Earlier this week, Ben came home from work and told me we were invited to a friend’s to watch football and eat pizza. Whenever we go somewhere for dinner or a party, I never like to arrive empty handed. The catch? Ben told me this at 4:15 PM and we were expected to be there at 5:15 PM! I had very little time to think of what to bring and then actually make it!
Enter these cookies. I had some M&M’s in the pantry that I’ve been wanting to use up. They were leftover from these Christmas Crunch Cookies where we picked out the red and green M&M’s and left the rest. I also knew that I needed to find a recipe where I had all ingredients on hand, so these cookies were perfect! And, perfect they turned out indeed! They are soft and chewy, but of course with a little crunch from the M&M’s.
I’m afraid I have become a bit addicted to cookies in general. It doesn’t help that every Thursday night I bring a batch to the college group we lead through church. Lately I’ve been leaning on the Perfectly Puffy Chocolate Chip Cookies because the kids love them! But, I wanted to try something new this time while not having to go to the grocery store. So, I tried these cookies once again without the M&M’s and used butter instead of shortening. They were still soft and chewy, but not puffy (because of the butter). Lesson learned? If including M&M’s, use shortening so the cookies are thicker and can hold the M&M’s. If not including M&M’s or any type of addition, use butter which creates a flatter cookie, but is a little tastier.
Do you prefer butter or shortening? There is a butter-flavored shortening that I use in some cookies, too. Do you have reservations on one or the other? Puffy vs Flat? Chewy vs Crispy? For me, it depends on my mood. 🙂
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup shortening (or butter for a flatter cookie)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup milk chocolate M&M's
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.
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Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the shortening (butter), sugars and peanut butter. Mix in the egg, vanilla and milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Using a wooden spoon, carefully stir in the M&M’s.
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Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes.
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Source: Baking Junkie
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Cookies are certainly addiciting! Love the colors you used for the M&Ms.
Oh those look fantastic- I love the m&m and peanut butter combo since PB M&Ms are my favorite 🙂
These pictures are gorgeous! I might just have to get in the kitchen and bake some of these up today! 🙂
Hello Nikki, in the beginning I kept coming here to be part of the help your are providing for Veronica King and now I am totally hooked to your recipes! Awesome site. Thank you 🙂
How can you make these glorious yummy treats all the time and not be pleasantly plump! Ha. I would like to sample one too many, gotta try these sometime tho, yum yum!
YUM!!! I LOVE peanut butter in anything, but these look EXTRA delicious!
I am currently obsessed with these cookie dough balls – I feel guilty eating them!
http://www.noraisinsonmyparade.com/2011/01/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-balls.html
-Marissa
I generally prefer thick and chewy cookies, but if you put peanut butter and M&Ms in cookies, I’ll be happy either way!
These look DELICIOUS!!!!
Thank you so much for the “printable version” of the recipes. You make is very easy! I hate to cook (kids have to be fed somehow, though), so something easy in the process is always appreciated! 🙂
Butter vs. Shortening is a constant debate between me and my boyfriend. Shortening gives me the heeby-jeebies, and butter is just so delicious. But he LOVES the texture it gives to his cookies. It’s not like I won’t eat cookies with shortening, it just makes me feel weird to cook with it.
I prefer the way shortening makes the cookies turn out, but I hate cleaning the measuring cup and spoon I use to measure out the shortening. The stuff is so darn greasy! These cookies look delicious, and I think I’m going to make them for work sometime soon.
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe. I made the cookies this morning (without the M&M’s though because I didn’t have any). The cookies were delicious and my kids all raved about them. I did use the shortening because I wanted them puffy. YUM! I will make these again.
I use shortening for cookies as I like a puffier cookie and butter makes them spread too much, but use butter in cakes, bars, etc.
I’m definitely making these. I hear bad things about shortening, so for that reason, I would rather use butter, but I do love the way shortening makes the cookies a little thicker.
looks yummy! i will try this one of these days..
These are great. I like puffy cookies so I use shortening.
YUM! These are right up my alley!!!!
Great cookies, I used a slight variance using wheat flower and all brown sugar, they are baking as I type!
Hey! I made these Nd they were excellent! Such a good recipe! Thanks so much, I’ll definitely be coming back here for more recipes! Thanks!
Love emily
Good taste, but recipe as is was way too dry! I needed to add about 2 or 3 additional tablespoons of milk just to be able to mix in the dry ingredients.
Interesting! I haven’t had that problem the many times I’ve made this. Isn’t it crazy how different results can happen in different kitchens? 🙂
I’m gunna make these tomorrow with my fiance. 🙂