M&M Cookies

M&Ms were invented in the 1940s by Forrest Mars, who got the idea for the candy-covered chocolates after witnessing soldiers in the Spanish Civil War eating chocolates covered with a hard tempered-chocolate coating.  He patented the idea and started manufacturing in New Jersey in 1941.  The original colors were red, yellow, brown, green, and violet.  Red was replaced with orange in the 1970s due to the Red #2 scare, but was added back in the late '80s.  The current colors are brown, yellow, green, red, orange, and blue.  Dark chocolate M&Ms - the ones used in this recipe - were first introduced in April of 2005.  This recipe would also be delicious with the pretzel, peanut butter, or original varieties.



M&M Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies

2.5 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp and 1 tbsp salt
0.5 lbs unsalted butter, room temperature
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 c plus 1 tbsp sugar
0.5 c light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
0.5 c dark chocolate M&Ms (approx)
0.25 c cocoa powder

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

(2) Cream butter, 1 c sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla

(3) Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg

(4) In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt

(5) Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, just until incorporated

(6) Scoop 1" diameter balls of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets, leaving at least 2" in between cookies

(7) Press 4-5 M&Ms into the tops of the cookies

(8) Mix together 0.25 c cocoa powder, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar

(9) Sprinkle cocoa mixture over the cookies

(10) Bake for 10 minutes

(11) Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely

(12) Enjoy! - careful, they're addicting...

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Notes: It is important to really mix the wet ingredients well and to fully whisk together the dry ingredients; once the dry and wet ingredients are mixed together, however, be careful not to overmix.