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Easter cookies brighten any spring gathering with soft centers and bursts of pastel color. When my kids spot our jar full of these, you would think the Easter bunny himself delivered them. This recipe creates cookies with golden edges and chewy middles brimming with white chocolate and crunchy M and Ms all wrapped up in a festive pastel palette.
The first time I brought these cookies to an Easter brunch, they disappeared before the main meal even started. Now they are a nonnegotiable part of our family’s celebration.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: Ensures the cookies have a sturdy crumb and tender bite. Use fresh flour and spoon it into the measuring cup for accuracy
- Baking powder and baking soda: Create just enough lift so the cookies spread without getting flat. Check your dates for freshness so you get the right amount of rise
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors hiding in the dough. A fine sea salt disperses best
- Unsalted butter: Forms the rich base for the dough. Soften it just enough to yield under finger but not melt
- Granulated sugar: Brings that classic cookie sweetness and helps the cookies set up
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and rich caramel notes. Freshly packed light brown sugar is best for a soft chewy result
- Large egg: Binds everything together and keeps the dough rich. Use it straight from the refrigerator for a slightly puffier cookie
- Pure vanilla extract: Gives the whole batch a fragrant flavor. Look for one with a deep caramel color
- Easter or spring M and Ms: Scatter color throughout each cookie and deliver crunch. Pick a fresh bag or sort through for the prettiest pastels
- White chocolate chips or chunks: Melt into little creamy puddles. Buy real white chocolate if you can for richer flavor
- Pastel sprinkles: Add that extra festive flair and a slight crunch on top. Choose jimmies or confetti-style for the prettiest toppings
Instructions
- Prep Your Baking Sheets:
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat your oven to three hundred fifty degrees F. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour baking powder baking soda and salt until evenly combined. Mixing them together now means you get perfect lift in every cookie
- Cream the Butter and Sugars:
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle pictured, beat the butter granulated sugar and brown sugar for one to two minutes. The mixture should look pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed to get every bit incorporated
- Add Egg and Vanilla:
- Crack a cold egg right from the fridge into the creamed butter mixture and pour in the vanilla. Beat until just blended. Chilly eggs help keep the dough thick so your cookies hold shape
- Incorporate the Dry Mixture:
- Switch to low speed and add the flour mixture in one to two additions. Do not overmix. When you no longer see streaks of flour stop mixing. This keeps the texture soft
- Fold in the Fun:
- With a spatula or wooden spoon gently fold in the M and Ms and white chocolate chips. Mixing by hand keeps the candies from breaking apart and distributes color evenly
- Shape and Sprinkle:
- Scoop mounds of dough using a rounded tablespoon or cookie scoop. For pretty tops dip the top of each dough ball into a bowl of pastel sprinkles. Press gently so they stick but do not flatten
- Chill for Thickness:
- You can bake right away or chill the tray of dough balls in the fridge for twenty minutes for puffier cookies that hold those pretty pastel domes
- Bake to Perfection:
- Place the dough balls several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake eight to eleven minutes until edges are light golden but the centers still look soft. This ensures each cookie stays chewy in the middle
- Shape While Warm:
- Right as they come out use a spatula to gently nudge any runaway edges back into that perfect round shape. You can also gently press extra M and Ms or chocolate chips into the warm cookies for bakery style looks
- Cool Completely:
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets set on wire racks. This finishes baking them gently so they have a perfect texture when you bite in
I find I cannot resist the pastel M and Ms for their crunch and pop of color. These first became an annual treat for us after my little one insisted we needed Easter magic in our lunchboxes. Now we bake them every spring and usually end up delivering a few extra to surprised neighbors.
Storage Tips
Keep your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they will stay fresh for three to four days. If you want to prep in advance form the dough into balls and freeze them on a tray. You can pop them straight from freezer to oven for cookies on demand.
Ingredient Substitutions
No white chocolate swap in milk or dark chocolate chips for a different flavor twist. If you are out of M and Ms try chopped chocolate or another colored candy. Dairy free margarine and a flax egg both work in a pinch for friends with allergies.
Serving Suggestions
Pile these cookies on a festive platter for spring brunch. They also make sweet gifts when stacked in cellophane bags tied with ribbon. Sometimes we sandwich them with a smear of cream cheese frosting for extra decadence.
Cultural and Seasonal Context
Cookies for Easter are a newer tradition in my house but they quickly became as essential as painted eggs. Use bright pastel colored candies and sprinkles to celebrate renewal and joy. These cookies can easily be adapted for fall or winter holidays with a simple switch of candy colors and toppings.
Seasonal Adaptations
Swap the pastel sprinkles for red and green at Christmas. Try autumn colored candies for a back-to-school treat. Freeze dough balls and bake as needed for fresh cookies anytime.
Success Stories
I have heard from dozens of friends who say these cookies are now requested at every holiday event. One neighbor told me her son will only eat cookies with sprinkles and now looks forward to baking day each year.
Freezer Meal Conversion
Scoop dough balls and freeze them on a tray until solid. Store in a resealable bag in the freezer. Bake straight from frozen adding one or two minutes to the baking time for fresh hot cookies whenever you like.
Bake a batch and you will see why these cookies make every spring brighter. They disappear quickly but bring smiles even faster.
Recipe Q&A
- → Can I use different chocolate chips?
Yes, you can substitute milk or dark chocolate chips for white chocolate to suit your taste.
- → Do I need to chill the dough?
Chilling is optional but recommended for thicker, chewier cookies. A brief chill enhances the texture.
- → How do I keep cookies soft after baking?
Ensure the centers remain slightly underbaked, and store cooled cookies in an airtight container.
- → Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough in advance and refrigerate it for up to 48 hours before baking.
- → What kind of sprinkles work best?
Pastel-colored jimmies or nonpareils hold their color well and add a festive touch to each cookie.