Jumbo M&M Cookies – Green for St. Patty’s Day!

I can’t be the only person out there who is just dying for summer to get here. That must be why I am so over-the-top excited for March’s arrival this year. I woke up this morning, the sun was shining and it was 50 degrees out and it just felt like spring. It was wonderful!

In addition to it being almost spring, it is almost St. Patrick’s Day… one of my favorite holidays to celebrate for purely foodie reasons. So, I decided to kick off the month by baking some delicious JUMBO M&M cookies, using green M&Ms in honor of spring and the upcoming holiday.

I personally love these cookies because they are very versatile. Cook them for the full 14 minutes for a nice crunchy cookie, or pull them a minute or two sooner for something chewy. Leave out the M&Ms for a nice big traditional sugar cookie. If you loved the candy idea but not M&Ms, you could mix in something else like Reeses pieces or chopped candy bar bites. Lastly, these don’t spread a ton on their own, so the more you press them down, the larger your cookie will be. I did mine about half and half this time, making my first tray larger, and my second tray thicker.

These are quick and easy with no refrigeration required. I hope you save this recipe and have as much fun with it as I do!

Ingredietns
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
-1 cup unsalted butter (slightly firm, cut into 1-inch pieces)
-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-2 eggs, seperated
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-2 tablespoons milk
-1 cup M&M candies
-(for garnish) 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter a large cookie sheet.

Whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar).

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and light in color (about 2 minutes). Add the sugar 1/4 cups at a time and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, then the vanilla.

On low, add one half of the dry ingredients, then add the milk, then add remaining dry ingredients. Mix only to combine.

With lightly floured hands, shape about 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Press the ball into your M&Ms so that some stick to the top. Flatten into a disk (about 3 – 4 inches wide) and place on your cookie sheet. Repeat until your sheet is full, with about 2 inches to spare between cookies. Dust lightly with your sugar for garnish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes. A lesser cook time will give you softer cookies, where 14 minutes will give you a little crunch on the sides. Do not let the sides brown more than a little.

Enjoy!

Yum, in the oven!

Getting help from the cookie monster herself!