M&M Cookies

I'm entering into my Power of Pink Challenge. There are quite a few breast cancer awareness events this month. I saw this M&M cookie recipe and I knew I had to try it. Growing up, my mom made M&M cookies using yellow cake mix. They're quite tasty but I really don't like using cake mix (I know, I've become a food snob). So I've been in search of a great M&M cookie recipe for about a year now. I made monster cookies and they were great, but weren't exactly what I was looking for... This recipe really hit the spot. The large amount of brown sugar keeps these cookies sweet and moist. I love the texture and the bits of pecan in cookie.

I took these to our second week of beer pong league. I did have one person ask if the M&M were leftover from Valentine's Day. I explained that they were for Breast Cancer Awareness. Seriously, do you think a bag of M&Ms could last in my cabinets for 8 months?!? (I happen to love M&Ms in everything - on ice cream, with pretzels, and by themself, frozen of course). Enough babbling from me, on to the recipe...

M&M Cookies - from Delish - originally from the Cookie Bible
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar - I used Splenda Brown Sugar blend
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups M&M’s, divided
1 cup chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well.

Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in 3/4 cup M&Ms and all the nuts.

Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Press 5-6 of remaining M&Ms on each cookie before baking. Bake 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Yields about 3-3 1/2 dozen cookies. I made a double batch which yielded a about 6.5 dozen cookies. I used my cookie scoop to portion the batter.