Double Chocolate Halloween M&M Cookies

Trick or treat? I don’t know about you, but I would choose treat EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Especially when the treat is these fun and easy Double Chocolate Halloween M&M Cookies.

Their decadent chocolate flavor, chewy texture, and festive finish make this my go-to homemade chocolate cookie recipe every year (along with these Halloween Sugar Cookies!). Plus, they come together in under 30 minutes and require just one bowl to prepare.

And as a busy mom who loves to bake and wants to make memories in the kitchen with my family, a simple yet festive recipe like this for spooky season is a must!

Halloween M&M Cookies Ingredient Highlights

---

Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt added to your cookies. Make sure your butter is softened (not melted!) to get the perfect consistency in your dough.

Dark cocoa powder is preferred for a richer chocolate flavor and a deeper color.

Sometimes you can find Halloween themed M&M’s at the store. They have a black and orange version or a “ghoul’s mix” with orange, purple, and lime green. You can definitely use these!

I typically buy a family size bag of classic M&M’s and sort through them.

I like to turn sorting into a fun activity with my little sidekick. We race to see who can separate the most orange M&M’s in a minute!

Mini M&M’s are typically labeled “baking M&M’s”, but you can use any M&M’s for baking. You may get some cracking on the candy coating from the heat or notice some of the color bleed a little bit into your dough, but the taste and texture remains deliciously intact.

One-Bowl Halloween M&M Cookies Tips and Tricks

---

How to Make Double Chocolate Halloween M&M Cookies

As with almost all of my cookie recipes, I’ve made this one in just one bowl (because when I say quick and easy, I always want to account for cleanup too!). For best results, there’s a methodical order in which you need to mix in your ingredients.

Start by creaming the butter and sugar together until smooth and airy. This may take up to 3 minutes with the hand mixer on high but is totally worth it as it aerates the dough and makes for a better-textured cookie.

Next, add your egg and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Little tip for best practice: crack that egg separately in a dish, not directly into the dough. That way you can remove any accidental eggshells. I honestly usually just live on the wild side and ignore my own advice, but knowledge is power! Choose your own adventure!

Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix again and then use a rubber spatula to scrape in any dry ingredients stuck on the sides of the bowl.

Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. I like to save a handful of M&M’s to push into the shaped cookies to make sure the orange is nice and prominent.

Once everything is mixed together, you’re ready to shape your dough!

I love using a large cookie scoop for the most uniform cookies (hint: same-sized cookies equals same baking time), but you can also just use clean hands to roll about 4 tablespoons of cookie dough into a ball!

If you are using your hands to roll your cookies, wet them first. It’s a thick and sticky dough and this will help avoid the dough getting stuck to your hands.

You can expect some minor spreading, so make sure you leave plenty of room between each cookie. Bake them on the top rack.

Don’t worry if the center is a tad underdone when you take them out of the oven; they’ll continue to bake as the cool.

How I Store Chocolate Halloween Cookies with M&M’s

These Halloween party cookies will last at room temperature in a sealed container for 5-7 days, or the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Quick tip: Storing your cookies with a piece of bread will keep them softer and chewier. This is the perfect use for the end piece!

You can also freeze these chocolate orange M&M cookies for Halloween for up to a year, but I like to freeze the unbaked dough. More on that below.

I Love to Freeze Cookie Dough for Freshly Baked Cookies Later

The magic of freezing unbaked cookie dough is that you can have freshly baked cookies any time you want! Just bake them straight out of the freezer, adding a few minutes of baking time.

Here’s what I do: I shape the cookies just as if I’m baking them immediately, pressing the extra M&M’s into the top and all. Then, I pack them away in a freezer-safe storage bag, label the bag, and pop them in the freezer! Easy, peasy!