Chewy Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies are my husband’s favorite Christmas cookies! These oatmeal cookies with red and green M&Ms are a holiday tradition.
Every year I ask my husband and kids what goodies they want me to make for the holidays. I want to make sure I make at least one of their favorites. Brian always asks for Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies so I thought I’d share the recipe with all of you!
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Where is the Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies Recipe? In this post, I will share step-by-step instructions with photos for how to make the cookies, as well as answering FAQs about making oatmeal cookies, giving suggestions for more cookie recipes and showing a video of the recipe. But you can go directly to the recipe by scrolling down to the bottom of the post.
How To Make Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies
Step One: Butter and Shortening
For this oatmeal cookie recipe, I used a combination of butter and shortening. The shortening helps the cookies rise higher and have a lighter texture.
The butter adds flavor. Cookies made with all butter spread more and end up flatter.
Step Two: Cream Sugars
Once the butter and shortening have been combined, cream in the granulated sugar and brown sugar. As you beat the mixture, the batter will become lighter in color and fluffier in texture.
Creaming the butter and sugar adds air to the mixture making the cookies lighter in texture.
Step Three: Egg and Vanilla
Next, beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. The eggs add additional leavening as well as moisture, flavor, and structure.
The vanilla is for flavor so use pure vanilla extract. It is more expensive than the imitation vanilla but you only need a little bit and it is definitely worth it.
Beating the egg into the creamed butter and sugar will add more air to the cookie dough.
Step Four: Dry Ingredients
Many cookie recipes say to combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. The first thing I ever learned how to bake as a child was Betty Crocker’s Chocolate Chip Cookies and I never had to combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Guess what? The cookies always turned out.
So, I add the flour to the dough and put the baking soda and salt right on top. Then, I mix it well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure that it is all combined.
If you prefer you can whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl before adding it to the cookie dough.
Step Five: Oatmeal and M&Ms
When making Chrismas Oatmeal M & M Cookies, you can use either the old-fashioned (aka rolled) oats or the quick cooking oats. The old-fashioned oats make for chewier cookies with more texture.
Quick cooking oats are coarsely chopped old-fashioned oats. They will be more hidden in the cookies and make for a more uniform texture.
Red and green Christmas M&Ms are fun for the holidays but any color will work.
Step Six: Dough Balls
When forming the cookie dough balls, I always use a cookie dough scoop. For this recipe, I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon sized scoop.
Using a dough scoop gives you evenly sized cookies which makes them bake evenly and they fit into storage containers better when they are the same size.
Step Seven: Bake
One of my favorite cooking baking tips is to cover your baking sheets with parchment paper. The parchment paper prevents the cookies from sticking to the pan and therefore you have less scrubbing to do when you are done baking.
Once the Christmas oatmeal M & M Cookies are finished cooking you can slide the whole piece of parchment paper, with the cookies on top, onto the counter to cool.
Another thing I’ve learned about baking cookies is to cool the baking sheets before for making the next batch. Starting with a cool pan allows the cookies to rise and bake as they were meant to.
How To Freeze Cookie Dough
My favorite cookie hack is freezing some of the cookie dough to bake later. Sure you can bake the cookies and freeze them but freshly baked cookies (from frozen dough) is so much better.
Make the cookie dough balls and place them in the freezer to harden. Then, put them in an airtight container or plastic ziptop bag and store them in the freezer.
When ready to make, put the frozen cookie dough balls directly on a parchment covered baking sheet (no need to thaw them first). Bake at 375˚F for 8-11 minutes.
Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies FAQs
1. What oatmeal is best for cookies? You can use either old-fashioned (rolled) oats or quick cooking oats. We prefer the old-fashioned oats for a chewier texture.
2. I’m wondering how to make oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips. You can use two cups of chocolate chips instead of two cups of M&M’s. Or use one cup of each.
3. Are oatmeal cookies healthy? No, they are not. They are a dessert.
4. Wondering how to make oatmeal cookies chewy? Follow this recipe and use old-fashioned oats.
Looking For More Cookies Recipes? We’ve Got You Covered!
Chewy Chocolate Cookies with triple the chocolate have chocolate cookie dough studded with chocolate chips and are drizzled with even more chocolate!
These pretty pink Peppermint Cookies with a candy cane crunch are topped with smooth peppermint buttercream frosting and sprinkled with crushed candy canes!
Try Soft Rain Cookies from Taste of Home for an old-fashioned cookie for the holidays.
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups made with sugar cookie dough are filled with hot chocolate ganache, have a pretzel handle and mini marshmallows on top!
Kitchen hack for holiday baking: make Four Christmas Cookies From One Basic Dough with this recipe. Prepare the dough ahead of time, freeze and bake later!
Christmas Oatmeal M & M Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups flour (add 1/4 cup of flour for thicker cookies)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats (or use quick cooking oats)
- 2 cups Christmas M&Ms
Instructions
- Mix together the butter and shortening
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Cream until light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Bear in the eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in the oats and M&M's.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon dough scoop to scoop dough on a parchment covered baking sheet.
- Bake at 375˚F for 8-11 minutes.
Erica Schwartz says
These look kid friendly and delicious! I’m gonna give them a try!