Vegan M&M Cookies

We all love a chocolate chip cookie, but sometimes you just want a little color. These vegan M&M cookies are a twist on the classic, using plant-based chocolate-coated candy pieces. They’re perfect for kids’ birthdays, Easter, or any other colorful celebration. These nostalgic cookies are:

• Soft and chewy with crunchy candy bits
• Simple, with just 10 ingredients you probably already have
• Easy to make and freeze for future cookie enjoyment

Are Any M&Ms Vegan?

No, there are currently not any vegan M&M brand varieties, much to the disappointment of chocolate lovers everywhere. Even their dark chocolate options contain ingredients like skim milk and milkfat. That said, there are several vegan chocolate-coated candy brands available online and at well-stocked grocery stores. Here are just a few options:

• Choco No-No’s
• Lakanto Chocolate Gems
• YumEarth Choco Yums
• UNREAL Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Gems

Key Ingredients

You just need 10 ingredients to mix up these cookies!

Unbleached all-purpose flour: This is the base of your cookies. You can also substitute your favorite one-to-one gluten free blend to make these GF.

Baking soda and baking powder: These act as the leavening agent, giving the cookies their rise. These cookies are soft and light, not flat and crunchy.

Salt: Every dessert needs a pinch of salt to balance out all the sugar!

Pure cane sugar and brown sugar: A mix of these two sugars provides just the right amount of sweetness. I actually use a smaller ratio of sugar than most other recipes out there because I don’t like sickeningly sweet cookies.

Vegan butter: Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so you can cream the sugar with it.

Flax egg: Since these cookies don’t contain egg, they need a binder. A tablespoon of ground flax seed mixed with two tablespoons of water creates a gelatinous egg-like replacement.

Vanilla extract: Just a teaspoon will do.

Vegan chocolate-coated candies: I used UNREAL Dark Chocolate Covered Peanut Gems for this recipe because that’s what my store had stocked. For a nut-free version, check out the other brands listed in the section above.

How To Make Vegan M&M Cookies

These cookies follow the classic method — cream the butter and sugar, add vanilla and flax egg, whisk together the dry ingredients, and slowly add to the wet. Easy!

First, cream together your butter and sugar. You can do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but I just use a bowl and a whisk.

Once incorporated, whisk in the flax egg and vanilla.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. You’ll add half the flour mixture, mix until it’s fully incorporated, and then add the other half.

Once the flour is almost fully incorporated, fold in the chocolate candy.

Scoop the cookies onto parchment-lined baking sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Vegan M&M Cookies

Relive a childhood classic, now dairy and egg free! These vegan m&m cookies have candy-coated chocolate for a pop of playful color.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep 20 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 large cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup vegan butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 6 oz vegan candy-coated chocolate pieces

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• To make the flax egg, combine the ground flax seeds with 2 1/2 tbsp water. Set aside to thicken.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the sugars and butter until creamed and light and fluffy.
• Add the vanilla and flax mixture and whisk once more.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, starting with half the mixture. Once fully incorporated, add the other half.
• Once the flour is almost fully incorporated, fold in the vegan candy-coated chocolate pieces, reserving a few for topping.
• Using a large scoop, scoop out eight cookies (4 on each tray). Flatten them slightly with your hands and top with the reserved candy.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until they just start to turn golden brown on the edges.
• Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy.

Video

Notes

These cookies stay good in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days.

Make Ahead: Once you scoop the cookies and flatten them with your hands, place the cookie sheets in the freezer and let them fully harden, 6-8 hours or overnight. The next day, place them in a gallon freezer bag and bake from frozen whenever you want cookies. You may need to add a couple extra minutes to the bake time.

Keywords vegan M&M cookies

Looking for more vegan cookie options? Try my rosemary pine nut cookies, or maybe these chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. Happy baking!