These M&M Christmas Cookies are super festive and perfect for the kiddos to make to leave out for Santa!

I’m not sure there’s anything better than warm from the oven cookies during a cold day around Christmas time! This recipe is super simple to make, made with ingredients that are most likely already in your kitchen and great for kids to get involved with!

Whether you are leaving out for Santa, gifting to friends, neighbors or family or just want a festive treat for the family, they are ready in under 25 minutes from start to finish.

Related: 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (Can Be Made Keto!)

Here's some of the Christmas Recipes I've been working on for you:

• White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Red Velvet Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Homemade Thin Mint Cookies - Trust! On God, they taste like the real thing!
• Hershey Kiss Pretzels
• Grinch Oreo Balls
• Hot Chocolate Cookies
• Candy Cane Fudge
• Homemade Buckeyes - All of my friends and family look forward to our Christmas Treat boxes because of these bad boys!
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
• Marci's Popular Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Tips for making perfect M&M Christmas cookies

1. Ensure that the butter is room temperature to get a creamier consistency.
2. Don’t overmix the dough. Once it comes together, stop mixing.
3. If you are working with one baking sheet, place the cookie dough in the refrigerator in between batches. This helps to keep the butter cool.
4. If you want a “bakery” style look to these cookies, place 3-4 M&M’s on top before or after they bake. If you choose the later you’ll want to work quickly before the cookie cools otherwise the M&M’s won’t stick.
5. UNDERBAKE the cookie! I swear people overbake cookies and it drives me bat shit crazy. Take the cookies out from the oven once the center has set. The cookie will continue bake on the baking sheet for another 1-2 minutes. I promise this is the only way to make cookies that aren't crunch!

Ingredients Needed to Make M&M Christmas Cookies

• Holiday M&M’s
• baking soda
• milk
• egg
• granulated sugar
• salted butter – I like using salted butter. You can use unsalted butter, make sure to add about 1/4-1/2 tsp of salt if you do.
• flour
• vanilla extract

How To Make M&M Christmas Cookies

Start by pre-heating the oven to 325°. Next, line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.

Add in flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until incorporated.

Add in milk and blend until it creates a ball of dough.

Next, add your M&M’s, folding into the cookie dough. You don’t want to use a mixer here as it’ll break the M&M’s, be sure to use a spatula to fold in.

Place cookie dough on a baking sheet using a cookie scoop about 1” apart.

FOOD STYLIST TIP FROM MARCI: As a food stylist (This is literally what I do all day for myself and clients) if you want the cookies to come out prettier for presentation, top 3 M&M's on top of the dough in a triangular pattern. This will allow the cookie to have the M&M's on top!

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the center has just set. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes until transferring to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!