Mom Tax Cookies

Three years have passed - somehow it hasn't seemed like only three years and in some ways three years ago seems miles away. Three years ago I started working at Ozinga. It's truly been one of the best decisions I've made. I'm one of those weird people who love what do, who I work for, and the people I work with. Seems like that's an anomaly these days. Since I like to bake and my work anniversary seems something worth celebrating - I made M&M Cookies. These cookies.are.amazing. Like legit amazing.
I will admit to stealing my kids' mini M&M's they got from the food pantry. Wait the what? A few months ago our church helped at a local food pantry - we stored food into different boxes and repackaged some foods. We took our kids because we want them to understand what it means to serve people. Our kids came out the big winners, the gentleman who was running the service event gave the kids a box and said: "fill it up with whatever you want!" He also gave them each a quart-size bag filled with mini M&M's. FILLED. BOTH. Two of them.
When I went to find my package of Mini M&M's and opened it, it was actually full-size M&M's. Apparently, I was tired and my eyes were not connecting with my brain. I grabbed one of the kids' bags "But those are ours!" Well let's be honest kids... this is the Mom Tax. :) I've never gotten to use the Mom Tax before but it felt kinda good. Don't worry, they had a few cookies so it all turned out OK.
That's a really random way around saying these cookies were great, my coworkers all enjoyed them, I will be making them again soon - very soon!

M and M Cookies
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all purpose Gold Medal Flour
3 tablespoons Instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 or 1-1/2 cups Mini M and M’
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl cream your butter and sugars until well combined. Add your egg and vanilla mixing to combine. Add your flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine. Add chips and m and m’s stirring to combine.
With a medium cookie scoop, place dough 1 inch apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Let cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Enjoy!