Introduction

These Easter Cookies are a festive and colorful treat perfect for spring celebrations. Packed with pastel M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and a touch of vanilla, they offer a soft, sweet bite that’s sure to delight both kids and adults alike.

A close-up view of soft cookies covered with a thick layer of colorful sprinkles and candy pieces, showing about three to four cookies stacked naturally on each other. The cookies have a light golden-brown color with a slightly crumbly texture. The sprinkles on top are bright, in purple, yellow, pink, white, and blue colors, mixed with small round and elongated shapes. Some small candy-coated pieces in green, pink, and blue are embedded within the cookies. The background is a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter (softened but still cool)
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar (lightly packed, fresh and soft)
1 large egg (cold, straight from the fridge)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup Easter/spring M&M’s (plus extra for topping, if desired)
½ cup white chocolate chips or chunks (plus extra for topping, if desired)
¼ cup pastel sprinkles

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat the butter and both sugars with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Step 5: Gently stir in the M&M’s and white chocolate chips. Pour the pastel sprinkles into a shallow bowl.
Step 6: Scoop cookie dough balls between 1½ and 2½ tablespoons each. Lightly press the top of each dough ball into the sprinkles for extra color. Optionally, chill the dough balls in the fridge for 20 minutes to achieve thicker cookies.
Step 7: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1-2 inches apart. For thicker cookies, mound the dough higher rather than wider.
Step 8: Bake for 8-11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain slightly soft. This ensures a tender texture.
Step 9: Remove from the oven and transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Let cookies cool completely. While still warm, press extra M&M’s or white chocolate chips on top if desired.

Tips & Variations

For a chewier texture, slightly underbake the cookies and allow them to finish setting on the baking sheet as they cool.
Use pastel-colored sprinkles and M&M’s to enhance the festive Easter look.
Substitute white chocolate chips with milk or dark chocolate chips for a richer flavor.
Chilling the dough for 20 minutes helps control spreading and yields thicker cookies.

Storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm cookies in a microwave for 10-15 seconds or briefly in a 300°F oven to restore softness.

How to Serve

A close-up of a soft, round cookie with a pale yellow dough as the main base layer, dotted with small, uneven white chocolate chips adding texture and light color. The top layer is decorated heavily with colorful round and flat sprinkles in shades of pink, purple, yellow, white, blue, green, and orange, along with small candy-coated chocolate pieces in pastel colors such as green, pink, and blue. The cookie looks slightly cracked and soft with a textured surface and is surrounded by similar cookies in the background, placed on a surface with a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use different candy instead of M&M’s?

Yes, you can substitute the Easter M&M’s with any small candy-coated chocolates, mini chocolate chips, or even chopped nuts for added texture.

Why should the cookie centers be slightly underdone when baking?

Leaving the centers slightly underbaked keeps the cookies soft and chewy after cooling. Overbaking will result in crispier, drier cookies.