M&M Brownies
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These fudgy m&m brownies are fudgy, thick and chewy and chock full of m&m candies! The batter mixes up in minutes and ready for the oven so you can have homemade brownies in less than an hour!
Once I stumbled upon the best brownies ever, I have been having a lot of fun around here creating delicious brownie recipes around here. Like these caramel turtle brownies, Andes mint brownies and these buckeye brownies. And now these fudgy m&m brownies!
This recipe starts with a rich chocolate brownie made with melted chocolate and cocoa powder. And then m&m candies get stirred into the brownie batter and more m&m candies are sprinkled on top of the brownie batter before baking.
You can skip using a box mix with this m&m brownie recipe!
See Also:
- These chocolate S’mores cupcakes have a graham cracker bottom, easy chocolate cupcake recipe, topped with a toasted marshmallow frosting!
- If you’re looking for an easy chocolate dessert to serve, then try making homemade chocolate covered Oreos!
- Calling all coconut lovers with these easy coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate! They are must make cookie!
Why This Recipe Works
- Preps in 15 minutes and ready to be baked right away!
- Made with melted butter and vegetable oil to create extra fudgy brownies
- Rich chocolate flavor and lots of m&m candies!
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert for weeknights!
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup so you get the right amount and get fudgy brownies and not cakey brownies. Or use a kitchen scale and weigh your flour for best accuracy.
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs so it blends smoothly into the brownie batter.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar – If you don’t have any make your own brown sugar! You can also use dark brown sugar. Your brownies may come out a little chewier.
- Neutral-tasting oil (I used vegetable oil)
- Pure Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter – You can also use salted butter but you will want to omit the added salt.
- Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
- Dutch process cocoa powder – Do not use natural cocoa powder or the texture and taste may be different as it doesn’t react the same as with baking powder. Read more here about natural vs. Dutch cocoa powder.
- M&M candies – I used regular m&m candies, but you could use any m&m candy. Try peanut m&m candies!
How To Make M&M Brownies
Prep oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°C (180°C). Line an 8×8” pan with parchment paper, or grease with non-stick cooking spray. See note below about using a metal or glass pan.
Combine dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla.
Combine butter and chocolate. In a small saucepan on the stove, over low heat, melt and stir together the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir frequently to keep the chocolate from burning. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, whisking to combine.
Add chocolate mixture to sugar mixture. Whisk the chocolate/butter mixture into the sugar/egg mixture until smooth and combined.
Add dry ingredients. Stir, using a spatula (or wooden spoon) in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1 cup M&m candies.
Bake brownies. Spread batter into the prepared pan and top with remaining M&M candies.
Bake for 22 to 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Watch which type of cocoa powder you use. I used Dutch style cocoa powder because the acidity of the chocolate is neutralized and make for a richer brownie. But also the Dutch cocoa will react with the baking powder unlike a natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Use good, quality dark chocolate. The chocolate flavor will shine in these brownies so I recommend using good quality chocolate bars for the best flavor and not chocolate chips which will not melt the same.
- Don’t overmix the brownie batter. Overmixing the brownie batter will make the brownies chewy and tough. Mix just until the last of the flour has been mixed in and then stop mixing.
- Don’t overbake. The edges should be set but the center should be slightly soft. The brownies will set up more as they cool. Look for moist crumbs on a toothpick.
- Let the brownies cool before cutting. This will help the brownies hold their shape. They need time to set up or they will be too gooey if you cut right away. Use a clean large knife and wipe it down between each cut so you get clean, neat brownies.
Storage Instructions
These m&m brownies can be stored covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days in an air-tight container or covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can store in the fridge but if you do keep in mind this will result in a firmer brownie and may dry them out a bit.
You can also freeze these brownies. Once they are cooled, store them in a freezer plastic bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to eat I let them sit at room temperature for a bit before enjoying. They will thaw quickly.
Recipe FAQs
You can use either for this brownie recipe however you will notice some differences. Brownies baked in a metal pan will bake faster, and have crispier edges. If you bake brownies in a glass pan, you may need to add on an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
Yes you can if you’re short on time. But I’m telling you these brownies are way better than any boxed mix and worth the extra effort!
Cakey brownies are a result of overmixing and too much flour. So be sure to measure your flour correctly and once it’s added to the brownie batter, do not overmix. Once the last of the flour has been added in stop mixing.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more chocolate, then be sure to try my brookies! They are a combination of chocolate chip cookies and brownies all in one! No mixes either, all from scratch. Or these S’mores Brownies (from Sugar And Soul). These are next on my baking bucket list!
And if you’re craving cake, then try my brownie cake. Just like a brownie, but baked in a bundt pan!
More Recipes To Try
- Self Rising Flour Biscuits
- Lemon Cookies
- Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 20 Self Rising Flour Recipes
- Milk Bar Cake
M&M brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter
- 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups M&M candies divided
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°C (180°C). Line an 8×8” pan with parchment paper, or grease with non-stick cooking spray. See note below about using a metal or glass pan.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. ¾ cups (150 g) granulated sugar 2 large eggs ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Combine butter and chocolate. In a small saucepan on the stove, over low heat, melt and stir together the butter and chopped chocolate. Stir frequently to keep the chocolate from burning. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder, whisking to combine. ¼ cup (½ stick, 57 g) unsalted butter 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
- Add chocolate mixture to sugar mixture. Whisk the chocolate/butter mixture into the sugar/egg mixture until smooth and combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Stir, using a spatula (or wooden spoon) in the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1 cup M&m candies.
- Bake brownies. Spread batter into the prepared pan and top with remaining ¼ cup M&M candies. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Notes
- Storage: Keep brownies, stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up t0 3 days. You can store in the fridge but if you do keep in mind this will result in a firmer brownie and may dry them out a bit.
- Freezing: Brownies freeze wonderfully. Once they are cooled, store them in a freezer plastic bag for up to 3 months. When ready to eat I let them sit at room temperature for a bit before enjoying. They will thaw quickly.
- Pan: Brownies baked in a metal pan will bake faster, and have crispier edges. If you bake brownies in a glass pan, you may need to add on an extra 5 minutes of baking time.
- Dutch Cocoa Powder – Although you could substitute Dutch cocoa powder with natural unsweetened I’m begging you don’t! Dutch cocoa powder is less acidic and will create a darker, richer chocolate taste.
- Chocolate – The key to these brownies being ultra rich and fudgy is because melted chocolate gets stirred in with the cocoa powder. I use either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and then chop it so it melts into the butter easily. I love Ghiradelli – it’s quality and always available in my grocery stores. I don’t recommend using chocolate chips as they have stabilizers in them that might prevent them from melting into the butter as nicely.
- Oil – I always use canola oil, or sometimes vegetable oil. Just keep in mind any oil will work but some may impart flavor to the brownies.
The recipe was easy to follow and the brownies turned out moist and delicious. The addition of M&Ms gave them a fun, colorful twist. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!
So great to hear, Gianne! So happy to hear that they were a hit with your crowd, thank you so much!
What a delicious sweet treat! I made these and shared them with our neighbors. They loved them. Thank you!
What a sweet thing to do, Ned! I am so happy that everyone loved them, thank you!
I made a batch of these brownies today and they turned out perfectly! So chocolatey and decadent!
Great to hear, Tayler! I’m so happy they turned out perfectly for you, thank you for letting me know!
These are so fun and festive and absolutely fantastic!
Thank you so much, Justine! I’m so glad that you like them!