Holiday Baking Delights

Embrace the magic of the holiday season with these spectacular M&M Stuffed Christmas Cookies! Imagine soft, chewy cookies, generously packed with rich chocolate and colorful M&M’s, then lovingly filled with a luscious, homemade buttercream frosting. This festive dessert isn’t just fun to make; it’s a delightful centerpiece for any holiday gathering, a perfect gift for loved ones, or a sweet treat for cozy nights by the fire. Whether you’re preparing for bake sales, an elaborate Christmas dinner, or simply looking to add a touch of joy to your home, these irresistible sandwich cookies are designed for making joyful memories. You can even prepare them in advance, taking the stress out of holiday entertaining and allowing you to savor every moment.

Indulge in the festive charm of these M&M Christmas Cookies, a perfect blend of chocolate and holiday cheer.

There’s something inherently comforting about M&M cookies, and when you combine that with a generous dollop of velvety homemade buttercream, especially during the joyous holiday season, you’ve created pure bliss. Our M&M sandwich cookies elevate this classic treat, loading them with holiday-themed M&Ms and colorful sprinkles. They offer everything you could possibly desire in a decadent dessert and so much more, promising a burst of flavor and a feast for the eyes with every bite.

Why These Christmas Cookies Will Become Your Holiday Favorite

A Chocolate Lover’s Dream: These cookies are designed to delight anyone with a passion for chocolate. Loaded with mini chocolate chips and crunchy M&M’s, they offer a multi-textured chocolate experience that is simply divine. They make an excellent gift, beautifully packaged for friends, family, or neighbors.
Unbelievably Cute & Festive: Adorned with seasonal M&M’s and vibrant sprinkles, these cookies are a visual celebration. The optional red, green, and white frosting layers add an extra touch of holiday cheer, making them perfect for Instagram-worthy presentations and festive party spreads.
Irresistibly Soft & Decadent: Every bite reveals a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The combination of carefully balanced ingredients ensures a cookie that is perfectly soft and chewy, complemented by a rich, creamy frosting that creates a truly decadent experience.
Effortlessly Easy to Make & Customize: Don’t let their impressive appearance fool you; these cookies are straightforward to prepare, even for novice bakers. The recipe provides clear steps, and the ability to customize the filling colors or even the types of candy and sprinkles makes them incredibly versatile for any occasion beyond Christmas.
Perfect for Any Holiday Occasion: From casual family gatherings to elegant Christmas parties, these cookies fit right in. Their make-ahead potential makes them a convenient choice for busy holiday schedules, ensuring you always have a delightful treat ready to share.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Christmas Cookies

Crafting the perfect Christmas cookie starts with understanding the role each ingredient plays. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:

All-Purpose Flour: This forms the essential structural base of our cookies. For those with dietary restrictions, a high-quality 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend should work well, although testing is always recommended for best results.
Cornstarch: A secret weapon for creating that desired tender, soft cookie texture. It helps prevent the cookies from becoming overly tough or dry, ensuring a delightful chewiness.
Baking Soda: Critical for leavening, baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like brown sugar) to help the cookies rise beautifully and achieve that wonderfully fluffy, airy interior.
Fine Sea Salt: More than just a seasoning, salt enhances and balances the sweetness of the sugars and deepens the chocolate flavors, bringing all the ingredients into delicious harmony.
Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature, unsalted butter is the foundation of both the rich cookie dough and the creamy frosting. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the recipe. Ensure it’s truly softened, not melted, for optimal creaming.
Sugars (Granulated & Light Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar):
- Granulated Sugar: Contributes to the cookies’ crisp edges and overall sweetness.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, a subtle caramel note, and a chewy texture to the cookies. The combination ensures a perfectly balanced sweetness and texture.
- Powdered Sugar: The key to a smooth, silky buttercream frosting. Sifting it is crucial to prevent lumps.
Eggs: Providing essential structure and binding the ingredients, eggs give the cookies their shape and contribute to their rich flavor. Use large eggs at room temperature for best incorporation.
Vanilla Extract: A tablespoon of good quality vanilla extract is a game-changer, elevating the overall flavor profile of both the cookies and the frosting, making your M&M sandwich cookies truly exceptional.
Holiday M&M’s: These aren’t just for color; they provide a delightful chocolate crunch and a festive touch, making these cookies unmistakably for the holiday season. Look for red and green varieties to enhance the holiday theme.
Mini Chocolate Chips: These tiny morsels pack a powerful chocolate punch, intensifying the chocolate flavor throughout the cookie dough. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate varieties work equally well, depending on your preference.
Holiday Sprinkles: A final flourish for topping, festive sprinkles add a playful texture and a burst of color, making your cookies even more appealing and joyful.
Whole Milk: Used in the frosting, whole milk contributes to an extra-rich, creamy, and smooth filling. You can substitute with heavy cream for an even more indulgent frosting.
Food Coloring (Green & Red Gel): Gel food coloring is preferred over liquid as it provides vibrant, concentrated colors without altering the frosting’s consistency. These colors create visually stunning, Instagram-worthy layers for your sandwich cookie filling.

Gather your ingredients with ease for a smooth baking experience.

Baking the Perfect Christmas Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these detailed steps to create your delicious M&M Christmas cookies:

Prepare Your Baking Station: Begin by preheating your oven to 350° F (175° C). Line several large baking sheets with parchment paper. This non-stick surface will ensure your cookies bake evenly and release easily without sticking. Set the prepared trays aside.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Whisking ensures these ingredients are evenly distributed, which is crucial for uniform cookie texture and rise. Set this bowl aside for later.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter with both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture becomes visibly light in color and fluffy in texture. This step incorporates air, contributing to the cookies’ softness.
Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly combined. Stir in the vanilla extract until just blended. Avoid overmixing once the eggs are in.
Gradually Add Dry Mixture: With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the reserved flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Overmixing at this stage can develop too much gluten, resulting in tougher cookies. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
Fold in the Festive Add-ins: Gently fold in the holiday M&M’s and mini chocolate chips using a spatula. Once these are evenly distributed, add the holiday sprinkles and give the dough one final, gentle stir to combine.
Shape the Cookie Dough: Take about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie. Roll the dough into a spherical ball between your palms. For best results and to minimize spreading during baking, gently shape the balls so they are slightly taller than they are wide. Continue this process with the remaining dough, placing the balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets.
Bake to Perfection: Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. Look for the edges to be lightly golden brown and the tops to appear set and slightly dry. It’s crucial not to overbake, as this will result in hard, dry cookies instead of the desired soft and chewy texture. They will continue to set as they cool.
Cool and Adorn: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they are still warm and soft, gently press additional M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, and sprinkles onto the tops. This creates a beautiful, picture-perfect presentation. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up slightly before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is essential before frosting to prevent melting.
Prepare for Frosting: While your cookies are baking and cooling, take this opportunity to prepare the delicious buttercream filling.

The perfectly prepared cookie dough, studded with M&Ms and chocolate chips.

Crafting the Creamy Christmas Buttercream Frosting

This luscious buttercream filling is the perfect complement to our festive cookies. Here’s how to whip it up:

Cream the Butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or using a large bowl and a hand mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter on medium speed until it is smooth, light, and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the butter, a little at a time, mixing on low speed until it is fully incorporated. Sifting is vital here to prevent any lumps. Once smooth, add a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and whole milk. Mix on low speed until combined.
Whip to Fluffy Perfection: Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for at least 3 minutes. This vigorous whipping will transform the mixture into a wonderfully light, airy, and fluffy buttercream frosting.
Color and Divide: Divide the prepared frosting evenly among three separate bowls. Add a few drops of red gel food coloring to one bowl and green gel food coloring to another. Stir each bowl until you achieve your desired vibrant holiday colors. Leave the frosting in the third bowl white. This creates a beautiful trio of festive colors.
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies: Transfer each color of frosting into separate piping bags (or sturdy plastic bags with a corner snipped off). Take half of your cooled cookies and pipe a dollop of each color onto the flat bottom side. Top with another cooled cookie, gently pressing down to create a perfect sandwich. The frosting will hold the cookies together beautifully. Serve immediately or store for later enjoyment!

A festive trio of red, green, and white buttercream frosting awaits the cookies.

Creative Filling Variations for Your Sandwich Cookies

Absolutely! While our festive buttercream is delightful, feel free to get creative with other fillings to suit your taste or occasion. Here are some fantastic ideas:

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: For an even deeper chocolate experience, a rich chocolate buttercream makes an incredibly decadent filling that chocolate lovers will adore.
Cream Cheese Frosting: A tangy and sweet cream cheese frosting offers a delightful contrast to the cookie’s sweetness, adding a sophisticated touch.
Ice Cream: For a refreshing twist, try turning these into ice cream sandwiches! Simply soften your favorite ice cream flavor, spread it between two cookies, and refreeze until firm.
Nutella: A smooth, hazelnut chocolate spread offers a rich, comforting, and quick alternative.
Caramel Sauce: A drizzle of gooey caramel, perhaps with a sprinkle of sea salt, adds a gourmet flair.
Jam or Fruit Preserves: For a fruity note, a dollop of raspberry or strawberry jam can be surprisingly delicious, especially with a hint of orange zest in the cookie dough.
Ganache: A rich chocolate ganache, either dark or milk, provides a smooth, intensely chocolatey filling that is wonderfully elegant.

The final touch: piping colorful frosting to complete your Christmas cookie sandwiches.

Expert Tips for Your Best Christmas Cookies Yet

Achieve cookie perfection with these valuable tips and tricks:

Optimal Dough Shaping: When rolling your cookie dough, aim for balls that are slightly taller than they are wide, creating a more spherical mound. This specific shaping technique helps prevent excessive spreading during the baking process, resulting in perfectly plump and soft cookies.
Smart Topping Application: To avoid a messy cleanup and ensure your beautiful toppings stay put, consider pressing additional M&M’s, chocolate chips, and sprinkles onto only one half of your cookies. This is typically the top half of the sandwich cookie. Make sure to press them firmly into the warm dough so they adhere well; otherwise, they might fall off once the cookies cool.
Versatility Beyond the Holidays: While these are themed as “Christmas cookies,” don’t limit yourself! This base recipe is incredibly versatile. Feel free to use M&M’s and sprinkles of any color combination to match other holidays, birthdays, or special events throughout the year. Or, simply leave the filling a classic white for a universally appealing treat.
Mastering the Bake Time: The key to soft, chewy sandwich cookies is to avoid overbaking. You want your cookies to be just set around the edges and slightly pale in the center. They will continue to cook slightly on the hot baking sheet after being removed from the oven. Underbaking slightly ensures they remain wonderfully soft and easy to sandwich with the creamy filling.
Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smoother dough and a more consistent texture in your cookies and a fluffier frosting.
Accurate Flour Measurement: Always spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag. Scooping can compact the flour, leading to too much flour and dense, dry cookies.
Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Using parchment paper (or silicone baking mats) not only prevents sticking but also promotes even baking and easy cleanup.
Cool Completely Before Frosting: This cannot be stressed enough! Frosting warm cookies will result in a melted, runny mess. Ensure your cookies are completely cool to the touch before adding the buttercream.
Yield Adjustments: This recipe yields approximately 22 sandwich cookies. If you need more or fewer, you can easily adjust the batch size by multiplying or dividing the ingredients.
Experiment with Extracts: Beyond vanilla, consider adding a touch of almond extract or peppermint extract (especially for holidays!) to your frosting for different flavor dimensions.

A delightful spread of finished M&M Christmas cookies, ready to be enjoyed.

Storage Solutions for Your Holiday Treats

Proper storage is essential to keep your M&M Stuffed Christmas Cookies fresh and delicious:

Room Temperature: Once baked and completely cooled, these delightful sandwich cookies will remain fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This is generally the best way to enjoy them for optimal texture and flavor.
Refrigeration: If you need to extend their freshness, transfer the cookies to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be aware that the frosting may firm up slightly when chilled.
Freezing for Longer Enjoyment: For long-term storage, these cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To Freeze Frosted Cookies: Place the frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (about 1-2 hours). Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- To Freeze Unfrosted Cookies (Recommended): You can bake the cookies, cool them completely, and then freeze them without the frosting. This allows you to make fresh frosting closer to serving time. Alternatively, you can freeze the raw cookie dough balls. Place dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a lined baking sheet and add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Thawing and Serving: When ready to enjoy frozen cookies, transfer them from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight, or simply place them on the counter at room temperature for a few hours. They are best when allowed to come completely to room temperature before serving, as this restores the soft texture of the cookie and the creaminess of the frosting.

More Festive Recipes You’ll Love

If you enjoyed these M&M Christmas Cookies, you might also like these other delightful recipes:

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Sugar Cookies with Icing
Cream Cheese Nutella Cookies

★★★★★ (5 from 1 vote)

Festive M&M Stuffed Christmas Cookies

By Julie Maestre

These Christmas cookies are bursting with chocolate, M&M’s, and stuffed with creamy frosting for a festive dessert that’s fun to make and delicious to eat.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 12 mins

Total: 27 mins

Servings: 22 Cookies

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Ingredients

For the Cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cups granulated sugar
¾ cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups Holiday M&M’s
½ cup mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk chocolate
½ cup Holiday sprinkles

For the Creamy Frosting Filling:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk
Green gel food coloring (optional)
Red gel food coloring (optional)

Instructions

Making the Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line sheet trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring slowly until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Gently fold in the M&M’s and mini chocolate chips. Add the sprinkles and stir once more to combine.
Take 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll into a ball. Shape the balls to be slightly taller than they are wide to minimize spreading.
Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops appear dry. Avoid overbaking.
Upon removing from the oven, press more M&M’s, chocolate chips, and sprinkles onto the warm cookies for an enhanced presentation. Let cool on the sheet tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the Frosting & Assembling:

While the cookies are baking and cooling, prepare the frosting.
Cream the softened butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar until fully mixed. Add the salt, vanilla, and milk. Stir to combine, then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Divide the frosting evenly into 3 bowls. Add red food coloring to one, green to another, stirring each to achieve desired color. Leave the last bowl white.
Place each color of frosting into separate piping bags. Pipe a generous dollop of each color onto the bottom of half of the cooled cookies. Place another cookie on top and gently press down to form a sandwich. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Shaping the cookie dough into mounds taller than they are wide helps reduce spreading during baking, yielding thicker, chewier cookies.
For a cleaner cookie, press additional toppings onto only the top half of the cookies, ensuring they are pressed firmly into the warm dough to prevent them from falling off.
These sandwich cookies don’t have to be exclusively holiday-themed! Feel free to use any color M&M’s, sprinkles, or frosting colors to match other celebrations.
Do not overbake the cookies. They should remain soft to ensure they are easy to sandwich and enjoyable with the creamy filling.
This versatile sandwich cookie recipe can serve as a fantastic base for creating various other cookie sandwich combinations by simply changing the fillings or decorations.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Julie Maestre

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 22

Calories: 394

Keyword: Christmas Cookies, Holiday Cookies, M&M Sandwich Cookies, Festive Cookies

We hope you thoroughly enjoy baking and sharing these delightful M&M Stuffed Christmas Cookies. They are truly a labor of love that brings smiles and cheer during the most wonderful time of the year. If you tried this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a review in the comments section below – your feedback helps fellow bakers! For more delicious inspiration, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!