Best Valentine’s Day Oreo M&M Cookies

Finding a fun and festive cookie recipe that gets everyone excited for Valentine’s Day can be tougher than it sounds. Sure, you could make regular sugar cookies with pink frosting, but let’s be honest—those can feel a bit predictable, especially when you’re trying to make something special for classroom parties, family gatherings, or just a cozy night in.

That’s where these Valentine’s Day Oreo M&M cookies come in handy. They combine two beloved treats into one seriously delicious cookie, they’re simple enough to whip up on a weeknight, and the red and pink M&M’s make them look perfectly festive without any decorating required.

What Kind of Oreos Should I Use?

For this recipe, regular Oreos work perfectly fine, but you can definitely get creative with the different varieties available. Since this is a Valentine’s Day cookie, you might want to grab the limited edition red velvet Oreos or even the pink-themed Valentine’s Oreos if your store has them in stock. Golden Oreos are another solid choice if you prefer a slightly different flavor profile, and double-stuffed Oreos will give you extra creaminess in every bite. Just make sure to roughly chop or break up your Oreos into chunks rather than crushing them completely – you want those recognizable cookie pieces throughout your finished cookies.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Butter: You can use margarine or coconut oil as a substitute, though butter gives the best flavor and texture. If using coconut oil, make sure it’s at room temperature and solid, not melted.
• Brown sugar: If you’re out of brown sugar, mix 1/2 cup white sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses. Or just use all white sugar, though your cookies will be slightly less chewy.
• Corn starch: Don’t have corn starch? Just add an extra tablespoon of flour instead. The cookies might be a tiny bit less soft, but they’ll still taste great.
• M&M’s: Feel free to use chocolate chips, Reese’s Pieces, or any candy-coated chocolate you like. You can also use regular M&M’s instead of Valentine’s themed ones any time of year.
• Oreo cookies: Any sandwich cookie works here – try Golden Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, or even Nutter Butters for a peanut butter twist. Just chop them into similar-sized chunks.
• Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract works the same way. If you don’t have either, you can leave it out, though the cookies will have a slightly less rounded flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making these cookies is overbaking them – since they contain Oreos and M&M’s, they can look underdone in the center even when they’re perfect, so pull them out when the edges are just set and the middle still looks slightly soft.

Another common error is crushing the Oreos too small, which causes them to disappear into the dough instead of creating those fun cookie chunks, so aim for breaking each Oreo into 4-6 pieces for the best texture.

Room temperature butter is key here – if your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly with the sugars and you’ll end up with dense, flat cookies instead of thick, chewy ones.

Finally, resist the urge to skip the 5-minute cooling time on the pan, as this allows the cookies to firm up just enough to transfer without breaking apart and falling into crumbly pieces.

What to Serve With Valentine’s Day Oreo M&M Cookies?

These cookies are pretty indulgent on their own, so I like to keep things simple and serve them with a cold glass of milk for dunking. If you’re putting together a Valentine’s Day dessert spread, they pair really well with fresh strawberries or raspberries to balance out the sweetness. You could also set them out alongside some vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert experience, or package them up in cute boxes with tissue paper as homemade Valentine’s gifts. Hot chocolate is another great option if you’re serving these at a cozy winter gathering.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to toss in a slice of bread to help them stay soft and chewy. They’re honestly just as good on day three as they are fresh from the oven!

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well, either baked or as dough. For baked cookies, layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can also scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag so you can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits.

Enjoy: Frozen baked cookies thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes, or you can warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. If you’re baking from frozen dough, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time—no need to thaw first!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 110-125 g
• Carbohydrates: 295-320 g

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 2.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup M&M’s
• 8 Oreos (coarsely chopped into 1/2-inch chunks)

Step 1: Prepare Your Station and Mise en Place

• 8 Oreos
• 2/3 cup M&M’s

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

While the oven heats, coarsely chop the Oreos into roughly 1/2-inch chunks—I find it’s easier to place them in a sealed bag and break them by hand rather than chopping, which keeps the pieces chunky and appealing.

Set the chopped Oreos and M&Ms aside in separate bowls, and make sure your egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars for Base

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which creates a better texture in the final cookies.

The mixture should look pale and increased in volume.

Step 3: Incorporate Wet Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 2.5 tsp vanilla extract

Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully incorporated and smooth.

This step is crucial—starting with a room temperature egg ensures it blends seamlessly rather than creating cold pockets in the dough.

Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is combined.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix into Dough

• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt to break up any lumps and evenly distribute the leavening agent.

Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined—don’t overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.

The dough should come together without any visible streaks of flour.

Step 5: Fold in Candies and Prepare to Bake

• chopped Oreos from Step 1
• M&Ms from Step 1

Gently fold the chopped Oreo pieces and M&Ms into the dough using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to crush the candies too much—I prefer to add them separately and fold gently so they stay distributed evenly throughout.

The dough is now ready to portion.

Scoop the dough into 10 evenly-sized balls (about 2-3 tablespoons each) and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Step 6: Bake and Cool

Bake for 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still appear slightly underbaked—this is intentional and keeps the cookies soft and chewy.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, which allows them to firm up slightly without becoming hard.

Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, where they’ll continue to set as they cool.

Best Valentine's Day Oreo M&M Cookies

Delicious Best Valentine's Day Oreo M&M Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 10 cookies

Calories: 2300

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 2.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup M&M's
• 8 Oreos (coarsely chopped into 1/2-inch chunks)

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven heats, coarsely chop the Oreos into roughly 1/2-inch chunks—I find it's easier to place them in a sealed bag and break them by hand rather than chopping, which keeps the pieces chunky and appealing. Set the chopped Oreos and M&Ms aside in separate bowls, and make sure your egg is at room temperature for better incorporation into the dough.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which creates a better texture in the final cookies. The mixture should look pale and increased in volume.
3. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully incorporated and smooth. This step is crucial—starting with a room temperature egg ensures it blends seamlessly rather than creating cold pockets in the dough. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is combined.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt to break up any lumps and evenly distribute the leavening agent. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined—don't overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. The dough should come together without any visible streaks of flour.
5. Gently fold the chopped Oreo pieces and M&Ms into the dough using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to crush the candies too much—I prefer to add them separately and fold gently so they stay distributed evenly throughout. The dough is now ready to portion. Scoop the dough into 10 evenly-sized balls (about 2-3 tablespoons each) and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
6. Bake for 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still appear slightly underbaked—this is intentional and keeps the cookies soft and chewy. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, which allows them to firm up slightly without becoming hard. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, where they'll continue to set as they cool.