I don't really eat sweets much, but I still find it hard to say no to a cookie. Here are a few recipes to inspire you, ranging from classic to new-wave.
1. Snickerdoodles
The snickerdoodle is about as simple as it gets. It's the cream of tartar that helps give it that nice cracked crust.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets.
- Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture.
- Mix coating sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into 24 balls; coat and space 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
Don't lose these recipes! Drop your email and we'll send them to you, so you've got them handy the next time you're planning dinner.
2. Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
There's nothing wrong with a classic Toll House cookie, but sometimes you want to double down on the chocolate. Semi-sweet cups are essential here, as the dough carries the sweetness.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets.
- Beat butter and sugars until creamy; beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in chips.
- Drop 2-tablespoon portions 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set.
- Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
3. Peanut Butter Cookies
I put the peanut butter cookie alongside the design of the '64 Mustang and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds as a stone-cold American classic. Use creamy or chunky peanut butter, but the shelf-stable stuff in the jar works better than natural.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets.
- Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Roll into 24 balls; space 2 inches apart.
- Flatten with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges turn golden.
- Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
4. Gingersnaps
Every grandma's favorite cookie, but now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I can appreciate them too. Feel free to work in a little candied ginger as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets.
- Beat butter and 1 cup sugar until creamy. Beat in egg and molasses.
- Mix flour, baking soda, spices and salt; stir into butter mixture. Chill 30 minutes.
- Roll into 30 balls; coat in remaining sugar. Space 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until edges are firm. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
5. Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Lemon crinkle cookies combine both lemon juice and zest for a perfect balance. Be sure to use a fresh lemon, and ideally organic — you don't want the risk of pesticides in your zest.
Ingredients
Method
- Beat butter, 3/4 cup sugar and zest until creamy. Beat in egg, juice and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; chill 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two sheets. Form 24 balls; roll in coating sugar, then powdered sugar.
- Bake 11–12 minutes until cracked and set at the edges. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
6. Peanut Butter Blossoms
I never really cared for peanut butter cups, but as a kid I loved peanut butter blossoms, which really are just the same thing inverted. Feel free to mix up the variety of Hershey's Kisses you use.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets.
- Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. Roll into 36 balls; coat with rolling sugar.
- Space 2 inches apart; bake 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Press a chocolate kiss into each hot cookie. Cool completely.
7. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
These peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are the perfect combination of three delicious types of cookies! They're soft, chewy, and incredibly addicting with out-of-this-world flavor!
Angela Latimer / Bake It With Love
8. Chocolate Brownie M&M's Cookies
These soft, chewy fudge brownie cookies are speckled with M&M's® for an extra chocolaty treat!
Living the Gourmet / Living the Gourmet
9. Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal raisin cookies always feel like a bit of an afterthought, but brown butter makes them special. Feel free to try other dried fruits instead — figs work great.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat until golden brown, stirring. Cool 10 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets. Whisk butter and sugars; beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in oats and raisins.
- Drop 2-tablespoon portions 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set.
- Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
10. Lemon Shortbread
I think shortbread cookies on their own are a bit boring and need some flavor added to the dough or something on top. This recipe adds lemon zest, making for a nice teatime cookie.
Ingredients
Method
- Beat butter, sugar, zest and salt until smooth. Mix in flour just until dough forms.
- Shape into two 6-inch logs. Wrap; chill 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 325°F. Slice logs into 1/2-inch rounds; arrange 1 inch apart on lined sheets.
- Bake 18–22 minutes until edges turn pale gold. Cool on a rack.
11. Strawberry Jam Thumbprints
Thumbprint cookies rely on a double-bake — one for the cookies, one including the jam. Use whatever jam you have on hand (I like raspberry here).
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets.
- Beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in yolk and vanilla. Mix in flour and salt.
- Roll into 30 balls; space 2 inches apart. Press a well into each; fill with jam.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until edges turn lightly golden. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
12. Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Pumpkin spice has earned a poor reputation over the past decade or so, but it's a solid blend of flavors. I'd serve these unfrosted personally.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets.
- Mix flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.
- Stir dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture. Drop 2-tablespoon portions 2 inches apart.
- Bake 13–15 minutes until tops spring back lightly. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, frosting butter, powdered sugar and frosting vanilla until smooth; spread over cooled cookies.
13. White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Macadamias are a buttery treat in and of themselves, but are easily overwhelmed by stronger flavors. The white chocolate is subtle enough not to distract from the macadamias.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets.
- Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix flour, baking soda and salt; stir into butter mixture. Fold in chips and nuts.
- Drop 2-tablespoon portions 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges turn golden.
- Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
14. Almond and Dried Fruit Biscotti
As a kid in the '90s, I never understood why the grownups went so crazy for biscotti — why would anyone want to eat something so dry? Then, I learned to drink espresso and realized just how good it could be with a double shot, and there really is nothing better than coffee.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in eggs, butter and extracts; fold in nuts and fruit.
- Shape into two 10-by-3-inch logs. Bake 25–30 minutes until firm; cool 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven to 300°F. Cut logs diagonally into 1/2-inch slices with a serrated knife.
- Lay slices flat; bake 10 minutes per side until dry. Cool completely.
15. Funfetti Cookies
If you've got kids you want to bake with, or are just nurturing your inner child, give these a shot. Try splitting the batch and doing one side with rainbow sprinkles and one with chocolate sprinkles.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets.
- Beat butter and sugar until creamy; beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in sprinkles.
- Roll into 24 balls; space 2 inches apart and flatten slightly. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set.
- Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
16. No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
Not technically a cookie, but a bake sale favorite. I like to sprinkle a little dried coconut on top as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Line two trays with parchment.
- Bring butter, sugar, milk and cocoa to a full rolling boil, stirring. Boil 1 minute.
- Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter, vanilla, oats and salt.
- Drop 24 spoonfuls onto trays. Let stand 30–45 minutes until firm.
17. Apple Pie Cookies
If you're up for a challenge, try these apple pie cookies, where a flavorful filling is packed inside little pockets of crust. Be sure to crimp the dough tightly and cut a little vent to prevent oven explosions.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook apples, butter, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat 6–8 minutes until tender.
- Mix cornstarch and water; stir into apples. Cook 1 minute until thick; cool.
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet. Roll each crust into a 12-inch square; cut each into sixteen 3-inch squares.
- Put 1 tablespoon filling on 16 squares. Add remaining squares; crimp edges with a fork and cut a small vent.
- Brush with beaten egg. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden; cool on a rack.
18. Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
A thumbprint cookie doesn't have to use a plain white dough. An almond dough works beautifully, and I think apricot jam would be even better than raspberry here.
Ingredients
Method
- Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Mix in extract, flour and salt. Chill 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two sheets. Roll dough into 24 balls.
- Arrange 2 inches apart. Press a well into each; fill with jam and sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake 12–14 minutes until edges turn lightly golden. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.
19. Chocolate-Hazelnut Stuffed Snickerdoodles
Like many American kids before globalization reached its peak, my mind was blown when I found out about Nutella and that European kids were allowed to eat it for breakfast. These cookies are baked around a dollop of the stuff, frozen to make it easier to work with.
Ingredients
Method
- Drop twenty 3/4-teaspoon portions of chocolate-hazelnut spread onto parchment; freeze 30 minutes.
- Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar until creamy; beat in egg and vanilla. Mix in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.
- Divide dough into 20 portions. Wrap each around frozen filling; pinch closed.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Mix coating sugar and cinnamon; roll cookies in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on lined sheets.
- Bake 11–13 minutes until edges set. Cool on sheets 10 minutes.
20. Mint Cookies
Mint cookies are beautifully old-fashioned and really need to be made with fresh mint, ideally from the garden. You could absolutely make a cookie with mint extract or creme de menthe, but it just wouldn't be the same.
Ingredients
Method
- Blend mint and sugar in a food processor until finely chopped. Beat with butter until creamy; beat in egg and vanilla.
- Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; chill 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line two sheets. Roll dough into 24 balls; flatten slightly and space 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges set. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a rack.