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Home Recipes Cookies and Bars

Easy Gluten Free M&M Cookies {Dairy-Free Option!}

Published: May 28, 2022 · Modified: Feb 15, 2023 by Sandi Gaertner · 46 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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A Pinterest pin image of the M&M cookies.

These monster-sized gluten free M&M cookies are so big, one big m and m cookie will fill you up! I include a dairy-free version of these cookies too, so if you love M&Ms these gluten free cookies are for you. 

A stack of four large M and M cookies on a napkin.
Jump to:
  • Why These Cookies Are Great:
  • Ingredients Notes:
  • Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
  • Fun Mix-Ins:
  • Cookie Baking Tips:
  • Recipe FAQ:
  • More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

One bite is all it takes to get hooked on these giant cookies. If you have vanilla ice cream, make ice cream sandwiches!! They are the perfect summer treat!

Every treat tastes better when it is super-sized. Big portions are all the rage in our house right now. Why eat two little cookies when you can have one gigantic cookie?

Bonus, you won't have to worry about the sugar as much. These cookies are full of high-protein almond flour to balance out the sugar :-). If you are nut-free, I include directions to make these cookies nut-free in the recipe FAQ below.

For another yummy cookie with almond flour to add protein try my Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Why These Cookies Are Great:

  • Plain M&Ms are gluten free! They are fun to swap for regular chocolate chips.
  • Moms, you will love these cookies also include almond flour so there is a little protein to balance out the sugars!!
  • These also are perfect for a cookie exchange party, or any fun occasion. Here are even more delicious gluten free cookie recipes to try!
  • They hold their shape well and freeze perfectly.
Top Pick
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs

This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)

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Ingredients Notes:

Photos of the M&M cookies ingredients.
  • Gluten Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
  • Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon. If you need gum-free, try my DIY Gluten Free Flour.
  • Baking Powder - I always recommend using aluminum-free baking powder. Regular baking powder has a slightly bitter taste.
  • Almond flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies way more grainy. There are several good brands on Amazon. To make these cookies nut-free, see the recipe FAQ below for directions.
  • Butter - Use unsalted room-temperature butter. To make these cookies recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free vegan butter and a dairy-free M&M substitute like Choco No-Nos brand.
  • Eggs - Use size large.
  • Vanilla Extract - In this recipe, you can use pure vanilla extract or imitation. Be sure if you use imitation that you check to see if your vanilla extract gluten free.
  • M&Ms - You can read more about which M&Ms are gluten free.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Are you ready to learn how to make gluten free M&M cookies? The first step is to preheat your oven to 350º F and be sure your oven rack is set in the middle of the oven.

Dry ingredients in a bowl.

Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Using a wire whisk is a good way to really ensure your dry ingredients are well mixed.

To prevent using too much gluten free flour, it is important to measure your gluten free flour accurately. I use one of these two methods to measure my gluten free flour:

Spoon Method: You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.

Leveling Method: Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.

Step 2: In a small bowl, add your wet ingredients and mix. You can use melted butter, but be sure it is not too hot or you may end up cooking your eggs.

You can use a standing mixer with a paddle attachment if you prefer for this easy cookie recipe.

Pouring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and use a large spoon to mix them into cookie dough.

Mix in M&Ms into the cookie dough.

Step 4: Pour in the M&Ms, and any mix-ins you like into the cookie dough. For best results, mix the M&Ms in well so every cookie is loaded with this colorful candy.

M&Ms come in so many great colors, especially around the holidays so have fun! These gluten free m&m cookie bars use pastel-colored M&Ms.

Step 5: Prepare your cookie pan with either a non-stick spray or a sheet of parchment paper. These will prevent your cookies from sticking to the pan. Use a medium-sized cookie scoop to drop your cookie balls onto the cookie sheet. (You can use any size cookie scoop that you want.) To make your cookies extra-large, use an ice cream scoop.

Step 6: Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes until done. (The baking time depends on how large your cookies are.)

a rack full of giant M and M cookies

Step 7: Remove the cookies from the hot oven carefully. Place them onto a wire rack to cool. Many people love to eat cookies hot out of the oven. If you do, remember to use a little caution because melted M&Ms get pretty hot.

Fun Mix-Ins:

If you don't want to use M&Ms, there are so many other things you can add to this gluten free m and m cookie recipe! Customizing your cookies means you get perfect cookies your way every time! Here are some ideas for mix-ins that my family loves:

  • Heath Bar Candy Bits for caramel goodness!
  • Walnuts, pecans, or other nuts
  • Raisins
  • Chocolate chips (or white chocolate chips)
  • Dried fruits like cranberries or tart cherries.

Cookie Baking Tips:

  • Use room temperature butter and eggs. I know that it sounds crazy to use butter and eggs at room temperature, but it dramatically helps how your cookies will turn out. You'll thank yourself later if you try it.
  • Take special care to measure correctly. If you add in too much gluten free flour or other ingredients, it can mess with the cookies as they bake. If they don't' have the proper ratios of ingredients, you may end up with a disaster.
  • Chill the dough when possible. I know you are probably ready to eat your cookies right now, but taking a few minutes to chill the batter makes them less likely to spread.
  • Don't let the cookies sit on the pan too long. After they have baked, only let them sit up to 5 minutes on the baking sheet. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.

Recipe FAQ:

How do you make giant-sized cookies?

Making really big cookies is easy if you have a big cookie scoop. You can use a big ice cream scoop as well so your cookies are all uniformly sized.

Can you freeze these M&M cookies?

Yes, you can freeze these gluten free M&M cookies. To freeze them, make sure they are fully cooled and put them into a ziplock freezer bag. These cookies will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer if they last that long with your family :-).

Can you make these into cookie bars?

You can easily make this recipe into cookie bars by baking in an 8x8 baking pan.

How long will these cookies keep fresh?

These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

Can you make these cookies nut-free?

Yes! You can easily make these M&M cookies nut-free. Omit the almond flour and add an extra ½ cup gluten free flour blend.

More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:

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    Moist Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
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    Bake Like a Pro: Tools for the Perfect Batch of Gluten Free Cookies
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    Gluten Free Cookie Baking Disasters? Here's How to Fix Them
  • A stack of decorated gluten free shamrock cookies for St. Patrick's Day.
    The Best Gluten Free St Patrick's Day Cookies

📖 Recipe

a stack of four large M and M cookies on a napking

Gluten Free Monster M&M Cookies

Sandi Gaertner
Easy giant gluten free monster M&M cookie recipe.
4.91 from 10 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 10 monster sized cookies
Calories 355 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend * see note
  • ¾ cup almond flour * see note
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • dash salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter * see note
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup Plain M&M's * see note

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Set the oven rack to the middle setting
  • In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and use a wire whisk to blend.
  • In a small bowl, add your wet ingredients and whisk to blend them together.
  • Combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add in your M&Ms and other mix-ins and mix.
  • Note, you can use a standing mixer with a paddle attachment to mix your cookie dough, but hand mix the M&Ms into the dough so they don't get broken up.
  • For large cookies, use an ice cream scoop to drop large round dough balls onto a greased cookie sheet. Otherwise, use a medium size cookie scoop.
  • Bake 10-12 minutes until done. The actual baking time will vary depending on the size of cookies you are making.
  • Use a spatula to remove cookies from baking sheet onto a wire cooling rack.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
  2. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  3. I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
  4. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter. Also, be sure to use a dairy-free M&M copycat like Choco No-Nos brand.
  5. Feel free to use any mix-in like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins.
  6. These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 3gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 366IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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(*This recipe was updated from an older 4/2016 post.)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Martha Sagert

    March 20, 2023 at 6:28 am

    Are any of your recipes egg free?

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      March 20, 2023 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Martha. I do have many egg-free recipes, though not as many of my baked goods. I know some readers have luck with an egg replacer, but in most cases, I haven't tested it myself. Here is a direct link to my egg-free recipes: https://www.fearlessdining.com/category/egg-free/

      Reply
  2. Laura

    May 28, 2022 at 9:52 am

    5 stars
    These cookies are incredible! I love the addition of almond meal!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      May 28, 2022 at 2:07 pm

      I am so glad you like them Laura, the almond flour definitely is nice for a bit of protein to balance the sugar.

      Reply
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