Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

I'm so excited to share these Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies with you! Last February, Alex came home from school with a little list of "cookie ideas" he'd been brainstorming with his friends, and these were right at the top. He wanted something fun and festive for Valentine's Day that he could help make for his class party.

Jump to:

• Why You Will Like This Recipe
• Ingredients For Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies
• How To Make Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies
• Storage And Reheating
• Tips For Making The Best Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies
• Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions About Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies
• Recipes You May Like
• Wrapping Up
• Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

We spent a Saturday afternoon together in the kitchen, rolling cookie dough balls in pink and red sprinkles, and honestly? It was one of those moments where I realized how much he's growing up. He's 12 now, but he still gets excited about sprinkles and M&Ms. These cookies turned out so soft and chewy, loaded with Valentine's Day colors, and they disappeared faster than any batch I've ever made.

What makes these Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies special is how they look just as good as they taste. The sprinkle coating gives them this beautiful sparkly finish, and when you bite into one, you get chocolate chips and M&Ms in every single bite. They're not too sweet, not too complicated, and they're ready in just 20 minutes from start to finish.

If you're looking for more Valentine treats, you'll love my Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies – they're another family favorite that's perfect for the holiday.

Why You Will Like This Recipe

• Quick and easy – These cookies come together in just 20 minutes total, perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute baking
• Soft and chewy texture – The combination of brown sugar and cornstarch keeps these cookies tender and perfect
• Festive and fun – Rolling the dough in Valentine sprinkles makes them look bakery-worthy without any decorating skills needed
• Loaded with chocolate – Every bite has M&Ms and chocolate chips, so you get that chocolate fix in every cookie
• Kid-friendly recipe – Alex and Sarah both love helping me roll the dough balls and press extra M&Ms on top
• Perfect for sharing – These make great treats for classroom parties, office gatherings, or just sharing with people you love

Ingredients For Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter (cold)
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 TBS cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups red, white, and pink M&Ms (plus extra for topping)
• 1 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for topping)
• ½ cup Valentine sprinkles (use more as needed)

Equipment You'll Need

• Baking sheets
• Silicone mats or parchment paper
• Stand mixer (or hand mixer)
• Cookie scoop or large spoon
• Cooling rack

How To Make Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

Preparing The Dough

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. I always use silicone mats because they're reusable and nothing ever sticks.

Cut the cold butter into slices and add it to your stand mixer. Beat until smooth – this takes about a minute or two. The cold butter trick is something my mom taught me when I was a teenager, and it makes such a difference in the texture.

Add both sugars to the butter and beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Don't rush this step. You want everything well combined.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until just incorporated. I learned the hard way not to overmix at this stage – it can make your cookies tough.

Mixing The Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to your wet mixture. Mix on low speed until everything is just combined. The dough will look perfect at this point.

Fold in the M&Ms and chocolate chips until they're evenly distributed throughout the dough. Sarah always "helps" at this stage by eating a few M&Ms, but I plan for that now.

Shaping And Baking

Scoop the dough using a large spoon or ¼ cup cookie scoop. Roll each scoop into a smooth ball between your palms.

Roll each dough ball in the Valentine sprinkles until completely coated. Here's the fun part – press a few extra chocolate chips and M&Ms onto the top of each cookie. This makes them look really special.

Place 6 cookies on each prepared baking sheet. They spread a bit while baking, so don't crowd them.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until the sides are lightly golden and the tops look just set. Every oven is different, so start checking at 8 minutes. Mine are usually perfect at 10 minutes.

Cooling The Cookies

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. This is really important! I tried moving them too soon once, and they broke apart. They continue cooking on the hot pan during this time.

Transfer to a cooling rack after those 10 minutes. They'll be perfectly set by then and ready to eat (though I won't judge if you sneak one while it's still warm).

Storage And Reheating

Store your Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I use a big plastic container with a tight lid, and sometimes I'll tuck a piece of bread in there to keep them extra soft.

If you want to freeze these cookies, they freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Just layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. When you're ready to eat them, let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour.

You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls. Roll them in sprinkles, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake them straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Donald actually prefers these cookies the next day. He says the flavors blend together better after they've sat overnight. I think he's right, but they never last that long in our house.

Tips For Making The Best Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

Use cold butter instead of room temperature butter. This was the biggest game-changer for me. Cold butter creates a better texture and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.

Don't skip the cornstarch. It might seem like an odd ingredient in cookies, but it's what makes them incredibly soft and tender. I tested this recipe both ways, and the difference is noticeable.

Press extra M&Ms and chocolate chips on top before baking. This makes your cookies look bakery-perfect and ensures you get chocolate in every bite.

Let them cool completely on the pan. I know it's tempting to move them right away, but these cookies need that cooling time to set properly. Otherwise they'll fall apart.

Mix up your chocolate. I've made these with all milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips. All versions turn out great.

Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies Variations

Want to make these cookies even more fun? Here are some ideas I've tried:

Use different holiday M&Ms – These work beautifully with any color M&Ms. We've made them for Christmas with red and green, for Easter with pastel colors, and for Fourth of July with red, white, and blue.

Add mini marshmallows – Fold in ½ cup of mini marshmallows along with the M&Ms for an extra gooey texture.

Make them gluten-free – I've successfully used a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour. The texture is almost identical.

Try different sprinkles – Nonpareils, jimmies, or sanding sugar all work great. Just make sure you press them gently into the dough so they stick.

Make them bigger or smaller – Use a tablespoon for smaller cookies or an ice cream scoop for bakery-style giant cookies. Adjust baking time accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies

Can I Make Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies Ahead Of Time And Store The Dough Or Baked Cookies?

Yes! You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before scooping and baking. The baked cookies stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. I actually think they taste better the second day after the flavors have had time to blend together.

Why Do My Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies Spread Too Much Or Not Enough?

If your cookies spread too much, your butter might have been too warm or your oven temperature might be too low. Make sure you're using cold butter and that your oven is fully preheated to 400 degrees. If they're not spreading enough, you might be using too much flour (always spoon and level your flour, don't pack it) or your oven might be running hot. I also find that chilling the dough balls for 15 minutes before baking helps them hold their shape better.

Can I Substitute Regular M&Ms Or Different Sprinkles In Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies?

Absolutely! Regular M&Ms work perfectly fine – you'll just miss out on the festive Valentine colors. Any color combination of M&Ms will taste the same. As for sprinkles, feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Nonpareils, jimmies, or even colored sanding sugar all work beautifully. The sprinkles are mostly for decoration, so get creative with colors based on the occasion.

How Do I Keep Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies Soft And Chewy After Baking?

The secret is in the cornstarch and brown sugar combination – they naturally keep the cookies soft. Make sure you're not overbaking them. Take them out when the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly underdone. They'll continue cooking on the hot pan. Store them in an airtight container with a piece of bread tucked inside. The bread releases moisture that keeps the cookies soft. Replace the bread every couple of days.

Recipes You May Like

• Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies That Melt In Your Mouth – If you love these M&M cookies, you'll go crazy for my classic chocolate chip recipe
• Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies With Cream Cheese Icing – Another festive Valentine treat that's incredibly easy to make
• Sugar Cookie Balls With Festive Sprinkles – These no-bake treats are perfect when you want something sweet but don't want to turn on the oven

Wrapping Up

These Valentine Sprinkle M&M Cookies have become one of our go-to recipes for February. They're simple enough that Alex can make them mostly on his own now, and they always get compliments when we bring them to parties or share them with neighbors.

The best part about this recipe is how it makes the whole apartment smell amazing. That combination of butter, vanilla, and chocolate baking in the oven is better than any candle. Plus, these cookies actually taste as good as they look, which isn't always the case with festive baking.

Give these a try for Valentine's Day, or really any time you want a fun, colorful cookie that's loaded with chocolate. They're perfect for saying "I love you" to the special people in your life, or just for treating yourself because you deserve something sweet.

Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it again when Valentine's Day rolls around next year!

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