These gluten free m&m cookies are soft, chewy and so easy to make. They have a rich buttery flavor, are made in one bowl and studded with lots of m&ms!
This is slowly but surely becoming a gluten free cookies blog. Not actually, but we have SO many recipes now. I have all the basics covered, like my favorite snickerdoodles, so I’m finally stepping into some more exciting flavors when it comes to cookies.
These M and M cookies are chewy, buttery, with slightly crisp edges, perfectly sweet and made in just one bowl.
M&M cookies are different from monster cookies because they do not have any peanut butter, oats or chocolate chips. This recipe is basically like a chocolate chip cookie but with M&Ms instead of chocolate chips.
If you love this recipe, try my white chocolate macadamia cookies or gluten free monster cookies next!
How to make gluten free m&m cookies
Step 1: Beat together the butter and sugars. This is one of the most essential steps in making cookies! You want to cream them together until there are no visible chunks of butter.
Step 2: Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
Step 3: Beat in the dry ingredients until combined, then use a rubber spatula to fold together. It will be fairly thick.
Step 4: Fold in the m&m’s and mix until well combined. Add the dough to the fridge to chill for about an hour. Chilling cookie dough helps firm it up so the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
Step 5: After an hour, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then scoop the dough using a 2 tablespoon scoop and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Only place about 6 cookies on a sheet at a time.
Step 6: Bake for about 15 minutes, then let cool completely and enjoy!
Why chilling the dough is important
If your M&M cookies have ever spread completely flat, it may be because you didn’t chill the dough.
Chilling cookie dough not only allows for the flavors to really blend together and become more rich, it also helps firm up the butter so they don’t spread prematurely.
For this recipe, you’ll want to chill the dough for ideally 1 hour, but even just 30 minutes will help a lot!
How to store and freeze
To store: Once prepared, these gluten free M&M cookies will keep for 3-5 days at room temperature. Let them cool completely, then transfer to an air tight container.
To freeze: I freeze my gluten free cookies all the time because I always have so much extra. I usually just keep them in a freezer safe ziplock bag for up to 1 month. When I’m ready to eat one, I’ll just pop it in the oven for about 5 minutes until it’s nice and warm.
You can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. To do so, scoop the dough into balls, then freeze in a freezer safe bag.
You can bake right from frozen, but add an extra few minutes of bake time and bake at 325 instead of 350.
Can I make these vegan?
Unfortunately, M&M’s contain milk and are not vegan, though there are some other brands with similar style candies that are dairy free.
However, the egg in this recipe is really important for binding all the ingredients together. You can try an egg replacer or apple sauce, but I cannot guarantee the results.
Do gluten free cookies need xanthan gum?
Not all of them, but these ones, yes! I used the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour in the blue bag, which I recommend for this recipe. It already has xanthan gum so there is no need to add more.
You can try another brand, but make sure it has xanthan gum in the mix so the cookies aren’t crumbly!
More cookies you’ll love!
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Sugar Cookies
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below so I can see your creation!
Gluten Free M&M Cookies
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup softened butter dairy free or regular
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Dry
- 1 ½ cups gluten free all purpose baking flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini m&ms
Instructions
- Add the softened butter to a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer and beat with both sugars for about 1 full minute.
- Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Spoon and level the flour to measure, then add to the bowl with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Beat until well combined.
- Fold in the m&ms.
- Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- After about 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Scoop the dough using a 2 tablespoon scoop and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 13-18 minutes or until the edges are just golden brown. They will continue to 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, but helps make them look nice!
- Let cool completely, then transfer to a wire rack and enjoy!
lupe says
I’ve already make this recipe two times and I’ve loved them every single time
Claire Cary says
Thank you, so happy to hear that!
Kim says
I was really excited to see on the instructions that if I didn’t chill they’d likely be flat! So I didn’t chill as I cannot for the life of me make a nice thin cookie… However not flat. Big and cakey like always. Used namaste flour. Any suggestions for getting nice flat cookies would be lovely! Good recipe though!
Claire Cary says
Sorry to hear that! I’m not familiar with that flour, but if you want them more flat, you can flatten them slightly before baking, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda or slam the baking sheet down on the oven rack a couple of times during baking to encourage them to spread. Hope that helps!
Beth says
Mine turned out like all of the other gluten free cookies I try to make…flat. They tasted good, I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong that they turned out so flat.
Claire Cary says
Interesting! Definitely shouldn’t happen. I would suggest scooping the dough into balls and then chilling for 2 hours instead of 1 to help them firm up more. You can also try 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead of 1/2 teaspoon. Let me know if that helps!
Kat says
Love this recipe! I made 2 batches- one with egg and one with a flax egg (1TB ground flax and 2.5TB water). The flax one turned out even better than the regular! Made my m&m obsessed toddler super happy. Thank you!
Claire Cary says
Amazing! So glad they worked well with the flax. Thanks Kat!
Jess says
Used King Arthur 1:1 GF flour, this is the BEST sugar/m&m cookie I’ve had!! Most gluten free sugar cookies go flat but this one has structure. 10/10 even doubled the recipe and froze the dough for later
Claire Cary says
Amazing! Thanks so much Jess.
Michele says
Love you Claire Bear, so delicious! Stay safe in Texas. Come visit Aunt Michele sometime. Xxxooo