10 Creative Ways To Use M&M's

They're irresistibly crispy, brightly colored, and oh-so snackable, but there's far more to M&Ms than simply eating handfuls straight from the bag. These chocolatey morsels are also perfect for adding sweetness, crunch, and visual appeal to a wide range of homemade desserts. You might've experimented with pressing the candies onto freshly baked cookies, or folding them into brownie batter, but there are plenty of other creative ways to put M&Ms to use in your everyday cooking and baking.

If you've got a packet or two of these beloved treats in your pantry, you're well on your way to whipping up a tempting sweet creation. Thanks to their sturdy candy shells, M&Ms hold their shape well in recipes that involve heat, mixing, or chilling. And, they come in a whole host of vibrant colors, making them great for customizing holiday-themed creations. M&Ms are a fantastic addition to everything from simple no-bake snacks to indulgent bakes and frozen desserts, and we've compiled some fun ideas to help you see this classic candy in a whole new light.

Chocolate chips are a go-to add-in for making pancake batter a little more decadent, but swapping them for M&Ms can help you whip up an even more exciting batch. Not only do they bring their signature crunch, but these coated candies will give your fluffy stack a striking look too, turning them into a party-worthy treat (or perhaps just a fun weekend brunch!).

The easiest way to incorporate M&Ms into pancakes is to simply scatter them over dollops of the batter in the frying pan. Then, once they're golden on the bottom, you can flip the pancakes over to finish cooking. The M&Ms will become gloriously melty in the middle while retaining their crispy shells, studding the batter with pops of bold color and amping up the sweetness. Alternatively, you could stir the candies into the batter before pouring the mixture into the pan. Or, simply use them as a garnish, scattering the treats over your stack right before tucking in, perhaps along with a generous swirl of whipped cream and drizzle of chocolate sauce.

M&Ms will work brilliantly with a variety of pancake styles, from classic buttermilk batters and healthy oat-based versions to those spiked with cocoa or sweet mashed banana. You can absolutely pair them with other add-ins too, such as chopped nuts, fresh berries, or warming spices.

Chocolate bark is one of the most easily customizable treats you can whip up, and M&Ms make the perfect addition. They'll fit in seamlessly alongside other popular toppings like pretzels, nuts, and dried fruits, adding textural contrast and making everything look pretty too.

There are countless approaches you can take here. The classic method for preparing the base of the bark is spreading melted chocolate onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. You can use a single variety here, or combine milk, dark, and white chocolate for a fun two- or three-tone look. Just add alternating dollops of each to the sheet pan, then use a cocktail stick to gently swirl everything together, and you'll have an impressive-looking pattern in seconds. Now, it's time for your M&Ms to shine. Scatter these over with any other additions of your choice, then it's a simple case of leaving everything to set.

For a festive twist, try adorning your bark with red and green M&Ms only. These would look great with Christmas-themed sprinkles or crushed candy canes. A medley of red, white, and blue M&Ms could help you create a patriotic Fourth of July treat, while pastel tones are perfect for Easter. We also love pairing M&Ms with candy corn, to make a delicious Halloween-themed bark.

Every batch of trail mix needs a dose of sweetness, and M&Ms are the ultimate mix-in. Trail mix is loved for its portable nature, and crafting this trusty snack with ingredients that hold their shape well on the go is essential. These colorful candies certainly do the trick, making every bite more indulgent without creating a melty mess in your lunch bag.

M&Ms will enhance just about any trail mix recipe that takes your fancy. A granola-style base is ideal. One of our favorite recipes sees the mixture flavored with pumpkin pie spice and studded with candied pecans and dried cranberries, before orange and black M&Ms are stirred through. A rocky road-inspired batch would also go down a treat, with mini marshmallows, caramel popcorn, and toasted hazelnuts all complementing the crispy candies beautifully. Salty ingredients are also great for contrasting the sweetness of the M&MS. These could be in the form of salted peanuts or almonds, mini crackers, pretzels, or even seasoned roasted chickpeas.

For an M&M-enhanced bake that's anything but boring, why not try your hand at crafting some colorful piñata cookies? These fun-filled creations aren't your typical chocolate- or caramel-stuffed cookie. Instead, they're made by nestling M&Ms between layers of rainbow-hued sugar cookie dough. As you bite into each one, you'll get a crunchy surprise as the candies spill out — the perfect chocolatey contrast to that soft, buttery cookie.

To make piñata cookies, you'll need to create three separate layers. Use a piñata-shaped cutter to shape your rainbow-striped dough, and once everything has been baked, you'll cut a small window into the center of one third of the cookies. These will form the middle sections. To assemble everything, sandwich three cookies together with icing, scattering the M&Ms into the cut-out middles before pressing the final piece on top.

You can use M&Ms to make piñata cakes, too. This works best with three- or four-layer cakes, where you can keep the top and bottom layers whole, and cut rounds into the middle section(s), creating a hole that's ready for loading up with the colorful candies. You could even throw in some sprinkles for an extra element of color and crunch.

With their round shape and glossy shine, M&Ms are a useful tool for adding decorative touches to your bakes. They make excellent buttons, noses, or Christmas tree lights, and another fun way to use them is as edible eyes, to bring baked characters to life.

Whether you're decorating a batch of spooky monster cookies or jolly snowman cupcakes, just place on a couple of M&Ms, and you'll give your treats an expressive makeover. Use a dab of icing or edible glue to secure the candies in place if required. Then, to create the "pupil", add a small black dot in the center of each M&M with some food coloring or an edible pen. White candies work especially well, but feel free to experiment with other colors that fit with your specific theme.

Beyond cupcakes and cookies, M&M eyes can be stuck onto everything from marshmallows to cake pops and Rice Krispie treats, and they'll look fantastic on chocolate-dipped pretzels (which can easily be transformed into adorable owls, reindeer, or bunnies with a bit of creativity!). Or, try pressing the candies onto apple slices, strawberries, or banana halves to create playful fruity characters that kids will love.

We often see pie crusts made with graham cracker crumbs or crushed Oreo cookies, or perhaps a layer of flour-based dough, but have you even thought to throw M&Ms into the mix? This nifty trick is an amazing way to pack extra crunch into the base of a no-bake pie or tart. And, it works particularly well if you're working with other chocolatey ingredients.

A great approach is to blitz up Oreos in a food processor, then stir through some melted butter, followed by the M&Ms. The mixture can then be pressed into the base of a pie dish and chilled until ready to fill. This candy-studded crust will pair beautifully with an array of no-bake fillings. A mixture of cream cheese, peanut butter, and cool whip works exceptionally well, and you could even fold through some extra M&Ms to continue the colorful theme. Layers of instant pudding, slices fruits, or even Jell-o would also fit right in.

For a richer finish, try making a decadent ganache, by warming heavy cream and butter, adding dark chocolate chips, and stirring everything until smooth. Once poured into the crust, the ganache layer can simply be left to set in the fridge overnight. Make sure to save some extra M&Ms to decorate the top of the pie before serving.

A batch of chewy-crisp blondies are pretty great as they are, but trust us, they'll taste even better with a generous scattering of M&Ms folded through the batter. The candies will upgrade your bake in terms of flavor, texture, and appearance, and incorporating them will only add a few seconds to your prep time.

Start by preparing your blondie batter as usual. This typically involves combining flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, but feel free to switch things up and opt for a peanut butter or white chocolate blondie base instead. Then, add some M&MS of your choice. These could be the mini, crispy, or peanut varieties, or you could pick out specific colors if you're going for a certain theme (red and green for Christmas, or orange and black for Halloween). Around one cup of candies is ideal for a standard eight by eight inch batch. Once you've folded them through, spread the batter out into your prepared baking pan, and scatter some extra M&Ms on top if desired. Pop everything into the oven, and after 30 minutes or so, the blondies will be gloriously golden and crackly on top and gooey beneath, with pops of chocolatey crunch throughout.

Ice cream is the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert, and there are endless ways to make it your own. Flavored extracts, fresh fruits, and swirls of decadent sauce are amongst the most transformative add-ins for a homemade batch, but if you're looking to add a little crunch, you can't go wrong with M&Ms.

If you're making the ice cream completely from scratch, whip up the creamy base first (this can be made with condensed milk and heavy cream if you're using a no-churn method). Once the mixture is thick and fluffy, fold in the M&Ms, then transfer everything to a loaf pan or plastic tub. It'll take around four hours to set in the freezer. You could also totally just grab a tub of store-bought ice cream, leave it out of the freezer for half an hour or so to soften, and mix it up with the M&Ms before re-freezing it. If a soft serve ice cream is more your style, try blitzing up store-bought ice cream with some Cool Whip and a splash of milk, then folding through the M&MS before serving.

Whatever method you're going for, consider pairing the M&Ms with some complementary extras. Toasted pecans, cookie pieces, pretzels, or dollops of fruity jam will all taste incredible. And, while vanilla is a classic, you can also experiment with different ice cream flavors, such as chocolate, strawberry, coffee, or mint.

Ready to eat in under 30 minutes, these cute little pretzel bites simply wouldn't be the same without a shiny M&M sitting proudly in the center. They're crunchy, easy to customize, and sure to be a hit amongst kids and adults alike. 

For the base of these chocolatey bites, grab some mini pretzels. Twists or squares both work well. Arrange these on a baking sheet, then choose a chocolate candy that's slightly smaller than your pretzels to place on top. Hershey's Kisses or Rolos are ideal. Pop the tray into a preheated oven for just a couple of minutes, until the chocolate has softened, before pushing a single M&M onto each chocolate-topped pretzel. And, that's all there is to it. After ten minutes in the fridge, the chocolate will be set and the pretzel treats will be ready to enjoy.

As always, customization is an option here, and there are multiple ways to switch things up. For an even more vibrant finish, use colored candy melts in place of the chocolate. Or, create double-layered treats by sandwiching the chocolate between two pretzels, and topping them with a second layer of chocolate, plus that all-important M&M garnish. Extra toppings are welcomed too. Sprinkles, flaky sea salt, or desiccated coconut would all make excellent accompaniments to the M&Ms.

Adding M&Ms to popcorn will instantly make the mix feel more treat-like. The light, airy texture of the corn is a fitting match for the crispy-shelled crunch of the candies, and with the help of a few other add-ins, you can craft a truly decadent snack or dessert.

Before the M&Ms come into play, we love to jazz up the plain popcorn a little, by tossing it with some melted chocolate (white, milk, or dark are all equally delicious options). An even sweeter, stickier method sees the popped kernels mixed with caramel sauce, or you could melt peanut butter with butter and sugar for a deliciously nutty coating. Spread the mixture out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then scatter the M&Ms on top, plus any other additions that take your fancy. Toasted nuts, pretzels, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips can all bring plenty of texture and sweetness. After the chocolate coating has hardened, you'll be able to break the popcorn into topping-studded clusters, leaving the pieces as chunky or bite-sized as you desire. This one's guaranteed to be a hit on movie night!