pop to every bite and pair beautifully with semi-sweet chocolate chunks and a peanut butter–forward dough. If you can, use a combination of mix-ins and extra candies pressed on top so the cookies look as colorful as they taste.
Because these cookies are large, add chocolate chunks rather than only chips for melty pockets of chocolate that complement the peanut butter and candies. The chunks also help keep the texture interesting when you take a bite.
Mix some of the M&M’s into the dough so they’re dispersed through the cookies, but reserve a handful to press onto the tops right before baking. Those extra candies make the finished cookies extra colorful and appealing.
For consistent large cookies, I used a 2 1/2-inch ice cream scoop. If you prefer smaller cookies, use a smaller scoop and adjust the bake time accordingly. A short chill in the refrigerator firms the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
The recipe below yields a dozen jumbo cookies. They bake up tall and slightly golden around the edges with a soft, chewy center. Follow the simple steps and you’ll have bakery-style cookies at home.
Peanut Butter M&M’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies
30 minutes
15 minutes
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 11.5 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chunk morsels
- 9.6 oz bag peanut butter M&M’s
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter with both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the peanut butter and continue mixing until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks and about one-quarter of the peanut butter M&M’s so the mix-ins are evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to firm it up. When ready, use a 2-1/2 inch cookie scoop (or your preferred size) to portion dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart.
- Press the remaining M&M’s into the tops and sides of each dough mound so the candies are visible after baking.
- Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips and variations: For a different texture, swap some of the chocolate chunks for chopped chocolate bars or use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet. If you like a stronger peanut butter flavor, increase the peanut butter to 3/4 cup and reduce the butter by a tablespoon. To make smaller cookies, use a 1 1/2-inch scoop and reduce baking time by a few minutes — watch closely so they don’t overbake.
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. You can also freeze rounded dough scoops on a baking sheet, then move them to a freezer bag; bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
These giant peanut butter M&M and chocolate chunk cookies are a crowd-pleasing treat with bright color, tender centers, and plenty of chocolatey, peanut-buttery flavor. Enjoy a great big bite!