Elevate your Easter festivities with these festive cookies that pack a delightful combination of soft, chewy texture and the crunch of M&M’s. The pastel sprinkles add a playful and colorful touch, making them perfect for your Easter table.
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (200 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Easter M&M’s
- 2 Tablespoons pastel sprinkles
Instructions:
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Once mixed well, set this aside.
- Butter and Sugar Mixture: Using a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream together the melted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed. This should take about 4 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Periodically, ensure you scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Adding Eggs: Introduce the full egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the mixture, blending on medium speed until they are fully integrated. This usually takes between 20 to 30 seconds.
- Combining Dry and Wet Mixtures: With the mixer set to a low speed, gently incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix just until they’re combined, ensuring you don’t over-mix to keep the cookies soft and chewy. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in the Easter M&M’s.
- Chill: Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. For best results, you can chill overnight.
- Prep and Shape: As you approach the end of the chilling time, begin preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, fetch heaping tablespoons of the chilled dough and shape them into balls. Lay them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press each cookie dough ball gently with the palm of your hand to flatten them a bit. To finish, sprinkle the pastel sprinkles on top.
- Bake and Cool: Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for around 12 minutes, or until you notice the edges turning a golden brown. Once baked, let the cookies settle on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack where they can cool completely.
Storing: Keep your cookies fresh by placing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tip: For a fun variation, you can mix in other Easter-themed candies or use different colored M&M’s depending on the occasion.
