Mini peanut butter M&M cookies are the perfect bite-size treat for peanut butter lovers! These tiny cookies are soft, gluten-free, and are ready in less than 30 minutes.
Flourless peanut butter cookies are the perfect treat to make when you're looking for a quick homemade dessert. I used my classic recipe as the base for this bite-size version and filled them with mini m&m's candies. They're the perfect treat for peanut butter fans!
The dough comes together with just a handful of ingredients. Plus, it needs no chilling time beforehand - your cookie dough is ready to go straight in the oven after mixing.
These cookies are small - about one or two bites each. Perfect for a tiny treat after dinner, or enjoying a handful at a time (we won't tell)! They turn out soft, tender, and filled to the brim with peanut butter flavor.
Serve these mini cookies any time you're looking for a quick homemade cookie recipe. They're so easy to make, the kids can help! Perfect for holiday cookie trays, after school treats, or movie night at home.
Ingredients and substitutions
Store-bought creamy peanut butter works best in this recipe (I used JIF brand). Crunchy peanut butter would also work. I do not recommend using natural/homemade peanut butter in this recipe - the dough turns out dry and does not hold together well.
I used a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar for added depth of flavor. But, all granulated sugar will work if needed.
You'll need one room temperature large egg. To bring your egg to room temperature quickly, place your whole egg (in the shell) in a cup and cover in hot tap water. Your egg will come to room temperature in minutes.
Mini M&M's candies can be substituted with mini chocolate chips. Or, omit them entirely to make plain peanut butter cookies. If using regular size M&M's candies, I suggest making larger cookies (double the size). Otherwise, the larger candies can cause your mini cookies to fall apart.
Lastly, you'll need vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Make sure you grab the baking soda, not baking powder. They react differently in baking recipes and are not interchangeable.
Mixing your dough
When mixing your peanut butter cookie dough, you'll first cream together your peanut butter and sugars.
Next, you'll add your remaining ingredients - egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Last, you'll stir in the mini M&M candies. Once all of your ingredients are combined, your dough will look crumbly.
However, when pressed between two fingers or rolled into a ball, your dough should hold its shape (as shown in the photo below).
Your dough will feel a bit greasy (it is made with mostly peanut butter, after all!), but will bake up into a regular cookie in the oven.
Storage and freezing
Raw cookie dough can be refrigerated for 3 days in a sealed container (or wrapped in plastic). Raw peanut butter cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed, freezer-safe container. Or, form your dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag.
Baked peanut butter cookies will keep for up to 5 days in a sealed container at room temperature. To elongate your cookie shelf life, add a slice of bread to the cookie container. Replace the bread as needed (it will get stale as it helps keep your cookies fresh).
Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, set them on the counter and allow them to come to room temperature. This can take between 30 to 60 minutes.
Cookie tips and tricks
Room temperature ingredients make a consistent, creamy, and even dough. When beaten, the eggs and peanut butter form an emulsion, which traps air in the dough. This turns into a soft, even, perfectly baked cookie.
Using parchment paper helps prevent your cookies from spreading too much while baking. A greased baking pan will guarantee your cookies spread more than they should, so I always suggest parchment paper (or a reusable baking mat) instead.
Cookies still spreading too much? Refrigerate your dough for up to 30 minutes, then scoop and bake. Or, place your prepared cookie dough balls (on the baking sheet) into the refrigerator for 10 minutes just before baking. Colder dough spreads less in the oven.
Mini Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini M&M's candies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. (I do not recommend using a greased baking sheet for this recipe - the cookies will spread too much.)
- In a large bowl, add peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix with a hand mixer until creamed and fluffy, about a minute. Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt, mixing until well combined, about a minute. Last, stir in your mini M&M's.
- Scoop dough using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoons of dough) or portion dough into 32 small balls. Place 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned around edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely (your cookies will be very tender straight from the oven and are much easier to handle when cooled).
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Baked cookies will keep for 5 days in a sealed container at room temperature. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag.
- I do not recommend using natural/homemade peanut butter for this recipe (the type that separates as it sits). Your dough will turn out dry and the cookies will not hold together well.
- If using regular size M&M's candies, I recommend making larger cookies (double the size). Regular M&M's can cause smaller cookies to fall apart when baked.
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