These cookies remind me of when I was a little girl. So, just like my Blueberry Muffin recipe, you can find these colorful M&M cookies in my new book, Baking with Kids.

When I was little, my parents would take me to visit my aunt in Connecticut. She had a pantry – that I could actually walk into – with an amazing variety of candies, cereals and cookies. And sitting right at my eye-level, there was always a jar of these amazing cookies. I loved them so much, and when my sister and I get together now, we reminisce about them. We always had to wait until my aunt offered us a cookie, but as soon as she did, we would rush the pantry to get our hands on one of them.

I didn’t start baking these cookies until later in life, when I started teaching kids about baking. Kids love these cookies! In fact, my son Justin (who isn’t quite a kid anymore) is crazy about them. I make them big at Tate’s Bake Shop in Southampton – probably about 3-4 inches in diameter. The last time Justin came across them at the shop, he ate four! Definitely one of my most kid-approved recipes. Enjoy!

What You’ll Need:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup sugar-coated chocolate candies

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two cookie sheets or line them with silicon baking mats.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the sugars and butter. Add the vanilla and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in half the candies.

4. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture 3 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. They do spread out, so bake them in batches. Press the remaining candies into the tops of the cookies.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.