Caramel M&M Cookies
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Last Updated on May 6, 2026 by becky
Caramel M&M cookies featuring a dark chocolate base and chunks of gooey caramel. One of my favorite cookie recipes with caramel M&Ms!
What Inspired These Caramel M&M Cookies?
A few years ago, while wandering the aisles of a New York City drugstore, I spotted something strange and unfamiliar: M&Ms candies in a dark blue package. I instantly did a double-take. Upon closer inspection, it dawned on me that I was in the presence of…caramel M&Ms!
Caramel M&Ms made their debut into the M&M Mars family back in May of 2017. And logically, being a fan of both M&Ms and caramel, these chewy bits of chocolate goodness quickly became a staple in both my baking (and snacking!) repertoires.
My only (admittedly minor) complaint about these caramel M&Ms is their size. They’re fairly large—even bigger than a peanut M&M—which means that they don’t work easily into the cookie dough like a traditional M&M. So, I’ve opted to press the M&Ms into the tops of each cookie, rather than kneading them into the cookie dough itself.
These bakery-style M&M cookies combine a dark chocolate base with caramel M&Ms and chunks of caramel candy. When I first wrote this recipe back in 2017, I made these cookies with store-bought caramel. Several years of experience and a trip to pastry school later, I’ve given this recipe a major upgrade. Instead of store-bought candies, these cookies now feature gooey, homemade caramel. They’re particularly good while still just slightly warm from the oven.
Caramel M&M Cookie Ingredients:
To make these M&M cookies, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Flour – Opt for all purpose flour, or plain flour in the UK.
- Cocoa Powder – You’ll need unsweetened cocoa powder. Do not use Dutch processed.
- Baking Soda – 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (bicarb of soda) gives the cookies their lift.
- Fine Sea Salt – Both the dough and caramel require a pinch of fine sea salt to cut the sweetness of the granulated sugar.
- Butter – You’ll need 113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter for the cookie dough, and a second stick to make the chewy homemade caramel.
- Sugars – The cookie dough includes a mix of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar; you’ll need another 200 grams (1 cup) of granulated sugar to make the caramel. If using caster sugar, measure by weight rather than volume.
- Vanilla Extract – Nielsen-Massey makes my favorite vanilla extract.
- Egg – You’ll need one large egg, at room temperature, to make the chocolate cookie dough.
- Caramel M&Ms – You’ll need about 100 grams (1/2 cup) of caramel M&Ms. You’ll find these in the candy aisle at some drugstores and supermarkets; they’re also available on Amazon.
- Whipping Cream – Whipping cream (or heavy cream) combines with granulated sugar to make the chewy caramel. You won’t need the full container, so save the rest to make a batch of chocolate truffles or homemade ice cream.
- Corn Syrup – Corn syrup or liquid glucose helps to prevent the caramel from crystallizing.
How to Make Caramel M&M Cookies
Preparing the Homemade Caramel
As mentioned above, this recipe starts with a small batch of homemade caramels, which are then rolled into the center of each ball of cookie dough. If you haven’t made caramel before, I encourage you to give it a try. (It’s not nearly as difficult as it might seem!) Just be sure to have a good kitchen thermometer handy.
(Note: If you’re looking for a good homemade caramel recipe, and don’t plan on turning the caramel into cookies, I suggest making this apple cider caramel recipe or my rosemary sea salt caramels instead. The recipe below only yields a small loaf pan of caramels, rather than a standard-size batch.)
After cooling, lift the caramel slab from the pan and use a sharp chef’s knife to divide it into squares:
Then, roll each square into a ball and pop it in the middle of each ball of cookie dough:
If you don’t feel comfortable making your own caramel, or prefer a quick shortcut, you can substitute store-bought caramels instead. The Kraft brand is generally my go-to, but any soft, chewy caramel candy will work.
Notes on Timing
Though fairly simple to make, these double caramel M&M cookies do take more time than most standard cookie recipes. Both the cookie dough and caramel components require at least an hour or two of chilling and cooling time prior to rolling and baking, so plan accordingly.
If desired, you can make the dough and the homemade caramel the day before you plan to bake and serve your cookies. Refrigerate dough until ready to bake, and store the caramel (covered with a well-greased sheet of aluminum foil) on the countertop overnight, then proceed to the assembly and baking steps the next day.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
These M&M cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Layer leftover caramel M&M cookies between sheets of parhcment and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
To freeze: Caramel M&M cookies also freeze well. Layer between sheets of parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature.
Other cookie recipes you might enjoy:
Lavender-Lemon Latte Cookies
Dark Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Ganache
Quadruple Peanut Butter Cookies
Mint M&M Cookies
Black and White Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Middle Cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Caramel M&M Cookies
- Total Time45 minutes (+ chilling time)
- Yield12 - 3-inch round cookies 1x
Caramel M&M cookies featuring a dark chocolate base and chunks of gooey homemade caramel.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
128 grams all purpose flour (1 cup; 4 1/2 ounces)
50 grams cocoa powder (1/2 cup; 1 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch fine sea salt
113 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 1 stick; 4 ounces)
70 grams granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
70 grams dark brown sugar (1/3 cup, lightly packed)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 grams Caramel M&Ms, for tops of cookies (1/2 cup, or 4–5 M&Ms per cookie)
Homemade Caramel:
Nonstick spray, for greasing tin
160 milliliters whipping cream (2/3 cup)
45 grams unsalted butter, softened (3 tablespoons)
Pinch fine sea salt
200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
60 milliliters water (1/4 cup)
20 grams corn syrup, or liquid glucose (1 tablespoon)
Instructions
Cookie Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt.
In a separate mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined, with no dry spots remaining.
With your hands, form the dough into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Meanwhile, prepare the homemade caramel.
Homemade Caramel:
Line a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with parchment, allowing a 1-inch overhang on the longer sides. Spray generously with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small saucepan, gently warm the cream, butter, and salt over low heat. Do not boil.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine granulated sugar, water, and corn syrup and cook, periodically brushing down sides of pan with a damp pastry brush, until mixture turns medium caramel in color and reads about 365° F (185° C) on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat. Pour in the warmed cream and butter mixture in a thin stream, then wait for a moment until the bubbles subside.
Return to heat and cook until caramel reaches 250° F (120° C) on a candy thermometer.
Pour into prepared pan. Allow to set at room temperature until firm enough to slice, at least 1 1/2 hours, or overnight.
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 350° F (175°C). Line a half sheet rimmed baking tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Lift caramel slab from pan and peel away the parchment. Arrange on a chopping board. With a sharp chef’s knife, slice into 1-inch squares. (You’ll have a few pieces left over for snacking.)
With a your hands or a cookie scoop, divide the cookie dough into 12 portions. With your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball, about 1 3/4 inches in size.
With your thumb, make a deep impression in each ball.
Shape each square of caramel into a ball, about 3/4 inches in size. Press a ball of homemade caramel into each impression.
Shape dough around the caramel until caramel is completely hidden.**
Arrange balls on prepared tray, allowing 2-3 inches of space in between for the cookies to spread as they bake.
Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand, then press 4-5 caramel M&Ms into the top of each ball. (If you enjoy a gooey, messy cookie, you can also press a few pieces of leftover caramel into the tops of the cookies after baking.)
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until just barely set. Do not overbake. For perfectly round cookies, immediately reshape each cookie using a round cutter.
Sit tray on a wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely.***
Store caramel M&M cookies at room temperature in an airtight container, separated by sheets of wax paper or parchment, for up to 5 days.
Notes
Both the cookie dough and caramel components of this recipe require at least 1-2 hours of chilling time. If desired, you can make the dough and caramel the day before you plan to bake the cookies.
**Before baking, double check to make sure that your caramel squares are completely “sealed” into the balls of dough. If you see any caramel peeking out, cover it with an additional bit of dough. Otherwise, the caramel will ooze out during the baking process.
***Allow cookies to cool completely before removing them from the tray. Resist the urge to cool these on a wire rack. The warm caramel will stick to the rack, and the cookies will break when you try to pry them free.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chilling Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
