Description
These Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and colorful M&Ms, perfect for celebrating the holiday with a festive twist. The dough is chilled before baking to create a tender texture, and the cookies are topped with extra candies for an appealing look.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup M&Ms (plus more for topping if desired)
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside to ensure cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined. Then blend in the egg and vanilla extract thoroughly to create a smooth, homogenous mixture.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet mixture, mixing just until all the flour is incorporated to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cookies.
- Fold in add-ins: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and M&Ms, spreading them evenly throughout the dough without overworking it.
- Shape dough balls: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls. Using a cookie scoop helps create uniformly sized cookies for even baking.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet spaced apart. Press a few extra M&Ms gently on top of each cookie dough ball if you want a decorative finish.
- Chill dough: Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and freeze the dough balls for at least 1 hour and up to overnight to allow the dough to firm up, which helps maintain shape while baking. If frozen overnight, let the dough rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before baking.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the cookies evenly.
- Bake cookies: Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set and centers appear slightly under-baked for a chewy texture. You can press additional candies or chocolate chips on top during baking if desired for extra appeal.
- Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: Store the fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain freshness and softness.
Notes
- Room temperature butter and egg ensure proper creaming and better cookie texture.
- Freezing the cookie dough balls before baking helps cookies keep their shape and results in a thicker, chewier texture.
- Pressing additional M&Ms on top before and/or during baking adds a fun colorful decoration.
- Do not overmix dough once flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
- Test baking times as ovens vary; cookies should be slightly under-baked in the center for softness.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft for up to a week.
