4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe – probably the easiest, simplest and quickest way to gooey, fudgy brownies, packed with M&M’s. And yes, they’re gluten-free here in the UK!

4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe, anyone? You won’t believe how quick you can throw these together, or just how good they’d taste – you’d never know they were even gf.

As much as I love the classic way of making ‘real deal’ brownies, which always result in the fudgiest finish, sometimes I need brownies ASAP!

Plus, sometimes I also need very minimal washing up afterwards… basically, it’s a brownie emergency.

And that’s where my M&M’s brownies come in. Not only are they super colourful – nobody would ever know that they’re so simple to make.

Here’s a few reasons you need to make them if you’re convinced enough by the photos already:

Why make my 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe?

Simply mix up your 4 ingredients in a bowl, whack it into a baking tin and bake. That’s it!
No xanthan gum required.
They taste AMAZING – just like my ‘proper’ brownies, but take a third of the time to make.
You’d never know they’re gluten-free by tasting them AT ALL. Everyone will love these!
You probably have all the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe already.
They’re packed with M&M’s which are gluten-free here in the UK.

But what do they taste like? An absolute dream, just in case you were wondering!

They’re insanely gooey and fudgy with a lovely crisp top, but then you’ve got bursts of colour from the M&M’s and also a lovely chocolatey crunch in every bite.

Honestly, you just have to try them for yourself! I still can’t believe you can make these from so few ingredients.

So I’m sure you’re wondering by now… what are those magical 4 ingredients? Here’s everything you’ll need for my 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe. Keep scrolling until you see the recipe card below if you’re looking for the method ??

4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe: Ingredients

450g chocolate spread
3 eggs
120g gluten free plain flour
100g M&M’s

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time baking this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe: Frequently asked questions

Can I make this recipe gluten free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination:

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten free products.

Can I make your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe dairy free?

Sadly, because M&M’s contain dairy, this recipe can’t be made dairy-free.

Of course, if you wanted to omit the M&M’s for dairy-free chocolate chips and use a dairy-free chocolate spread, you’re more than welcome to!

Can I make your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe vegan?

Well – not using M&M’s. But if you use dairy-free chocolate chips instead of M&M’s and use a dairy-free chocolate spread, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the eggs.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.

3 tablespoons of aquafaba – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
3 tablespoons of applesauce.

I haven’t tested all of these egg alternatives so let me know how you get on in the comments below ??

Can I make this recipe low FODMAP?

M&M’s and chocolate spread contain lactose which isn’t low FODMAP.

But if you use use a dairy-free chocolate spread and dairy-free chocolate chips instead of M&M’s then this recipe will be lactose-free and therefore, low FODMAP.

That would make this recipe suitable for the elimination phase of the diet.

Is your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe nut free?

Sadly not as M&M’s have a ‘may contain’ warning for nuts.

Are M&M’s gluten-free?

Yes, in the UK, M&M’s are gluten-free! But don’t take my word for it (you never know when things might change after all), here’s a link to it so you can check it for yourself.

According to Coeliac UK, if a product has no gluten-containing ingredients and no ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat etc. then that makes it safe for Coeliacs and those on a gluten-free diet.

Bear in mind that not ALL variations of M&M’s are gluten-free – I believe the ones with crispy bits in the middle (in the blue packet) contain barley, so be sure to avoid those. I won’t link those here in case anyone gets confused!

Which chocolate spread did you use?

I used Cadbury Smooth Chocolate spread, which at the time of writing, is gluten-free.

Can I make this using melted chocolate instead of chocolate spread?

Unfortunately not – chocolate won’t work in this recipe. After all, melted chocolate will set hard once cooled, whereas chocolate spread always stays soft – perfect for brownies!

You can always use Nutella instead of chocolate spread, if you fancy.

Can I make your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies in a food processor or standing mixer?

You definitely can and it’ll probably help to soften up the Nutella initially! If using a food processor, just make sure you keep scraping down the sides periodically to ensure everything gets mixed in evenly.

However, you certainly don’t need either for this recipe.

Can I make your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe by hand?

You can of course, bake this without any assistance from any appliance – just a good ol’ fashioned silicone spatula will do. Just make sure you give it a lot of welly, otherwise your mixture won’t be consistent and might not bake properly.

I actually made this recipe by hand as there’s so few ingredients that using a mixer seemed a little overkill.

Do I need any special equipment to bake your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe?

Certainly not! You will need a good quality 8 inch x 8 inch square though, so here’s a link to the one I use.

Can I bake this in a 9 inch square baking tin or larger?

I wouldn’t recommend it because your brownies will come out really thin! If it’s all you have, then needs must, but make sure you don’t cook them for quite as long.

Due to being much thinner, they won’t need as long in the oven.

Does this recipe need xanthan gum?

You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten free baking. But not with this one, it’s not required!

Can I make this recipe using other gluten free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten free flour. When I say ‘gluten free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten free flours, not just one, singular flour.

Most gluten free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. That’s a lot of different flours!

In gluten free self-raising flour, there’s usually even a little baking powder and xanthan gum in it too which always helps. So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten free flour blend.

Do I need weighing scales to bake your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any of my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Can I bake your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe with less sugar / without sugar?

There’s actually no added sugar in this recipe, all the sweetness comes from the chocolate spread and M&M’s. So no need to add any extra!

How long can I keep your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies for?

I’ve kept these for 3-5 days in an air-tight container with no problems.

Can I freeze your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to 2-3 months no problem. Make sure you slice them up before freezing, then, you can easily defrost a few slices at a time instead of the entire thing.

When you want to enjoy one, each slice should take around 3 hours to defrost at room temperature.

How can I tell when my 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies are done?

Grab a skewer and give it a poke in the centre. If it comes out clean, then it’s done! You might get a little chocolatey residue on there, but that’s ok too.

You just don’t want tons of gooey chocolate coating your skewer.

Can I print your 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe?

Yes! Just hit the print button located on the recipe below ?? (otherwise you might end up printing this entire post which would probably make your printer go into early retirement)

4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe: Method

Oh and here’s a printable version of my 4-ingredient M&M’s brownies recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️ Feel free to leave your written reviews in the comments below this post.