If you’re ready to get started with spring baking these pretty pastel Easter Cookies are just the thing to make! Soft and chewy cookies made with seasonal M&M’s, white chocolate, and sprinkles.
This recipe is a mashup of our popular M&M Cookies and Sprinkle Cookies. They’re colorful, festive, and perfect for spring holidays and celebrations.
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These cookies are
Flavored with vanilla, brown sugar, M&M’s, and white chocolate chips.
Soft and chewy throughout with crisp edges.
Quick and easy with very little hands on time.
Perfect for spring holidays or celebrations.
Colorful, fun, and festive thanks to pastel M&M’s and sprinkles.
Recipe overview
*Full recipe below in the recipe card*
Make the dough by beating butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar.
Add egg and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir in M&M’s and white chocolate chips.
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and gently roll the top of the dough balls into sprinkles.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake!
Recipe tips
- Make sure your butter is softened but still cool to the touch. Using butter that is too soft will make the cookies spread too much in the oven.
- Your brown sugar should be soft and fresh. The moisture in the brown sugar helps make these cookies chewy.
- When pressing the dough balls into the sprinkles, do NOT press so hard that you flatten the dough balls. When they enter the oven they should still be ball/dome shaped.
- Do NOT over-bake! For crisp edges and soft centers, do not wait until these cookies look done to pull them from the oven. Remove them from the oven just prior to being done and then they will finish cooking as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Use the tips below to shape the cookies when they come out of the oven.
How to get perfectly round cookies
Option 1: Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven place a round glass, bowl, or cookie cutter (larger than the cookie) upside down over the top of the cookie. Gently but quickly swirl the glass/bowl/cookie cutter in a circular motion. The edges of the cookie will bump against the inside of the glass creating a perfectly round shape. This only works when the cookies are hot, straight from the oven, and still on the warm baking sheet.
Option 2: Immediately after the cookies come out the oven use the back of a spoon to gently push the edges inward to create clean edges and a round shape.
Recipe
Easter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups plus one 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, make sure it’s 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
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. On low speed, add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Gently stir in M&M's and white chocolate chips. Place the sprinkles in a shallow bowl.
- Scoop balls of cookie dough, between 1½ and 2½ tablespoon portions. Gently press the top of each ball into the bowl of sprinkles. You can bake the cookies right away or chill the dough balls in the fridge for about 20 minutes for slightly thicker cookies.
- Place dough onto prepared baking sheets leaving an inch or two for spreading. I like to make sure the dough balls are mounded higher rather than wider so that the cookies aren't too thin.
- Bake for 8-11 minutes (see note), until the edges of the cookies are set but the center is still slightly underdone; this will create a soft cookie. See note about shaping the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Place the baking sheets on wire racks and allow the cookies to cool completely. If desired, you can press some M&M's and/or chocolate chips onto the top of the cookies when they are still warm.
Video
Notes
Option 2: Immediately after the cookies come out the oven use the back of a spoon to gently push the edges inward to create clean edges and a perfect round shape.Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Brandi says
We were blown away by these cookies! I’ve never been able to make perfectly rounded cookies. I love the tips in the recipe! Totally worked.
Allison says
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Karen says
Can I refrigerate the dough for a day before baking or does that change the structure of the cookie?
Thanks!
Allison Mattina says
Hi, Karen. That should be fine. You might need to add a couple minutes to the bake time if the dough is cold going into the oven. Also, you can give the dough balls a little smoosh to encourage spreading (if chilled). Enjoy!
Katie says
These are so festive and perfect for Easter! Can’t wait to make them with my family.
Diane says
Tasty cookies but my dough was very dry and crumbly like shortbread. Definitely didn’t look as pretty as yours. I wouldn’t make again.
Allison says
Sorry to hear that. Did you make any changes? Perhaps your flour was over measured, was it spooned and leveled?
Molly says
These cookies were absolutely amazing!! I made them with gluten-free flour and almond extract, and they turned out perfect! A scrumptious Easter treat! 🙂
Allison says
Thanks for the kind review, Molly. 🙂
Chrissy says
My grand children loved these cookies I made a trial batch before Easter and they have requested more for Easter Day I had lots of yummy responses in between the chewing
Allison Mattina says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. 🙂
Lori Dusterhoft says
I just made these! they taste great and are very easy to make.
Allison Mattina says
I’m glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Brenda says
How long can these be made ahead of time? And still be fresh
Allison Mattina says
I think they’re best within 2 days of baking. They will keep longer than that but they will dry out over time.