Quick Answer: M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie is a new limited-edition candy flavor from Mars Wrigley, combining milk chocolate and cool mint wrapped around a crunchy cookie center inside the classic M&M’s candy shell. It launches exclusively at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com starting in September 2026, sold in 2.83-ounce Share Size and 7.4-ounce bags. The flavor builds on the M&M’s Crunchy Cookie line that debuted in 2022, and early tasters have compared it directly to Girl Scout Thin Mints. Because it’s a limited-time release, Mars has not said how long it will stay on shelves.
What Is M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie?
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie is the newest limited-edition flavor from Mars Wrigley’s M&M’s brand. Each piece features a crispy cookie center surrounded by a smooth blend of milk chocolate and cool mint, all wrapped in the brand’s signature hard candy shell. It’s designed as a companion to the original M&M’s Crunchy Cookie flavor, which introduced the cookie-center format back in 2022 and has remained popular enough that Mars decided to build a mint variation around the same base.
Unlike a straightforward mint chocolate candy, the addition of a crunchy cookie center gives Mint Crunchy Cookie a texture much closer to a bite-sized cookie than a traditional mint. That’s the main reason so many early reviewers have pointed to Thin Mints, the popular Girl Scout Cookie, as the closest comparison — even though Mars has not marketed the product as a Thin Mints-inspired flavor or partnered with Girl Scouts of the USA in any official way.
Release Date: When Does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie Come Out?
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie starts rolling out in September 2026, according to both Mars Wrigley’s own announcement and confirmation from a company spokesperson. As with most Mars limited-edition launches, the exact date can vary slightly by store as shipments arrive and get stocked, so some Walmart locations may have it on shelves earlier in the month than others.
The flavor is explicitly marketed as a limited-time release, which means Mars has not committed to keeping it in stores indefinitely. Shoppers who want to try it are generally advised to buy it while it’s available rather than wait, since past limited-edition M&M’s flavors have sold out or been discontinued once their run ended.
Where to Buy M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie
This flavor is a Walmart exclusive. Mars Wrigley confirmed that Mint Crunchy Cookie will be sold only at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com, at least for its initial run — it won’t be showing up at other major grocery chains, drugstores, or convenience stores during the launch window. That’s a common strategy for limited-edition candy launches, since retail exclusives help drive foot traffic to a single chain while giving that chain a temporary edge in marketing the product.
If you’re already a regular Walmart shopper, checking out at self-checkout or the register has gotten a little easier recently, too — Walmart began accepting Apple Pay in its U.S. stores in August 2026, ending an 11-year holdout, so tap-to-pay is now an option at checkout if you’re picking up a bag of Mint Crunchy Cookie alongside your regular groceries. Since the candy is a Walmart-only release, don’t expect it to show up through same-day delivery apps tied to other retailers, and it’s not the kind of item you’ll see offered through drone delivery services expanding at other retailers either, at least for now.
Price and Package Sizes
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie will be sold in two package sizes: a 2.83-ounce Share Size bag and a larger 7.4-ounce bag. Mars hasn’t published official national pricing, and like most candy, actual shelf prices can vary by store and by any promotions Walmart runs during the launch window. Based on pricing for comparable M&M’s Crunchy Cookie share-size and stand-up-pouch bags currently sold at Walmart, shoppers should expect the smaller bag to land in the $2 to $3 range and the larger bag somewhat higher, though exact numbers will depend on your local store.
Flavor Profile: What Does It Actually Taste Like?
Multiple food writers and taste-testers who got early access describe Mint Crunchy Cookie as intensely minty, with a flavor and crunch that closely echoes Thin Mints, especially when the candies are eaten cold. One reviewer at a major food publication said the pieces reminded them of Thin Mints eaten straight out of the freezer, and noted the mint flavor is on the stronger side — a plus if you love mint chocolate, but potentially a dealbreaker if you’re in the camp that thinks mint and chocolate taste like toothpaste together.
Other comparisons that came up among early tasters include Andes chocolate mints, another classic mint-chocolate candy known for a similarly bold mint flavor. The crunchy cookie center is the main textural difference setting Mint Crunchy Cookie apart from a standard mint M&M, giving it more bite and a slightly drier center compared to the brand’s smooth milk chocolate original.
How It Compares to M&M’s Original Crunchy Cookie
M&M’s Crunchy Cookie, the non-mint original, launched in 2022 and became successful enough that Mars built an entire mini product line around the format. Mint Crunchy Cookie follows the same basic construction — a crunchy cookie center, a chocolate coating, and the classic candy shell — but swaps in a milk chocolate-and-mint blend instead of the original’s straightforward milk chocolate coating. If you liked the original Crunchy Cookie’s texture but wanted a more dessert-forward, wintry flavor, Mint Crunchy Cookie is built specifically for that gap.
M&M’s Flavor Vote History and Where Mint Fits In
Mint isn’t a brand-new flavor territory for M&M’s. The company has run its “Flavor Vote” promotion multiple times over the years, letting fans choose which limited-edition flavors become permanent additions to the lineup. In 2018, M&M’s asked shoppers to choose between Crunchy Raspberry, Crunchy Espresso, and Crunchy Mint — and Crunchy Mint won. That result shows mint chocolate has a proven, dedicated fan base within the M&M’s customer base already, which likely factored into Mars’ decision to revisit mint again in 2026, this time paired with the newer cookie-center format instead of a plain candy shell.
Separately, M&M’s has also been running a 2026 Flavor Vote built around a “Bakery Collection,” featuring Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Chocolate Cupcake, and Lemon Meringue Pie flavors that started hitting shelves in January 2026. Mint Crunchy Cookie is a separate release from that Bakery Collection vote, arriving through Walmart’s exclusive channel rather than the nationwide voting promotion.
Why Mars Is Leaning Into Cookie-Inspired Candy Right Now
M&M’s isn’t alone in mining cookie flavors for candy and snack launches this year. Other major food brands have also turned Thin Mints-style flavors into new products in 2026, including a mint-flavored donut and a seasonal mint frosty from two well-known fast-food and bakery chains. That pattern suggests food brands see real demand for Girl Scout Cookie-inspired flavors outside the traditional cookie-selling season, which typically runs from January through April depending on the local council.
For candy shoppers, that means mint chocolate lovers no longer have to wait for cookie season, or hope their local troop still has Thin Mints in stock, to get that specific flavor combination. M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie is essentially betting that craving is strong enough, and common enough, to justify a dedicated release.
Ingredients and Dietary Considerations
Mars has not published a full ingredient list for Mint Crunchy Cookie as of this writing, but based on the existing M&M’s Crunchy Cookie line, shoppers can expect a base of milk chocolate, sugar, wheat-based cookie pieces, and the standard hard candy shell coloring used across the M&M’s lineup. Because it contains wheat and milk, it is not suitable for anyone avoiding gluten or dairy. As with any new seasonal or limited-edition candy, if you or a family member has food allergies, it’s worth checking the actual printed ingredient label on the bag before eating it rather than relying on ingredient lists for older M&M’s products, since formulations can shift slightly between releases.
It’s also worth noting that parent company Mars has been gradually removing artificial colors and dyes from more of its candy lineup, a shift that’s been unfolding across multiple product lines throughout 2026. Whether that change applies specifically to Mint Crunchy Cookie’s coloring hasn’t been detailed publicly, but it reflects a broader ingredient trend shoppers may notice across other M&M’s varieties this year as well.
Early Reactions and Reviews
Response from early tasters and food media has been largely positive. Reviewers at multiple food and lifestyle outlets who tried the candy ahead of its official launch described it as a standout among recent M&M’s limited editions, with several saying they planned to stock up once it hit shelves. Social media reactions from candy-focused reviewers have echoed that enthusiasm, with one popular food-review Instagram account calling the flavor combination “incredible” ahead of the September rollout.
As with most strongly minty candy, reactions have varied slightly based on personal taste. Reviewers who already enjoy Andes mints, Thin Mints, or other bold mint-chocolate combinations have responded most favorably, while those less fond of mint and chocolate together have been more lukewarm, consistent with how divisive that particular flavor pairing has always been in candy and dessert circles.
Other Mint Chocolate Options If You Can’t Find It
Because Mint Crunchy Cookie is a Walmart exclusive and a limited-time release, it won’t be available everywhere, and it may sell out in some locations before restocks arrive. If you strike out at your local Walmart or you’re simply looking for something similar in the meantime, a few other widely available mint-chocolate candies deliver a comparable flavor profile:
- Andes Crème de Menthe Thins — a longtime mint-chocolate classic sold at most major grocery chains, known for a similarly bold mint flavor without a cookie center.
- York Peppermint Pattie — a softer, cream-based mint filling coated in dark chocolate, widely stocked year-round rather than as a seasonal item.
- M&M’s Crunchy Mint (when it reappears) — the brand’s earlier mint-and-crunchy-shell candy from its 2018 Flavor Vote win, which occasionally returns to shelves as a limited re-release.
- Girl Scout Thin Mints — available seasonally, typically January through April depending on your local council’s cookie season, and the closest match in flavor and crunch, though obviously not a year-round option.
None of these are a perfect substitute for the specific cookie-and-mint combination Mars built for this release, but they’re reasonable stand-ins if you’re craving something similar outside the Mint Crunchy Cookie launch window.
How Limited-Edition Candy Launches Typically Play Out
Mars has a long track record with limited-time and retailer-exclusive candy releases, and the pattern tends to be fairly consistent. A new flavor launches with a defined but unannounced shelf window, usually lasting a few months, and once initial stock sells through, restocking becomes less predictable as the company shifts focus and manufacturing capacity toward the next seasonal or promotional flavor. Popular limited editions sometimes return as periodic re-releases — as has happened with Crunchy Mint — but there’s no guarantee, and plenty of past limited-edition M&M’s flavors from the Flavor Vote program have simply been retired for good once their run ended.
That unpredictability is part of why food media coverage of new candy launches tends to emphasize buying early rather than waiting. If Mint Crunchy Cookie performs well for Mars and Walmart during its September debut, it’s plausible the flavor gets a wider retail rollout in the future, similar to how M&M’s Crunchy Cookie itself eventually expanded beyond its original launch retailer. But until Mars confirms any of that officially, treat the current Walmart-exclusive window as the only guaranteed opportunity to buy it.
The Broader Mint Candy Market in 2026
Mint-flavored treats have had a noticeably strong year across the food industry in 2026, extending well beyond just M&M’s. Multiple major chains have released Thin Mints-inspired items outside the traditional Girl Scout cookie season, a trend food industry writers have attributed to two things: strong nostalgia for the specific Thin Mints flavor profile, and a broader consumer appetite for mint-chocolate combinations that intensifies heading into the fall and winter months, when mint flavors traditionally see a seasonal sales bump tied to the holidays.
For candy brands like M&M’s, tapping into that mint demand with a limited-time exclusive is a relatively low-risk way to test consumer interest without committing shelf space and manufacturing capacity to a permanent new SKU. If the September 2026 launch sells well at Walmart, it gives Mars real sales data to decide whether Mint Crunchy Cookie deserves a spot in the permanent M&M’s Crunchy Cookie lineup down the road, similar to how strong Flavor Vote results have historically driven permanent additions to the broader M&M’s family.
A Brief History of M&M’s Limited-Edition Flavors
M&M’s has been experimenting with limited-edition and seasonal flavors for decades, but the pace of new releases has picked up noticeably in recent years as candy brands compete for attention in an increasingly crowded snack aisle. Some notable past limited editions include M&M’s Caramel Cold Brew, a coffee-and-caramel flavor launched in 2023 that became a permanent addition after its own limited run, and various holiday-specific flavors like Espresso, which have appeared seasonally around the winter holidays.
The brand’s Crunchy Cookie sub-line, which Mint Crunchy Cookie belongs to, has proven to be one of the more durable format innovations M&M’s has introduced. Rather than changing the outer candy shell or the classic milk chocolate filling, Crunchy Cookie changed the entire texture of the candy by adding a cookie-based center, giving Mars a flexible new base it can pair with different coatings and flavors going forward, mint being the latest example.
Should You Try M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie?
If you’re already a fan of mint chocolate combinations like Thin Mints, Andes mints, or York Peppermint Patties, Mint Crunchy Cookie is a reasonable bet based on early reviews, and the added crunch from the cookie center gives it more texture variety than most mint candies on the market. If mint and chocolate together isn’t your thing, this release is unlikely to change your mind, since reviewers consistently describe the mint flavor as bold rather than subtle.
Because it’s a limited-time, single-retailer release, the biggest practical consideration is simply logistics: if you want to try it, plan to pick it up at Walmart sometime after the September 2026 rollout begins, and don’t count on it being available indefinitely or at other stores.
What This Launch Signals for Mars Wrigley’s Strategy
Retail-exclusive candy launches like this one give Mars a low-cost way to gauge demand before deciding whether to commit to a full national rollout. Partnering with a single major retailer like Walmart also gives that retailer a temporary marketing advantage, since shoppers specifically seeking out the flavor have to visit Walmart rather than comparison-shopping across multiple grocery chains. It’s a strategy Mars and other major candy brands have leaned on repeatedly in recent years, and the format tends to work well for flavors, like mint, that already have a proven fan base rather than being a completely untested idea.
For now, the September 2026 Walmart rollout is the confirmed plan. Any expansion beyond that single retailer, or any decision to make Mint Crunchy Cookie a permanent part of the M&M’s lineup, will depend on how strongly it performs once it’s actually on shelves.
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie FAQ
When does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie come out?
It starts rolling out at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com in September 2026, as a limited-time release.
Where can I buy M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie?
It’s a Walmart exclusive for its initial run, sold both in-store and online at Walmart.com. It is not confirmed for other grocery chains, drugstores, or convenience stores at launch.
What sizes does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie come in?
It’s available in a 2.83-ounce Share Size bag and a larger 7.4-ounce bag.
How much does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie cost?
Mars hasn’t published official national pricing. Based on comparable M&M’s Crunchy Cookie bags currently sold at Walmart, expect the smaller bag to run roughly $2 to $3, with the larger bag priced higher, though this can vary by store and promotion.
Does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie taste like Thin Mints?
Many early reviewers say yes, particularly when eaten cold. It’s not an official Thin Mints collaboration, but the combination of mint, chocolate, and a crunchy cookie center has drawn frequent comparisons to the Girl Scout Cookie.
Is M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie a permanent flavor?
No. It’s explicitly marketed as a limited-time release, so Mars has not committed to keeping it on shelves permanently. Past limited-edition M&M’s flavors have typically sold out or been discontinued once their run ended.
Is this the same as M&M’s Crunchy Mint from the 2018 Flavor Vote?
No. Crunchy Mint, which won M&M’s 2018 Flavor Vote, used the brand’s original crunchy candy shell format. Mint Crunchy Cookie is a newer product built on the Crunchy Cookie base that launched in 2022, giving it a cookie-textured center rather than a simple crunchy shell.
Does M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie contain allergens?
Based on the existing Crunchy Cookie line, it contains wheat and milk, so it isn’t suitable for anyone avoiding gluten or dairy. Always check the printed label on the actual bag, since formulations can vary slightly between releases.
Will M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie become a permanent flavor?
That hasn’t been decided. Mars has launched plenty of limited editions that later became permanent lineup additions, like M&M’s Caramel Cold Brew, but that typically depends on how well the limited run sells. Strong results at Walmart could make a wider, permanent rollout more likely down the line.
M&M’s Mint Crunchy Cookie is one of several cookie-inspired candy launches hitting shelves in 2026, and its Walmart-exclusive rollout in September will be the real test of how much demand exists for a year-round Thin Mints alternative. Given how strongly mint chocolate has performed in past M&M’s Flavor Votes, Mars is likely betting this won’t be the last mint-flavored cookie candy the brand puts on shelves.