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brown butter m&m's chocolate chunk cookies
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Brown Butter M&M Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Brown butter M&M chocolate chunk cookies with colorful candy shells and rich chocolate chunks! Soft, chewy, and packed with love, these cookies traveled across continents to make my mom's Mother's Day special. Now they can make someone you love feel special too.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 42 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 113 g unsalted butter ½ cup or 1 stick
  • 250 g all-purpose flour 2 cups, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 100 g light brown sugar ½ cup, packed
  • 50 g granulated sugar ¼ cup
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 100 g semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped (¾ cup)
  • 150 g M&M's 1 heaping cup, plus extra for topping

Equipment

  • 1 Baking Tray
  • 1 Parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Brown butter: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, swirling occasionally. Cook until amber with brown specks and nutty aroma. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Cool 10-15 minutes.
  2. Mix wet: To cooled brown butter, add brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, beat until creamy and glossy.
  3. Mix dry: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
  4. Combine: With mixer on low, gradually add dry ingredients to wet. Mix just until combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  5. Add mix-ins: Using rubber spatula, gently fold in chopped chocolate. Then gently fold in 150 g M&M's. Do not overmix—colors may streak.
  6. Scoop and top: Scoop 3-tablespoon dough balls onto parchment-lined tray. Press 5-6 extra M&M's onto tops of each dough ball.
  7. Freeze: Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze 24 hours. Do not skip.
  8. Preheat and prep: When ready to bake, preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line baking sheets with parchment.
  9. Bake from frozen: Place frozen dough balls on prepared sheets, 3 inches apart. Bake 11-13 minutes until edges golden and set, centers still soft. M&M's may crack slightly.
  10. Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet 5-10 minutes.
  11. Transfer and serve: Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Notes

  1. The 24-hour freeze is essential, do not skip.
  2. Press extra M&M's on tops for bakery-perfect cookies.
  3. Fold mix-ins gently to prevent color streaking.
  4. Underbake slightly, centers should look soft when pulled from oven.
  5. Cool on baking sheet 5-10 minutes for proper set.
  6. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
  7. Layer with parchment paper to protect M&M's.