Perfect for easy holiday baking.

These Christmas Mini M&M Butter cookies are soft, buttery, and loaded with green and red mini M&Ms. It’s an easy cookie recipe that’s perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, and Christmas baking.

A gold sheet tray of red and green Christmas Mini M&M butter cookies.

Mini M&Ms!

Of course we had to go with the red and green mini M&Ms for our Christmas edition of butter cookies! It’s the best time of year when the seasonal M&Ms come out, they always hit the shelves early and are a great reminder that holiday baking is right around the corner.

I definitely stand on the side of mini M&Ms tasting better. Maybe it’s the ratio of candy shell to chocolate? I remember I always used to ask for the little blue tubes at the grocery store register as a kid.

I always make some kind of festive M&M cookie for all the foodie holidays and these butter cookies are so simple and so delicious. Put aside the 47 ingredients and make these as part of your cookie trays this year!

An up close of a gold sheet tray filled with rows of red and green M&M butter cookies.

Ingredients

We are using the usuals for this recipe! The only thing you likely need is the mini M&Ms.

Fresh Ingredients

unsalted butter
egg

Pantry Ingredients

granulated white sugar
vanilla extract
all purpose flour
baking powder
kosher salt
Mini M&Ms – can’t forget the star of the show!

A stainless steel bowl of flour, a green and red bag of mini M&Ms, glass bowls of sugar, vanilla, egg, baking powder, salt, and 2 sticks of butter in the blue packaging.

How to Make Christmas Mini M&M Butter Cookies

Prepare: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the Dough: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then gradually combine with the wet ingredients until the dough forms.
Shape & Chill: Portion the dough into 1 tablespoon dough balls, lightly flatten, and add mini M&Ms. Place on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake & Cool: Bake until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step by step instructions to make Christmas Mini M&M Butter Cookies including whipping the butter and egg in a stainless steel bowl, adding in the flour, rolling out small dough balls on a sheet pan, and dipping them in red and green mini M&Ms.

How to Store Christmas Mini M&M Butter Cookies

Once the cookies are cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. To keep them soft, place a slice of bread in the container to help retain moisture.

A gold sheet tray of red and green M&M butter cookies.

How to Freeze and Make Ahead Christmas Mini M&M Butter Cookies

Freezing Baked Cookies

Baked cookies freeze well. Arrange the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a container or ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

Freezing Cookie Dough

Shaped and decorated dough balls can be frozen before baking. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a container. When ready to bake, bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time. Watch closely for the lightly golden edges.

Looking for another easy Christmas baking recipe? These Reese’s Mini Trees Peanut Butter Blossoms are equally as festive and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why chill the dough?

Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape while baking and prevents excessive spreading, resulting in thicker, softer cookies.

Can I make these ahead for Christmas?

Yes. Both the dough and baked cookies can be frozen in advance.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

The edges should be lightly golden. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.