These are the BEST Gluten-Free M&M Cookies. Here is what you can expect of these cookies: Chewy edges, soft centers, loaded with M&M’s, perfectly sweetened, and very easy to make! PLUS, this recipe offers a dairy-free and vegan option too!
These cookies are the colorful version of chocolate-chip cookies. So if you love chocolate chip cookies you will defiantly love these M&M cookies too! If you are looking for something more fruity then I recommend you to try my Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies.
Ingredients and substitutes:
Gluten-free Flour. It is essential to use good quality gluten-free flour with xanthan gum in it. I recommend making my homemade gluten-free flour blend or using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.
Baking Soda. This is not the same as baking powder. You cannot replace baking soda with anything else.
Salt. This is another must! Cookies without salt have quite a boring flavor. Salt is what gives that perfect sweet and salty flavor.
Unsalted Melted Butter. Using unsalted butter means that you can control how much salt you add to your cookie dough. Moreover, using melted butter will give you the chewiest cookies. If you want to make these cookies dairy-free you can use a plant-based butter alternative.
Sugar. These cookies require a mix of brown and white sugar. You can also make them using just brown sugar.
Eggs. The egg in this recipe helps bind the cookie together and the egg yolk gives this cookie that soft and chewy texture.
If you want to make them egg-free or vegan, you can replace the egg and egg yolk with a flax egg ( mix 1 1/2 Tablespoon flax meal with 4 1/2 Tablespoons of water)
Vanilla Extract. This is a must! I highly recommend using a pure vanilla extract for the best results.
M&M Candy. Original M&Ms are not dairy-free. To make these cookies dairy-free, you will need to use dairy-free and vegan M&M copycat brand such as this one.
How to make these Gluten-Free M&M Cookies
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
In a medium bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a big bowl add the melted butter and white and brown sugar, and whisk until the ingredients are mixed. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until everything comes together. Fold in the M&Ms. Do not over-mix. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30min or preferably 1 to 2 hours.
Step 2: Bake the Cookies
When you are ready to bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with baking paper or silicon baking mats. Roll cookie dough into balls, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake for about 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. The centers will look soft. They will harden as they cool. Take them out of the oven let cool completely, then transfer to a wire rack and enjoy!
Storage
These cookies are best eaten fresh however they will last in an airtight container or zip-lock bag for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To defrost them simply let them come to temperature before serving.
Recipe tips:
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking requires precision and that’s why you need to use a kitchen scale. If you add just a little bit more flour or other ingredients, it can make a big difference in the final result and you might end up with a disaster.
Kitchen scales are inexpensive and an absolute must-have for baking of any kind! - Use room temperature eggs. They mix easier with melted butter.
- Chill the cookie dough. This is crucial. Chilling the cookie dough allows for the flavors to develop and intensify, and it prevents cookies from spreading too quickly once they are in the oven. Ideally, you need to chill this cookie dough for 1 hour, however, 30min will work as well.
- Take them out just before you think they are ready. To avoid over-baked centers, you will need to take them out just before you think they are ready. If the centers feel too soft, that’s exactly how they should feel. They will firm up as they cool down.
- Use salt. Salt makes such a big difference in the flavor, you can also sprinkle the baked cookies with some sea salt.
FAQ:
Yes, you can! However, you will need to use vegan copycat M&Ms as the original contain dairy. These ones are a good vegan alternative.
To make them vegan you will need to substitute the butter for vegan butter and the egg and egg yolk with a flax seed egg ( mix 1 1/2 Tablespoon flax meal with 4 1/2 Tablespoons of water).
M&M’s don’t advertise or label their products as gluten-free, however, in the allergy information on their packaging there are no gluten-containing ingredients in the plain M&Ms. The statement “may contain” may be due to cross-contamination.
Not every flavor of M&Ms is gluten-free, please read the labels with caution.
Yes, you will need to allow the cookie dough to sit at room temperature for 10-15min, or until your oven preheats. The cookies might need a few additional minutes to bake.
Yes of course, however, if you use a smaller cookie scoop you will need to bake them for a shorter time. It would be best to keep an eye on them and once you see that their edges are getting golden brown, take them out of the oven.
Equipment
More Gluten-Free Cookies
Gluten Free M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups gluten-free flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ cup butter (melted) *(check notes for vegan option)
- 1 egg *(check notes for vegan option)
- 1 egg yolk
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup M&Ms
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a big bowl add the melted butter, and brown and white sugar , and whisk until the ingredients are mixed. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Add the vanilla extract and the egg yolks (one at a time) mixing on low-medium speed until well mixed.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until everything comes together. Fold in the M&Ms (save a little bit of the M&Ms to add on top of the cookies before you bake them- this is optional but it will give you prettier cookies). Do not over-mix.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 30min or preferably 1 to 2 hours.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with baking paper or silicon baking mats.Roll cookie dough into balls, about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for about 12 to 13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. The centers will look soft. They will harden as they cool. As soon as you remove them from the oven, take a round cookie cutter and swivel it around the edges to shape it into a perfect circle. This is optional.Let the cookies cool completely, then transfer to a wire rack and enjoy!
Hi Sierra. It is important to let the cookies cool down before serving, they are always soft when they are straight from the oven. Another thing that can cause the cookies to be crumbly is the flour you use. In the post, I’ve written a recommendation for a homemade gluten-free flour mix. If you can’t make that one you should at least make sure that the flour mix that you are using contains xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is the binding agent (the gluten) in gluten-free baking, therefore a flour mix without xanthan gum can result in crumbly cookies. I’m not sure what else might have gone wrong, these cookies should definitely not have a cake-like texture and not be crumbly. I hope this helps.
My kids love these! I’ve already made them a couple of times and will be making them for Christmas again!
Just made these and they are one of the best gluten free cookies that I’ve tried! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Patricia, I’m sorry to hear that. What exactly is not clear in the measurements? If it is because it is in grams. I’m sorry but I’m from Europe and here we mostly use a scale to measure everything (also when it comes to baking being precise is very important and using a scale is much better). However, I understand that in the US it’s used cups, therefore all of my newer recipes are calculated in both grams and cups. I’m still working on changing all of my older recipes such as this one. There are websites such as this one: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cup-to-gram-conversions/ that can be used to do conversions. Hope that this helps.
It’s so hard finding gluten free recipes that my whole family can enjoy, but I made these for my family yesterday morning and everyone loved them! My family had eaten all of them by the time I went for seconds, which never happens when I bake gluten free! I’m going to make them again today or tomorrow, and was wondering if I made a double batch if I could freeze some of the batter? These are definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!
Hi Sonya, thank you for your comment. I’m very happy to hear that! And yes you can freeze this cookie batter for up to 3 months.