Our Favorite Cookie Recipes
Few things compare to the aroma of delicious cookies baking away in the oven. No matter what the time of year, time of day, or variety of weather headed your way, there is no better time to bake up a batch. Here you will find 100 reasons to start preheating the oven and prepping your cookie sheets, starting with our indulgent Oatmeal Toffee Cookies.
Brown sugar and butter underscore the tawny sweetness of the almond toffee bits. What's not to love about these crunchy, chewy cookies?
Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies
Based on the classic whoopie pie, these soft sandwich cookies provide all the pleasures of traditional carrot cake in a fun-to-eat package, including the thick, tangy cream cheese frosting—especially the cream cheese frosting.
Chocolate-Frosted Cookies
Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints
With a double shot of chocolate and hazelnut flavors, kids and adults will rave over these filled cookies. The espresso powder is optional, but it intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Bourbon, Cranberry, and Walnut Cookies
Bourbon, cranberries and walnuts for just 114 calories per serving? Pass another scrumptious cookie, please!
Oatmeal, Chocolate, and Walnut Cookies
PB, Banana, and Oat Cookies
Espresso Crinkles
Lightly coat your hands with flour to make rolling the dough into balls easier. The dough freezes well. Freeze the dough after step 1, thaw in the refrigerator, then proceed with step 2. The powdered sugar coating gives these cookies an appealing cracked finish. Serve with coffee to echo the espresso.
Mexican Spiced Shortbread Cookies
"The inspiration for these sinfully rich-tasting cookies combines my obsession with shortbread, dulce de leche, and a restaurant cream cheese dessert," said reader and recipe developer Jennifer Brumfield.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Store up to one week in an airtight container—if they last that long. We suggest keeping a dozen in the freezer for emergencies.
Almond Butter Snickerdoodles
When Michaela Rosenthal's daughter moved out, she left behind an unopened jar of almond butter. Unsure of what to do with the butter, Rosenthal was inspired to reproduce almond cookies she'd had at an Asian restaurant. It took several attempts, but the result is a satisfying and healthy version of the treat.
Spicy Oatmeal Crisps
Pepper may sound like an odd ingredient for a cookie, but it complements the other spices well (although you can omit it if you prefer).
Mexican Chocolate Cookies
These cookies—bittersweet chocolate that mellows the ground peppers' heat--earned our Test Kitchens' highest rating. They're lovely after dinner with a few last sips of red wine.
Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringues
Make up to two days ahead, and store in an airtight container at room temperature. The chocolate and hazelnut coating adds textural interest to these airy, sweet treats.
Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Given that both chocolate and coconut are not as bad as once thought, and given that they taste mighty good together, we made a batch of these toasty, chocolaty treats to celebrate. Like all sweets with few other nutrients, though, they are treats—perfectly healthy every once in a while.
Anise Tea Crescents
Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar while they're still warm results in a deliciously sweet, snowy coating.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints
The favorite sandwich flavor combination comes together in these adorable preserves-filled cookies. Use any type of jam or preserves.
Classic Iced Sugar Cookies
Whether you're welcoming kids home from school, baking a treat for a party, or enjoying an afternoon to yourself, these cookies are the just-right sweet you need. If you want to create colorful cookies, divide the icing into portions and use food coloring to tint it different hues.
Banana Rum Coconut Cookies
This finalist for the Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest was developed by Christine Dohlmar of Valrico, Florida. "I love oatmeal cookies, so I did my best to come up with a low-fat version," she explained.
White Chocolate, Strawberry, and Oatmeal Cookies
A mere one-quarter cup of butter yields crispy, light cookies and keeps calories in check. Dried strawberries lend fiber, color, and subtle sweetness. You can find them in larger supermarkets, or substitute raisins or dried cranberries. Because the dough is heavy, we used a sturdy stand mixer. You can use a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar, then stir in the remaining ingredients by hand.
Raspberry Strippers
Think of these as a variation of thumbprint cookies. Vanilla butter cookies are filled with fruit preserves and drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze.
Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies
This cookie recipe contrasts the tartness of cherries with the sweetness of cocoa and chocolate chips for an elegant, delicious treat.
Pecan-Date Bars
You can prepare and refrigerate these luscious bars a day or two in advance. They are actually easier to cut once they have been completely chilled.
Fig and Cream Cheese Bars
With the honeyed flavor of dried figs, a sweet cream cheese layer, and a buttery, crumbly crust, these bars garnered our Test Kitchens' highest rating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Ginger Cookies
Originally appearing in our March/April 1993 issue, these gingersnap cookies created by Elizabeth Graubard of Palm Harbor, Florida, have stood the test of time. We swapped flavorful butter for the original's margarine and still love the snappy flavor and crisp texture.
Truffle-Iced Sugar Cookies
You might find it hard to believe that these impressive cookies taste even better than they look.
Green Pumpkinseed and Cranberry Crispy Bars
We loved this creative take on the traditional Rice Krispies bar. Green pumpkinseeds are also sometimes sold as pepitas. In humid weather, cool the bars in the refrigerator to keep them from becoming too sticky.
Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread
Dark brown sugar adds rich caramel notes to these cookies; turbinado sugar provides crunch.
Classic Cookies and More
The word gingerbread evokes some of the sweetest memories of youth. From aromatic holiday cookies shaped and decorated like little people to luscious birthday cakes topped with whipped cream, these flavorful recipe are sure to satisfy.
First up: These twice-baked gingerbread cookies create the perfect dunkable dessert this season. Be sure to let the cookie logs cool after the first bake so they slice cleanly and don't crumble.
Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies
Buttery and sweet with a hint of spice, these favorite cinnamon-sugar cookies, otherwise known as "snickerdoodles," are right for any occasion.
Hello Dolly Bars
These bar cookies are also known as seven-layer bars. They take less than 30 minutes to make and call for just 8 ingredients, making Hello Dolly Bars the perfect dessert for taking along, well, just about anywhere.
Cranberry-Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate chips or cranberries might seem like the best part about these cookies, but it's really that each cookie is 75 calories.
Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies
Use real maple syrup for best results. These cookies may look like a seasonal treat but, they're so good that you'll want to enjoy them all year long.
Pine Nut Cookies
Almond paste is an ingenious way to flavor, tenderize, and sweeten our Pine Nut Cookies because it won't cause spreading like excess sugar or warm butter will.
Macadamia and Ginger Cookies
This recipe is an adaptation of Italian amaretti. It calls for macadamias, but hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or pine nuts would also be good. Using nuts in baking allows you to incorporate their heart-healthy fats—and satisfying texture. If you are sensitive to ginger, use the lower end of the called-for range.
Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies
"My grandkids love these cookies because they're nice and big, with lots of chocolate chips. They're easy to freeze—just wrap individually in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and store in a zip-top bag," said reader Marie Rizzio.
Lebkuchen
Letting the dough rest at least 24 hours before baking allows the spices in this handmade version of the classic German cookie to mellow and meld.
Deep Dark Chocolate Biscotti
This decadent-seeming chocolate biscotti recipe is actually pretty healthy and features good-for-you ingredients like whole-wheat flour, flaxseed, and unsalted almonds.
Swedish Almond Cardamom Stars
Don't substitute marzipan for the almond paste, because it's a bit too sweet for this buttery, lightly spiced cookie. Look for the almond paste in tubes, such as Odense brand, or in cans, like King Arthur brand.
Cranberry-Oatmeal Bars
These cranberry-oatmeal bar cookies strike a nice flavor balance: not too sweet and not too tart. Be sure to zest the orange before you squeeze the juice.
Iced Browned Butter Sugar Cookies
With nutty, caramel notes from browned butter and a fair bit of salt to balance the flavors, these cookies will become an instant favorite. You can roll out the dough right after combining all the ingredients—no chilling required. Look for pearlized sugar in gourmet markets or craft stores; the coarse crystals reflect light to give the cookies a sparkly, jewel-like appearance.
Cream Cheese Meltaways with Lemon Glaze
When shaping these buttery cookies, do not try to form perfectly smooth balls. If the dough is handled too much, the cookies will become heavy and dense.
Lemon-Cornmeal Cookies
Humble ingredients in these cornmeal-based cookies yield a light, subtly spiced sweet treat. The touch of lemon is a "refreshing surprise," says one reviewer.
Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries
We love these thick, satisfying cookies as humble as peanut butter cookies but not as crumbly. Dried cranberries provide a slightly tart counterpoint to the macadamia nuts' richness. The dough is somewhat sticky; chilling it briefly makes handling easier.
Crunchy Sesame Cookies
Roasted sesame-seed paste and dark sesame oil deliver a deep, nutty flavor. A touch of corn syrup and cornstarch ensure crispness.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
You probably have everything on hand to make these chewy, chocolaty peanut butter cookies. To fit the cookies on a single sheet pan, divide cookies into 5 rows of 4. Pressing the cookies flat helps them bake quickly and get lovely crisp edges; otherwise they'll be too round and undercooked.
Double-Vanilla Meringue Cookies
By using vanilla bean and extract, you’ll get double the vanilla flavor in these meringue cookies.
Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies
Store these frosted cookies between layers of parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from sticking together. You can bake and freeze the cookies up to a month in advance; bring the cookies to room temperature before frosting them.
Lemon-Honey Drop Cookies
These cute little cookies will be a hit for any occasion. Wrap them up in a sweet little box as a gift or arrange them on a platter for a light dessert treat.
Gingersnaps
This cookie was given outstanding ratings by readers. Bake up a batch and find out for yourself what all the buzz is about.
Coconut Biscotti
Standing the cookies eliminates the traditional step of flipping them halfway through baking. Chocolate lovers can stir 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter or dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate.
Butterscotch Bars
A small square of these rich bars is enough to satisfy a dessert craving. The flour and oats mixture is somewhat dry after combining, but it serves as both a solid base for the soft butterscotch chip layer and a crumbly, streusel-like topping.
Mudslide Cookies
Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and rich and delicious all the way around is how readers rate these brownie-like cookies. Need we say more?
Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, and Pecan Cookies
These easy chocolate oatmeal drop cookies are crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. Chocolate minichips disperse better in the batter, but you can use regular chips.
Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti
Our Test Kitchens staffers found that using a serrated knife works best for cutting the rolls after the first bake time. If you're a fan of dried cranberries, they make a great substitute for dried cherries.
Black-and-White Cake Cookies
These decadent cookies are a lightened version of an often calorie- and fat-laden favorite. One thing this recipe doesn't skimp on: flavor.
Coconut Macaroons with Bittersweet Chocolate and Pistachios
Oatmeal-Walnut Cookies
You can make these ahead of time and store them in an airtight container, but they're best served warm.
Double-Ginger Cookies
These simple cookies give just the right amount of sweet to satisfy your craving. Make a few batches, and freeze some to enjoy throughout the season.
Orange Bizcochitos
Bizcochitos are anise-flavored drop cookies that originated in New Mexico. Prepare the dough in advance, and refrigerate up to three days. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. Omit the aniseed if you don't care for its licorice flavor.
Chocolate Chip Meringues
These cookies will keep for a week in an airtight container. Keep them on hand to offer unexpected visitors.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies
Drizzle the icing in whatever patterns you like. For a Halloween treat, use a toothpick to create spooky webs.
Gingerbread Cookies
Moravian Wafers
A version of this milk-worthy cookie is a perennial best seller at the Winkler Bakery in the preserved Moravian village of Old Salem, North Carolina. Roll the dough as thin as possible to achieve a properly light, crisp texture.
Anzac Biscuits
An anzac biscuit is an Australian cookie ("biscuits" down under) and is sure to be a hit.
Pecan Bar Cookies
Though these delicate cookies have a crisp outside, they are soft inside, making them the ideal bar cookie in our book.
Stained Glass Window Cookies
We found that Jolly Rancher candies produced the brightest, most vibrant "stained glass." Be sure to use the original sweet candies, not the sour flavors. To crush, place each color in its own heavy-duty zip-top bag; crush with a rolling pin or meat mallet. You'll find sparkling sugar in craft or specialty stores, but you can also use turbinado sugar as a substitute.
Orange, Sesame, and Honey Cookies
Finish off an Asian-inspired dinner with a tray of these delicious, easy-to-make cookies.
Amaretti
Package these crunchy cookies in a gift box with a pound of your favorite coffee beans. Look for almond paste in your supermarket's baking aisle, and for best results, don't substitute marzipan, which is sweeter and more finely textured, in place of the paste.
Chocolate-Mint Bars
The dense base layer is like a rich, fudgy brownie, so don't overcook it or the dessert bars will be dry. Refrigerating the mint bars allows the chocolaty top layer to set properly. You can make the dessert up to one day ahead. For a more grown-up taste, you can also use dark chocolate chips for some or all of the semisweet chocolate chips in the glaze.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
This simple mix-and-drop dough comes together in minutes and may not even require a shopping trip, thanks to its pantry-friendly ingredients.
Puffed-Up Chocolate-Chip Cookies
This is one of the best chocolate-chip cookies you'll ever make—and it doesn't scrimp on chocolate. Making chocolate chip cookies with applesauce is the secret to soft and chewy cookies without a lot of fat.
Fig-Pecan Macaroons
Macaroons almost always have nuts and egg whites in the ingredient list. This rendition also features intensely sweet dried figs. Be sure to remove and discard the hard stems of the figs before chopping them.
Coconut-Macadamia Nut Cookies
You can make these cookies a day or two before the party and store them in an airtight container. But be warned--these are so good, you should probably stash them somewhere out of sight so you don't eat them all yourself.
Raspberry Linzer Windowpane Cookies
These beautiful raspberry cookies are easy to prepare. Cut them into shapes—round, rectangular, or even star-shaped. You can reroll the dough scraps, but chill them first.
Chocolate-Dipped Almond Meringues
Dress up these almond-flavored meringue cookies by dipping half of each cookie in a glaze of melted chocolate.
Double-Chocolate Meringue Cookies
These cookies have a slightly fudgy texture. They are baked, then cooled for 1 1/2 hours in the oven (don't forget to turn it off).
Banana-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
"Mashed ripe banana adds sweetness and flavor to these chocolate chip cookies," said reader and recipe developer Cathy Brixen. "I found I could reduce the usual amount of sugar and butter."
Chocolate and Peppermint Cookies
Enjoy the classic combination of chocolate and peppermint all year long in this simple, yet oh-so-good cookie recipe.
Raspberry-Chocolate Bars
If you're not a fan of raspberry jam, try substituting your favorite preserves.
Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies
With dried apples and caramel candies in every bite, our less-than-100-calorie oatmeal cookies give you the flavors of fall year-round.
Ginger-Lemon Pinwheel Cookies
These cookies are impressive and don't take as much finagling as you might think. The key is to chill the dough before rolling and slicing.
Cherry-Pistachio Wedding Cookies
The combination of tender cake flour and sturdy all-purpose flour produces delicate cookies. The dough will be crumbly after you've combined all the ingredients but will hold its shape once molded in a tablespoon measure and turned onto a baking sheet. You may need to add one to two additional teaspoons of ice water to the dough to achieve the crumbly consistency.
Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Add some color to your cookie tray with these jam-filled thumbprints. This recipe could also be your healthy alternative for the next school party.
Rocky Road Cookies
Satisfy a sweet tooth in seconds. These decadent cookies are oozing with rich dark chocolate and creamy marshmallow.
Bittersweet Chocolate Meringues
For your next gathering, bring these delicate, crisp cookies out on a tray at the end of the evening with little to-go cups of coffee—a great send-off from a successful party.
Send a Message Fortune Cookies
Bake three cookies at a time so they'll be soft enough to shape. Tuck your message into the cookie while shaping. If the cookies become too brittle, return them to the oven for a few seconds to soften.
Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Marshmallow Cream Filling
"I'm originally from the South, and Moon Pies, as they are called, were a special treat," said recipe developer Susan Kwun. "I started looking for a recipe to make my own when I moved to New York, but the closest I could come to them was a recipe in a New England cookbook. My lightened adaptation can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to a month if the cookies are tightly wrapped. Make sure to have the cookies ready when the marshmallow filling is made—the filling firms up quickly as it cools."
Sesame Sweets
Sweet treats made from sesame seeds are common to Makar Sankrat/Pongal celebrations. Traditionally, these cookies are made by encasing the filling in the dough and dropping them into hot oil to fry. This version, similar in concept to a thumbprint cookie, is baked and just as tasty.
Cinnamon-Almond Cookies
These delicately spiced shape-and-bake cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Store extra cookies in an airtight container.
Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies
"I love chocolate and cherry flavors together, and I found great dried cherries from Maine for this recipe. I also used bittersweet instead of milk chocolate: Not only does it have less sugar, but it has a deeper flavor, too," said reader and recipe developer Marcie Dixon.
Caramel Popcorn Cookies
Experimenting with unusual ingredients can produce an irresistible batch of cookies. In this recipe, caramel and popcorn pieces create the ultimate combination of salty-and-sweet—in cookie form!
Snickerdoodles
Sugar, spice, and everything nice, that's what these classic cookies are made of. If you're not already sold, these cookies are low in calories and easy to make.
Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies
Triple the peanut butter, triple the fun! With creamy peanut butter, crispy peanut butter-flavored cereal, and roasted peanuts, we pack plenty of decadence into these ooey-gooey treats. We like the lightly-sweet crunch of Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins, which is also lower in added sugars.
Viennese Almond Crescents
Look for almond meal—also known as almond flour—in health-food and specialty stores. Bake the cookies ahead, and freeze up to six months in an airtight container, with wax paper between layers. Thaw and dust the cookies with powdered sugar just before serving.
Spiced Vanilla Cookies
In step 2, you'll get best results if you keep dough portions chilled and work on only one portion at a time.
Oatmeal Cookies with A-Peel
Our delicious citrus cookies will be gone quicker than you can pull them out of the oven.
Swag Bars
These no-bake bars come together quickly with common pantry ingredients. Make sure the cereal is well crushed (try packing it in a sealed zip-top plastic bag and using a rolling pin) so it incorporates into the peanut butter mixture.
Coconut-Almond Macaroons
Look for canned almond paste alongside other baking ingredients at your market. Take these chewy cookies on your next picnic. Serve with iced chai tea.
Banana-Pecan Biscotti
This recipe was given a 5-star rating by readers. After your first crunchy bite, you'll know why.
Strawberry, Black Pepper, and Pistachio Cookies
Sweet, spicy, and salty—what more can you ask for in a cookie? At just over 100 calories per cookie, these treats are bound to become a quick family favorite.
Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Coarse-grained sea salt does not melt into the batter, so you experience a crunchy burst with every bite. Use any other nut you like in place of peanuts.
Triple Fruit Cookies
Make these cookies up to a week in advance, since they freeze well. Dried fruits are available in most supermarkets and health food stores.
Black and White Striped Cookies
Cutting and stacking the dough creates alternating stripes of vanilla and chocolate pieces. For pinwheel variation, stack the two (12 x 8-inch) dough rectangles on top of each other, and roll up into a 12-inch-long cylinder as if you're making cinnamon rolls. Chill the roll before slicing.
Chewy Chocolate-Coconut Macaroons
To freeze leftovers, layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Thaw about 30 minutes before serving.
White Chocolate-Lemon Biscotti
For a variation on this crisp Italian cookie recipe, substitute orange for lemon and semisweet chocolate chips for chopped white chocolate. Take time to chop a white chocolate candy bar for this recipe; white chocolate morsels contain no cocoa butter.
Chai Shortbread
A combination of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper gives these chai cookies a taste reminiscent of Indian spiced tea. The fine texture of powdered sugar helps them retain the characteristic shortbread crunch.
Cardamom-Lemon Polenta Cookie
The light and fresh flavor of these cookies, along with the fantastic texture courtesy of yellow cormeal, make these an interesting and unexpected choice for your dessert spread.
Breakfast Fig and Nut "Cookies"
These oversized cookies are more like muffin tops, but calling them cookies makes them seem a bit more indulgent. They're chock-full of exercise-friendly ingredients like dried fruit and nuts. They're ideal with a glass of skim milk for breakfast after a morning workout.
Dulce de Leche-Filled Cookies
Alfajores, these crisp wafer cookies, are filled with caramelized sweetened condensed milk. Although you often can find a full-fat version of this product at Hispanic markets, we've made our own lower-fat version.
Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Cocoa Fudge Cookies
You can mix these incredibly easy, fudge cookies right in the saucepan. When freshly baked, these thin cookies have crisp edges and chewy centers. You can make them with either Dutch process or natural unsweetened cocoa powder; we opted for the latter.
Lemon, Lavender, and Poppy Seed Cookies
Simple homemade dough provides the ideal base for a cookie made with naturally sweet ingredients.
Chocolate Malted Cookies
Four types of chocolate make these cookies an extra-special treat for the chocolate lover in your family.
Vanilla Bean Shortbread
Use pantry staples and a flavorful vanilla bean to create these delicate cookies. Make them up to five days in advance, and store in an airtight container.
Black and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Kahlúa makes a subtle, yet delicious appearance in this chocolate chip cookie recipe. No liqueur? Simply substitute strong freshly brewed coffee.
Chocolate-Pecan Macaroons
Macaroons are a European confection especially popular at Passover. Here, the use of pecans adds a taste of the American South.
Roll-Out Holiday Cookies
Molasses Cookies
This classic spice cookie is a delicious addition to your cookie collection.
Coconut, Lime, and Macadamia Cookies
Ideal for a hostess gift, potluck party or afternoon snack, this gourmet cookie combination will have you reaching for one more.
