M&M Cookies - Day 6 of the 2016 Slice of Heaven Cookie Tour

Ever since I was a baby, my family spent our Christmases in Lancaster visiting my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was always such a joyful time playing games, opening presents, and eating a TON of candy and cookies. Even though my grandpa was a dentist, he had the biggest sweet tooth of them all! 

My mom was telling me about how my grandma would make dozens upon dozens of her delicious cookies, and grandpa would always be there to help take the trays out of the oven and be grandma's helper :) I am so blessed to have married a guy just like that - I came home last night to find Mike making the batter for pizzelles and sugar cookies without telling me! I just love how he can do so many things inside and outside of the house!

Some of my favorite foods of Christmas include grandma's sugar cookies and ham sandwiches in the evening, Wilbur chocolates, and my Aunt Leslie's M&M cookies!
My sister doesn't usually like too many sweets, but these M&M cookies are eaten by the handful when she sees them! I'm so glad my Aunt Leslie shared the recipe, because we will be home for Christmas again this year, as we prepare our own holiday traditions in our house!

You really can't go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie that uses M&Ms instead of chocolate chips!

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: About 5 dozen

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 11-ounce package M&Ms Minis Baking Bits (or use can use regular M&Ms - see below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla and mix until creamy.
4. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in the M&Ms (don't use a mixer, as they will break).
5. Roll 1-inch balls of dough and place on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 8-11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in a tightly covered container. Enjoy!!

Source: Aunt Leslie Staskel!