Step 1: Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). You’ll want to make sure the oven is nice and hot before you bake the cookies so they bake evenly. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps ensure the cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mixing these ingredients together first ensures that the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the flour, helping the cookies rise uniformly. Set this bowl aside for later.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat them together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. The air incorporated during this step will give the cookies their soft, chewy texture.

Step 4: Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Once the butter and sugar mixture is fluffy, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and continue to mix until everything is fully incorporated. The eggs help bind everything together, creating a smooth, rich cookie dough.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, etc.) to the wet ingredients. I usually add it in two parts, mixing in between, so the flour doesn’t fly everywhere! Keep mixing until everything is well combined, but don’t overmix. You’ll know it’s done when the dough is thick and fudge-like.

Step 6: Stir in the Chocolate Chips and M&Ms

Now it’s time to fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and mini M&Ms or sprinkles. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the ingredients into the dough. This will create pockets of chocolate throughout the cookie dough, making every bite heavenly.

Step 7: Scoop the Dough onto Baking Sheets

Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion out the dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space them about 2 inches apart to give the cookies room to spread as they bake. Don’t worry about making them perfect circles—they’ll bake up beautifully, no matter the shape.

Step 8: Bake the Cookies

Pop the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look slightly cracked on top but still soft. They’ll continue to cook on the baking sheet after they’re out of the oven, so don’t worry if they seem a little soft at first.

Step 9: Let the Cookies Cool

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This helps them set so they don’t fall apart when you move them.