If you’re looking for an easy Christmas dessert that’s buttery, colorful, and totally crowd-pleasing, these Festive M&M Shortbread Bites are the treat for you! They’re melt-in-your-mouth mini cookies packed with red and green M&Ms that add the perfect pop of holiday cheer. The dough comes together with just a few simple pantry staples and no fancy tools, and certainly no stress.
These sweet little squares are perfect for cookie trays, parties, or gifting to neighbors when you want something festive that doesn’t take all afternoon.
Jump to Recipe
Ingredients for M&M Shortbread Bites
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup red and green M&Ms, plus a few extra for pressing on top
How to Make Christmas M&M Shortbread Bites
1. Prep the pan. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the cookies out easily later.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Add dry ingredients. Stir in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this keeps your shortbread tender and buttery.
4. Add the M&Ms. Fold in most of the red and green M&Ms, saving a small handful for the top.
5. Press and chill. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. You’ll have to press a bit hard, as the dough is kind of flaky. Then, chill your dough in the pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
6. Cut the dough: After chilling, carefully lift your shortbread out of the pan and cut it into squares.
7. Bake. You can bake again in the 8×8 pan if you wish, but I chose to lay mine out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown. For brighter pops of color, press a few more M&Ms on top around the 15-minute mark while the cookies are still baking.
8. Cool and cut. If you used an 8×8 pan, let the pan cool completely, then lift the shortbread out by the parchment and cut or break apart along the cut lines you already made. If you baked on a baking sheet, just let the little bites of joy cool right there on the baking sheet.
9. Optional finish. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted white chocolate for an extra-festive touch.
Yields: about 64 bite-sized squares, depending on how small you cut the dough.
Pro Tips for the Best Shortbread
- Room-temperature butter is key! It helps the dough come together smoothly for that signature soft, crumbly texture.
- Cut before baking to get those clean, even edges. Cutting the cookies after baking can cause crumbling.
- Keep your M&Ms bright! Press a few extra into the dough halfway through baking for the prettiest presentation. I forgot to do that for my first batch and really regretted it. That extra bit of color is so cute!
- Store smart. Keep your shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer. Make sure they are indeed in an airtight container, as these cookies will absorb flavors and odors around your kitchen. As an example, I had a few on a plate in the cabinet to hide from our cats and my husband also put garlic bread in there for the same purpose. And my cookies came out tasting a bit garlic-y, sadly.
FAQs
Do I need to chill the dough?
Nope! You definitely don’t have to if your short on time. If you don’t want to chill your dough, I would recommend carefully cutting your dough into squares and then putting it back in the 8×8 pan to bake. If you put unchilled dough on a baking sheet to bake, the dough will spread.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes! A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend works great. The texture might be a touch different, but they’ll still be buttery and delicious.
Can I swap the M&Ms for something else?
Absolutely. You could use mini chocolate chips, chopped candy canes, or even holiday sprinkles. Just avoid mix-ins that add too much moisture, like jam or melted chocolate.
How do I keep the M&Ms from cracking or dulling?
Press a few extra on top halfway through baking. Starting with chilled M&Ms also helps them stay shiny and colorful.
These Christmas M&M Shortbread Bites are simple to make, perfectly buttery, and irresistibly cute on any dessert table. Whether you’re filling cookie tins or whipping up a last-minute treat for a holiday party, these colorful little squares are guaranteed to bring smiles (and maybe a few requests for the recipe!).
Christmas M&M Shortbread Bite
Equipment
- 1 8x8 baking pan
- mixing bowl and electric mixter
- knife
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup red and green M&Ms plus a few extra for pressing on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the cookies out easily later.
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this keeps your shortbread tender and buttery
- Fold in most of the red and green M&Ms, saving a small handful for the top
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. You’ll have to press a bit hard, as the dough is kind of flaky. Then, chill your dough in the pan in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- After chilling, carefully lift your shortbread out of the pan and cut it into 1-inch squares.
- You can bake again in the 8x8 pan if you wish, but I chose to lay mine out on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown. For brighter pops of color, press a few more M&Ms on top around the 15-minute mark while the cookies are still baking.
- If you used an 8x8 pan, let the pan cool completely, then lift the shortbread out by the parchment and cut or break apart along the cut lines you already made. If you baked on a baking sheet, just let the little bites of joy cool right there on the baking sheet.
- Optional: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted white chocolate for an extra-festive touch.
