M&M Cookie Cake

One giant cookie that eats like a cake, this M&M Cookie Cake is perfect when served with a dollop of frosting on each slice. Loaded with candy-coated chocolate and autumn sprinkles, this cake is a fun dessert the whole family will love!

I don’t know about all of you, but I feel that as soon as October rolls around, time speeds up.  Is that just me?  I know the days get shorter in terms of daylight hours, but I don’t think that’s what makes time seem like it’s faster to me. So, whenever I begin to feel like that, the first thing that comes to mind is baking. I like to bake everything I can think of that is fall-related, like this M&M Cookie Cake! It just makes me feel better about time moving so damn quickly.

There could be several reasons why time seems to pick up speed.  The first is probably the most obvious.  The return of fall brings back routine and schedules.  It seems to me that most families – whether they have kids or not – tend to do more and squeeze more things into their schedules when the cooler weather returns.

REMEMBERING THAT BACK-TO-SCHOOL ROUTINE

We are not one of those families; we don’t tend to be overly active or involved in lots of different activities.  Now that McKenna is older and in university, things don’t get a little hectic like before. There’s no helping with school work or making dinners/lunches etc. It’s just me and John.e at home now, so the hectic nighttime routine is quite subdued.

I remember well those back-to-school days. When the cooler weather would set in, we would almost automatically spend more family time together.  I insisted on setting the table for dinner at least twice per week and always tried to prepare back-to-school-type meals.  We didn’t eat at the table much during the summer months as a general rule.  There was never a particular reason why, it was just something we didn’t bother with.

Weekends found us crafting, shopping for crafts, visiting farmers’ markets, or going to a festival or two.  We absolutely loved going to the smaller towns that surround the greater Toronto area and looking for fall and Thanksgiving-type festivals. For the past couple of years, McKenna comes to visit us and we find smaller towns around where we live now.

AUTUMN HAS MORE THINGS TO CELEBRATE

I think the main reason time seems to pick up speed is because of Lord Byron’s Kitchen.  When September rolls around, food blogs become way more popular.  Parents seem to return to the kitchen and look for recipes that keep things interesting, fit into a budget, and can satisfy everyone’s taste preferences.

During the last four months of the year, I try my best to increase the number of posts I publish each week.  I tend to focus on more root vegetable dishes – my absolute favourite type of vegetable!  And, of course, there’s back to school recipes, Halloween recipes, fall recipes, Thanksgiving recipes, and before you know it, there are Christmas and New Year’s Eve recipes too.

For a food blogger, those back-to-back celebrations – all involving food – can take their toll.  That’s why I start early.  I can often be found making Halloween or pumpkin spice-based recipes in mid-August.  And by the time the end of October comes, I’ve already prepared most of my Christmas posts.

BEING BUSY MAKES TIME FLY

So, maybe that’s why time seems to move more quickly.  Maybe I’m just too busy.  Maybe there’s just too much to squeeze into those four precious months.  Whatever it is, I don’t care.  I love everything about fall, so I celebrate it with cooking and baking as much as I possibly can.

My M&M Cookie Cake, one of the easiest cookie recipes you’ll ever make, is a great way to get your fall baking fix.  You make this great-tasting cookie dough, pack it with candy-coated chocolates, such as M&Ms or Smarties, and bake.  It’s that simple.

But, simple things are the best – you’ve heard me say that over and over again.  Even though you have the option of topping the cookie cake with chocolate sauce or vanilla ice cream, the basis of the recipe is still rustic, still simple, and still delicious.  The rest is just pizzazz!

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is softened and at room temperature! I always use salted butter, unless stated otherwise.  To be perfectly honest, there’s never much of a difference in taste or appearance once all is said and done. Use what you have on hand.
• Brown Sugar – First of all, it has way more flavour than regular white sugar! And, in this recipe, brown sugar helps to keep the cookie moist and soft.
• Sugar – Sugar has more than one function in baking.  Not only does it add sweetness, but it will caramelize too, which will help to brown cookies and cakes. 
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Vanilla Extract – Probably the most common extract and the most common flavouring used in cakes and cookies. 
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Baking Soda – This is a baking ingredient that’s activated by a liquid and helps with leavening or rising. 
• Chocolate Chips – I use chocolate chips a lot in my recipes, and I change up the type depending on how I feel.  Unless the recipe states otherwise, you can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chips. I’m using white chocolate chips in this recipe.
• M&M Candy – I’m using Halloween-themed M&Ms, but any colour combination will do just fine. In fact, you can use any candy-coated chocolate.
• Sprinkles – Use your favourite sprinkles here.
• Nonstick Cooking Spray

HOW TO MAKE A M&M COOKIE CAKE

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside. Next, in a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until they are light and fluffy. Once that is done, beat in the eggs, and then the vanilla extract. It’s important to beat the mixture for a solid two minutes after the extract has been incorporated.

Add the flour and baking soda. Beat until just combined. Do not overmix! Add the white chocolate chips and half of the sprinkles. Use a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula to fold them into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan. Push the batter to flatten it into the pan, trying to get a level surface. Top with the M&Ms and the rest of the sprinkles.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the outer edges of the cookie have browned. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack. Allow the cookie to cool for 30 minutes. Release the spring on the pan and remove the cookie from the pan. Transfer it to the cooling rack to finish cooling it completely.

When ready to serve, slice the cookie cake into eight wedges. Top each slice with the frosting and garnish with more sprinkles, if desired. Enjoy!

CANDIES, CANDIES, AND MORE CANDIES!

I know I use M&Ms quite often in many of my cookie and no-bake treats, but there are other candy-coated chocolates out there that you can use. Here in Canada, we have something called Smarties. I think in the United States, smarties are those flat, pressed-powder-like candy that comes in a cellophane-wrapped roll. They’re often found in large bags for Halloween treats. In Canada, smarties are candy-coated chocolate much like the popular M&M.

LET’S TALK SPRINKLES!

Where do you buy sprinkles?  Do you have a favourite vendor or brand?  A few Christmases back, I changed my sprinkle game.  I would always buy sprinkles from the baking supply section at Bulk Barn, but not anymore – no way!  Let me tell you how this all went down.

In November 2018, I was baking a few Christmas goodies and just could not source sprinkles that looked anything like what I was imagining in my head. John.e was on a major sprinkle hunt.  He used to work in close proximity to Michael’s, HomeSense, Winners, and Marshall’s.  He purchased at least ten different sprinkle colours, shapes, and brands.  But, I wasn’t impressed with any of them as much as I was with Sweetapolita.

After Christmas, I needed Valentine’s sprinkles, so I tracked down the brand and found their online store.  I ordered enough sprinkles to last a lifetime!  Shopping for sprinkles online might seem a little over the top, but I’ve never once pretended to shy away from getting what I want!

For this M&M Cookie Cake, you can use any fall or Halloween-themed sprinkles. As you can see, I used the pressed sugar type with pumpkin, ghost, and bat shapes.