Irresistible Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies: Your Ultimate Holiday Baking Guide
There’s something magical about the holidays, and for many, that magic is woven into the aroma of freshly baked cookies filling the kitchen. This particular recipe for Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies holds a special place in our hearts, with a story as delightful as the cookies themselves. It all began with a simple newspaper insert, serendipitously left on a table at Starbucks. That humble clipping, discovered by chance, became the foundation for what is now a beloved holiday tradition.
Initially, these charming peanut butter M&M cookies called for Parkay margarine. Back in the day, stick margarines were a popular choice for baking, often formulated with a higher fat content that contributed to desirable textures. However, times change, and so do product formulations. Modern margarines have been reformulated, often containing less fat and more water, which can significantly impact baking results. If you ever consider using margarine, it’s crucial to select one with at least 80% fat to mimic the original intent. But, for consistently superior flavor and texture in these cookies, our strong recommendation is to simply use good quality unsalted butter. It yields a richer taste and a more tender crumb that truly elevates these festive treats.
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Crafting the Perfect Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies: Our Recipe Notes and Adaptations
Over the years, this recipe has been refined and perfected. At one point, I embarked on a mission to find the original recipe online, leading me to an M&M’s Facebook page where it was proudly featured. It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of these cookies that they still resonate with so many. For fellow M&M’s enthusiasts seeking inspiration, that page remains a treasure trove of ideas! In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’ve made a few key adjustments to the original peanut butter M&M cookies recipe to ensure they are nothing short of spectacular. These modifications enhance flavor, texture, and visual appeal, making them truly “Holly Jolly” ready.
Key Adaptations for Enhanced Flavor and Texture:
- **Unsalted Butter for Superior Taste:** We swapped the Parkay stick for unsalted butter. While margarine has its place, unsalted butter offers a richer, creamier flavor profile that elevates the peanut butter notes in these cookies. It also provides better control over the overall saltiness, allowing the other flavors to shine.
- **Balancing the Salt:** To compensate for the natural saltiness found in many margarines, we slightly increased the salt by ¼ teaspoon. This adjustment ensures the cookies are perfectly seasoned, with the salt expertly balancing the sweetness of the sugars and the richness of the peanut butter and chocolate.
- **Double the Chocolate, Double the Delight:** To make these cookies even more indulgent, we added a full cup of Hershey Milk Chocolate Chips and another cup of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips. This creates a delightful medley of textures and flavors within each bite, complementing the M&Ms beautifully and satisfying any chocolate and peanut butter craving.
- **M&Ms on the Outside for Vibrant Color and Perfect Texture:** Perhaps our most significant modification, and a visual game-changer, is omitting M&Ms from inside the cookie dough. Instead, we gently press them onto the surface of the hot cookies immediately after they come out of the oven. This clever trick prevents the M&Ms from cracking and fading during baking, ensuring they retain their vibrant holiday colors and signature crunch. They adhere wonderfully to the warm cookies, creating a beautiful, festive finish without compromising their integrity. This method guarantees that every cookie is not only delicious but also visually stunning, making them ideal for holiday platters and gifts.
These adjustments have transformed an already good recipe into an extraordinary one. The result is a batch of soft, chewy peanut butter cookies, generously studded with melty chocolate chips and adorned with bright, festive M&Ms that are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face during the holiday season.
Baking Tips for Perfect Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
Achieving cookie perfection is all about attention to detail. Here are some extra tips to ensure your Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies turn out flawlessly every time:
- **Room Temperature Ingredients:** Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together more easily with the sugars, creating a smooth, emulsified batter that traps air, leading to lighter, fluffier cookies.
- **Don’t Overmix:** Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can result in tough, dense cookies. A light hand is key to a tender crumb.
- **Scoop Evenly:** Using a cookie scoop helps ensure all your cookies are the same size, which means they will bake evenly. This prevents some cookies from being overdone while others are underbaked.
- **The Criss-Cross Pattern:** Don’t skip flattening the cookie balls with a fork. This classic peanut butter cookie technique helps them spread evenly and creates that signature look.
- **Watch Your Oven:** Ovens can vary, so the baking time is a guideline. Look for edges that are lightly browned and centers that still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
- **M&M Placement is Timing:** Seriously, adding the M&Ms right after pulling the cookies from the oven is crucial. The residual heat helps them stick without melting entirely or cracking, preserving their beautiful colors.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
These Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies are incredibly versatile. They are perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or simply enjoying with a warm cup of coffee, hot cocoa, or a glass of milk by the fireplace. Their festive appearance makes them wonderful edible gifts for neighbors, teachers, or friends.
To store your freshly baked cookies, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. If you want to extend their freshness, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled, layer them in an airtight freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also prepare the cookie dough ahead of time! Form the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to a freezer bag. When a cookie craving strikes, simply bake them from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
More Delightful Cookie Recipes to Explore
If you’re a fan of M&M’s and delicious cookies, you’ll love exploring these other fantastic recipes from our collection:
- Dark Chocolate M&M’s Cookies
- Jumbo M&M Cookies
- M&M Recipe Round-Up
- Best Yet M&M’s Cookies
- Peanut Butter and M&M Cookies
Recipe
Holly Jolly Peanut Butter Cookies
Anna
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 grams)
- ⅔ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt use ¼ if using salted butter or spread
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (114 grams)
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (200 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips plus another cup of Reese’s chips — optional
- ⅓ cup M&Ms, in holiday colors or peanut butter chips
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, baking powder, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined to ensure leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Set this mixture aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the crunchy peanut butter, room-temperature unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ soft texture. Next, beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
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Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting or switch to mixing by hand. Gradually add the reserved flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix the dough. If using, gently stir in the milk chocolate chips and Reese’s peanut butter chips at this stage. Form the dough into 1-inch (about 2.5 cm) balls. Place these cookie dough balls about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart on your prepared nonstick baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, gently flatten each cookie dough ball in a criss-cross pattern.
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Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still appear soft. The cookies will firm up as they cool. As soon as you remove the hot cookies from the oven, immediately scatter your festive holiday M&Ms on top of each cookie, gently pressing them down so they adhere. This ensures the M&Ms maintain their vibrant colors and don’t crack. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This recipe typically yields about 36 delicious cookies, depending on the size of your 1-inch balls. Enjoy your delightful Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies!
We hope this detailed guide encourages you to bake a batch of these fantastic Holly Jolly Peanut Butter M&M Cookies. They are more than just a treat; they’re a celebration of simple joys and homemade goodness. Happy baking, and may your holidays be filled with warmth, cheer, and delicious cookies!