Dark Chocolate Halloween M&M Cookies

5 from 1 vote

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I just really love fall and everything that it brings. One of my favorite things in October is Halloween. We love to celebrate all month long with treats, decorations and pumpkin patches. Dark Chocolate Halloween Cookies are festive and so quick and easy to whip up!

dark chocolate Halloween M&M cookies on cooling rack
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Halloween Cookies

Sometimes something so simple can pack a big punch! Enter- festive M&Ms. Grab the autumn M&M mix and your kids will go nuts over these cookies. If you happen to go to a Halloween party this year- these would be perfect to bring along

We are finding ourselves at home at lot more often these days. These cookies are perfect for extra little hands to help! They will love adding (and eating) the colorful M&Ms to the dough.

I like to double the batch and make some for neighbors or just put them in the fridge when we need a treat. Do the work once and enjoy it later!

collage of steps to make chocolate M&M cookies

How can you tell when chocolate cookies are done?

Watch the cookies carefully because it is difficult to tell when chocolate cookies are done without being burnt. You want the edges to be slightly crisp. Sometimes I like to bake a batch and let them cool as a test run too. Then I’ll know how many minutes in my oven is perfect for the recipe.

How long do cookies last in the freezer?

Cookies should last up to 6 months if frozen properly. I like to put a single layer of cooled cookies in a Ziplock freezer bag to save for later. They freeze great!

baking sheet filled with dark chocolate halloween M&M cookies

You’ll love how easy these are to make!

Chocolate cookies aren’t a whole lot different from making traditional chocolate chip cookies, you simple sub some of the flour for cocoa powder.

The other difference too is that you’ll add some candies to the top of the cookie dough balls. The dark cookie dough will hide the candy if you only stir it in, so be sure to press some on the top as well!

halloween dark chocolate M&M cookies on enamel baking sheet

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dark chocolate Halloween M&M cookies on cooling rack
5 from 1 vote

Dark Chocolate Halloween M&M Cookies

Dark Chocolate Halloween Cookies should be at the top of your fall baking list! They are soft in the middle, crisp on the edges and they will not disappoint.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 24 -30 cookies

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups Halloween M&M candies, (1, 12 ounce bag)

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  • In a medium mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), add the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
  • Beat to combine and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again until very light and fluffy, another 1 minute.
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and mix until well combined.
  • Stir in 1 cup of the M&M candies and reserve the other half.
  • Refrigerate the dough for 30-60 minutes. This will help the cookies to not spread as much while baking and will make the soft dough easier to work with.
  • Place a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough on the baking sheet (feel free to roll the dough in your hands to create a round ball if not using a cookie scoop.
  • Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
  • Place a few M&M candies on top of each piece of cookie dough do and lightly press them into the dough. The candies are hard to see in the dark dough so placing them on top makes the cookies really cute.
  • Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes (9 minutes was perfect for me). The edges will look set and the centers will still be slightly glossy.
  • Let the cookies rest of on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
  • Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Store cookies covered in an air-tight container for up to 3 days or freeze for much longer storage.

Notes

  • The M&M’s are so fun in this recipe, but don’t let them stop you! You can stir any (or a combination) of the following: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, Reese’s Pieces, peanut butter chips, candy corn, chopped leftover Halloween candy bars. It’s a really fun and flexible recipe.
  • If you skip the chilling time your cookies will just spread more and get flat, they still taste great. You can also add an additional 3 tablespoons of flour if you’d like to skip the chilling time, it’ll help the cookies not to spread as much.
  • Dutch-process cocoa is less bitter and a bit darker in color than traditional cocoa powder. You are free to use traditional cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand. You cookies will be a bit more brown. If you want your cookies even more black in color, find dark cocoa powder like Hershey’s Special Dark blend, the cookies will be gorgeous and dark.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 24 cookies, Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 174mg, Potassium: 64mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 295IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
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This recipe was inspired by and not hardly adapted from my friend Amy at House of Nash Eats. Thanks Amy!

Dark Chocolate Halloween Cookies should be at the top of your fall baking list! They are soft in the middle, crisp on the edges and they will not disappoint.

About Melissa

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