Description
These festive Easter Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with colorful Easter M&M’s, white chocolate chips, and pastel sprinkles. Perfect for spring celebrations, they combine a classic cookie base with fun, seasonal mix-ins to brighten up any dessert table. The recipe yields soft-centered cookies with slightly crisp edges, and you can chill the dough for thicker results or bake immediately for a quicker treat.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 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
Mix-ins and Toppings
- 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 and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter together with granulated and brown sugar for 1 to 2 minutes. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring your cookies will be tender.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the cold egg and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue mixing until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even blending.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough and keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in M&M’s and White Chocolate Chips: Using a spatula or spoon, gently stir in the Easter M&M’s and white chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Add Sprinkles to Bowl for Dipping: Pour your pastel sprinkles into a shallow bowl, ready for coating the dough balls.
- Portion Dough and Coat with Sprinkles: Scoop cookie dough balls between 1½ and 2½ tablespoons each. Press the top of each dough ball gently into the bowl of sprinkles to coat them evenly. You can bake them immediately or chill the dough for 20 minutes to achieve thicker cookies.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 to 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Aim to mound the dough upwards rather than flattening it to keep the cookies from getting too thin.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes, depending on your oven and cookie size. Look for set edges with a slightly underdone center for a soft, chewy texture.
- Cool and Add Toppings: Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool completely. If desired, press a few extra M&M’s or white chocolate chips onto the tops of the warm cookies to enhance their festive look and flavor.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for about 20 minutes before baking will yield thicker, chewier cookies.
- The baking time varies slightly depending on the size of the dough balls and your oven; watch closely for the edges to set while the center remains slightly soft.
- Using cold eggs straight from the fridge helps with better dough consistency.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a vegan butter alternative and ensure M&M’s and chocolate chips are dairy-free.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or freeze for longer storage.
