83 Best Cookie Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth
![Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies on a surface with one broken apart revealing melty chips.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/assets.epicurious.com/photos/622679bcea324477d69ada94/16:9/w_320%2Cc_limit/VeganChocolateChocolateChipCookies_RECIPE_030322_28942.jpg)
Cookie season is upon us. Whether you’re hosting a holiday party or looking to make something memorable for a swap or a gift, this collection of our best cookie recipes has you covered.
Want to brush up on the classics? Our ultimate sugar, chocolate chip, and peanut butter cookie recipes are present and accounted for. Or if you’re seeking inspiration to really make your cookie plate stand out, consider our crunchy butterscotch-potato chip balls, coconut-sugar crinkle sandwich cookies, or zebra-striped shortbread.
It’s time to clear out the kitchen and let baking inspiration take hold. Here, find 83 of our favorite cookie recipes to make your season merry, bright, and perfectly sweet.
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- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne1/83
Classic Sugar Cookies
Some cookie recipes are classic for a reason. The buttery flavors of these delicate cookies will take you straight back to childhood, and provide a perfect canvas for all sorts of decorating projects.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton2/83
Chocolate Chip Cookies
This rendition of the American icon turns out big, chewy chocolate chip cookies with comforting flavor.
- Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food styling by Mira Evnine3/83
Linzer Cookies
These linzer cookies are a great move no matter the time of year. Fill them with any jam, curd, or other sweet spread you've got in the pantry.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/83
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Easy to make and naturally gluten-free, these peanut butter cookies are perfect during the holidays and any time of year. Because this easy cookie recipe doesn’t contain any butter or flour, you can share a batch with friends who keep dairy-free or gluten-free.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Eliza Mozer5/83
Rugelach
These traditional Jewish cookies are made with a tender-but-crisp cream cheese dough and are filled with jam, walnuts, and cinnamon.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Eliza Mozer6/83
Molasses Cookies
A festive blend of cinnamon, cloves, and ground ginger makes this a pretty near-perfect Christmas cookie. Rolling them in granulated sugar right before baking gives them just the right amount of holiday sparkle.
- Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon7/83
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Old-fashioned oats give these classic cookies just the right chewy texture, while vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and cinnamon give them warm, comforting flavors that will keep you coming back to the cookie platter for more.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell8/83
Black Bottom Brownie Cookies
By freezing brownie batter overnight, you create a scoopable cookie dough perfectly suited to this tangy cream cheese filling. A sprinkle of sea salt, and you’re good to go.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog9/83
Apple Pie Cookies
A cross between crisp linzer cookies and apple hand pies, each of these adorable cookies has a dollop of cinnamon-flecked apple filling within a flaky crust. (Pro-tip: They make an excellent cookie for Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving.)
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne10/83
Coconut Macaroons
The tiny dash of almond extract in this cookie recipe really pushes the coconut flavor over the top. If you want to gild the lily, dip the baked and cooled cookies in melted dark or even milk chocolate.
- Photo by Mark Weinberg11/83
Shortbread Cookies Four Ways
Cookie expert Dorie Greenspan is one to trust, and this versatile shortbread cookie recipe delivers flexibility and flavor. Whether you opt for whole wheat, rye-chocolate, or any other variation, your cookies are guaranteed to be tender and buttery.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich12/83
Vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Look for high quality vegan chocolate drops, like the gems made by Hu Chocolate, for these cookies. We promise that these chocolate delights will be a hit with anyone and everyong, dietary restrictions or not.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton13/83
Lemon Bars
Are lemon bars cookies? Debatable. What's not up for argument is how well the tart citrus curd pairs with the buttery shortbread base.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich14/83
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown butter lends a subtle toffee-like flavor that makes these brown butter chocolate chip cookies far more enticing than your everyday version.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne15/83
Chewy Flourless Pistachio Cookies
Raw pistachios will give these cookies the greenest color, while toasted pistachios will give them the best flavor. Split the difference and use half and half in these nutty cookies.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne16/83
Gourmet’s Best Gingerbread Cookies
This old-fashioned cookie dough is made entirely in a saucepan. It's a natural fit for the holidays, but you can also use it to make skeleton cookies at Halloween.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber17/83
Peanut Butter Blossoms, but Better
Crunchy peanut butter gives these cookies a satisfying texture, while the truffle-like ganache takes the classic peanut butter blossom to a whole new level.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks18/83
Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
A quintessential holiday cookie, this classic Snickerdoodles recipe gets its pillowy texture from baking soda plus an old-school leavener: cream of tartar.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou19/83
Oatmeal Date Cookies
Sticky, chewy, caramelly dates add more intrigue to oatmeal cookies than raisins ever could.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton20/83
Mexican Wedding Cakes
Call them Mexican wedding cakes, Russian tea cakes, Swedish tea cakes, pecan butterballs, pecan sandies, polvorónes, or any other name you’ve heard—what’s important is that these buttery, powdered sugar drenched cookies are undeniably delicious.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne21/83
Spritz Cookies
Buttery spritz cookies date to the 16th century. But the dough isn't always easy to work with. This recipe is easier to handle thanks to a touch of cornstarch. All that’s left to do is decorate to your heart's content.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton22/83
Molasses Sandwich Cookies With Coffee Cream
It’s worth seeking out Dulcey, a.k.a. blond chocolate, for the filling of these sandwich cookies, but milk chocolate will also do the trick. Either way, expect a jolt of flavor from espresso or coffee, plus warming spices like cinnamon and ginger.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell23/83
Double Chocolate Rye Cookies
Bursting with both dark chocolate chunks and unsweetened chocolate, this is the ideal cookie for chocolate lovers. Best of all, when you pull a baking sheet of these out of the oven, your house will smell amazing.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova24/83
Salted-Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted butter, oats, vanilla extract, and a mix of wheat and all-purpose flour make this a seriously good chocolate chip cookie recipe. They’re equal parts chewy and crunchy, and totally delicious.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber25/83
Goat Butter Shortbread
For a subtle shift, try swapping goat’s milk butter, such as Meyenberg, for the usual cow’s milk variety in the batter for shortbread cookies that’ll make your guests wonder what other baking secrets you hold.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne26/83
Kingston Cookies
Two oaty, coconutty cookies sandwich a layer of creamy milk chocolate in these golden-hued Australian favorites.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne27/83
Ma’amoul Med (Orange and Espresso Date Cookie Bars)
These bar cookies, which are especially popular during Eid, are made with a yeasted semolina dough and have a sweetly spiced date filling.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton28/83
Pistachio-Rose Shortbread Squares
A combination of crushed freeze-dried raspberries and sanding sugar gives these cookies a bright red border; you can change out the color and fruit to suit your tastes or the holiday at hand.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton29/83
Cinnamon–Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie
Bake this giant cookie in a cast-iron or other skillet for a shareable treat to end any party. Serve it with ice cream, whipped cream, coffee, or all of the above.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber30/83
Pastel Butter Cookies
Freeze-dried mango, raspberry, and blueberry give these cookies their gorgeous hues, while blanched almonds and a sprinkle of cinnamon give them a warm, nutty flavor.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber31/83
Iranian Rice Cookies
A humble meat mallet is the secret behind the eye-catching grid pattern on these cardamom- and rose-water-scented cookies. Often served at Nowruz celebrations, these cookies make a pretty addition to every holiday spread.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by M. Pearl Jones32/83
Grated Shortbread Bars With Rose Jam
There's a trick in this cookie recipe: The dough is frozen and then grated. The result is an almost chewy shortbread, that's no less buttery and rich, with a streak of bright red jam through the center.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks33/83
Edible Cookie Dough with Variations
This recipe for cookie dough is not just egg free; you’ll also toast the flour prior to mixing to zap any bacteria present and give the variations a richer flavor.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone34/83
Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
The best chocolate chip cookie has flat and crispy sides with oozy, soft centers and luscious pockets of molten chocolate throughout. That’s why this chocolate chip cookie recipe is our top pick, every time. (Cooking for someone with dietary restrictions? Here are our favorite vegan chocolate chip cookies.)
- Photo by Kristin Teig35/83
Chocolate Dynamite Cookies
These fudgy rye flour cookies are almost more brownie than cookie. They’re also studded with chocolate chips so you get a bit of melty chocolate with every chewy bite.
- Photo by Alice Gao36/83
Butterscotch–Potato Chip Balls
Inspired by “Chip Balls,” a recipe in the 1958 Good Housekeeping’s Book of Cookies, this sweet-and-salty cookie is packed with coconut, butterscotch, and kettle-style potato chips.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne37/83
Nanaimo Bars
These iconic Canadian bar cookies have a coconut and graham cracker base topped with custard buttercream, and melt-in-your-mouth bittersweet chocolate.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks38/83
S'mores Sandwich Cookies
No campfire? No problem! This sandwich cookie contains two toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate between two soft, cinnamon-spiked honey cookies.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen39/83
Tahini Billionaire Bars
Millionaire bars have shortbread, caramel, and chocolate. Billionaire bars take things to the next level with tahini and a dusting of sesame seeds. The shortbread is tender, the filling gooey, and the chocolate ties it all together.
- Photo by Kim Sentner40/83
Classic Thumbprint Cookies With Jam
A Christmas cookie classic, these easy thumbprint cookies are customizable with any type of jam you like—or, you can get creative with pistachio paste or lemon curd.
- Photo by Jen Altman42/83
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
The flavor of these chocolate crinkles is dependent entirely on the quality of chocolate you use. Here are our favorite chocolate brands for baking.
- Photo by Penny De Los Santos43/83
Nutter Butter® Cookies
A riff on the crowd-pleasing supermarket cookie, these crisp shortbread wafers sandwich an airy whipped peanut butter creme for a crunchy-creamy, sweet-and-salty treat.
- Photo by Leigh Beisch44/83
Spiced Chocolate Molasses Buttons
A chocolate lover’s answer to gingersnaps, these spiced cookies are rolled in turbinado or granulated sugar and filled with a rich ganache. They’re guaranteed to be one of the prettiest of the cookie tin contenders.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks45/83
No-Bake Butterscotch-Coconut Cookies
These no-bake cookies couldn’t be easier to make. With just six ingredients, including butterscotch and creamy peanut butter, they can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen46/83
Giant Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars
Inspired by a classic candy bar, these crispy bar cookies combine an easy-to-make shortbread base with silky chocolate and homemade caramel.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog47/83
Chocolate-Pistachio Sablés
Creamy pistachios pair perfectly with semisweet chocolate in these festive icebox cookies. They store easily in the freezer, so you can make them way ahead of the holidays.
- Photo by Paige Green48/83
Jam Cookie Bars
Whether you have a surplus of jam in your pantry, or are looking for a cookie that’s only lightly sweet, these cookie bars made with brown rice syrup and almond butter are sure to please.
- Photo by Peden + Munk49/83
Not-Quite-Bonnie's Rugelach
Made with a cream cheese dough and stuffed with quince paste, walnuts, and cinnamon sugar, this rugelach recipe is simple and perfectly buttery.
- Photo by Carl Kravats50/83
Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, and Banana Cookies
Peanut butter, oats, and applesauce are all these vegan cookies need to be perfectly chewy, while ripe bananas and an abundance of chocolate keep things sweet without any added sugar.
- Photo by Marina Delio51/83
Salted Brown Butter Cookies
Toasty brown butter gives rich, nutty notes to these crowd-pleasing cookies. After you bake them, sprinkle a bit of crunchy sea salt on top and lightly press into the cookies for perfectly contrasting flavors and textures.
- Photo by Davide Luciano52/83
Coffee Malteds
These coffee-flavored cookies might look humble, but their flavors are anything but. Made with malted milk powder, they’re chewy and delicious, especially with a swipe of dulce de leche.
- Photo by Alice Gao53/83
Peanut Butter Fingers With Salty Milk Chocolate Glaze
These retro peanut butter bars get their chewy texture thanks to bread flour and are topped with a luscious milk chocolate glaze. Pour yourself a tall glass of milk; you’re gonna need it.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell54/83
3-Ingredient Brown-Butter Shortbread
Brown butter gives traditional shortbread a boost in this super-simple cookie recipe. Just be sure to let your browned butter cool completely before incorporating it into the batter.
- Photo by Tara Donne, Food styling by Liza Jernow55/83
Gluten-Free Citrus Sugar Cookies
These pretty, gluten-free cookies have lemon, lime, and grapefruit flavors. Not a fan of all three citrus fruits? Pick one variety and triple that amount of zest and juice.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell56/83
Pannelet Cookies With Sweet Potato and Coconut
Toasted coconut and roasted sweet potatoes (not yams) provide layered texture and earthy sweetness to these cookies, which also happen to be gluten-free.
- Photograph by Gentl + Hyers57/83
Whole Grain Shortbread With Einkorn and Rye Flour
Einkorn and rye have naturally lower gluten profiles than all-purpose flour, which is exactly what you want in a sandy-style shortbread cookie with a tender crumb.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone58/83
3-Ingredient Hazelnut Cookies
Toasted hazelnuts bring worlds of flavor to these easy meringue cookies, which come together in a snap once you’ve prepped the nuts. You can fold in some chopped chocolate if you prefer a richer cookie.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi59/83
Triple-Ginger Cream Sandwiches
Turn up the volume on classic gingerbread cookies with three types of ginger, warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, plus a dash of black pepper. The sweet, tangy cream cheese icing studded with candied ginger takes them straight over the top.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi60/83
Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Hazelnut Thumbprints
These thumbprint cookies make the most of their headlining ingredients. They’re rolled in spiced sugar before baking so that the cinnamon hits your nose before it hits your tongue.
- Photo by Ted Cavanaugh, Chelsea Cavanaugh, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton61/83
Alfajores With Coconut Dulce de Leche
These elegant, honey-almond sandwich cookies get a tropical twist from an easy, make-ahead dulce de leche filling that's filled with shredded coconut.
- Tara Donne, food styling by Liza Jernow62/83
Gluten-Free Lacy Oat Sandwich Cookies
You can freeze these ganache-stuffed cookies for weeks and then defrost when it’s time to serve. Bonus: They’re nut- and gluten-free, too.
- Photo by Davide Luciano63/83
Espresso Chocolate Sablés
An easy, homemade espresso extract gives these cookies worlds of rich flavor, and any extra stores well in a jar in the fridge. Pair these cookies with coffee, cold milk, or a glass of cognac after dinner.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks64/83
Bite-Size Stollen (Stollenkonfekt)
Studded with raisins and almonds, flavored with cardamom, and cloaked in vanilla-scented powdered sugar, these delicate German morsels are all but irresistible.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi65/83
Pistachio Cardamom Butter Cookies
Swap in dark or milk chocolate if white chocolate isn’t your thing, but be sure to buy the highest-quality chocolate you can afford for these deliciously spiced cookies.
- Joy Wilson66/83
Melty Chocolate-Truffle Cookies
These elegant crinkle cookies are best served warm and slightly undercooked, when the inside hasn't completely set and is especially fudgy. While espresso powder is optional, it complements the rich chocolate flavor beautifully.
- Photo by Peden + Munk67/83
Soft Gingerbread Tiles With Rum Butter Glaze
Scandinavian cookie stamps give these gingerbreads an embossed look, but any ‘ol cookie cutter will do the trick. Don’t skip the rum-butter glaze, which gives these cookies a glossy finish with loads of flavor.
- photo by Con Poulos68/83
Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
There’s no flour but lots of rich dark chocolate in these brown sugar cookies that are loaded with enough oats to feel almost wholesome. Let them cool completely on wire racks before you dig in.
- Ed Anderson69/83
Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
We promise that these peanut butter sandwich cookies from Dahlia Bakery in Seattle are well worth the effort. The secret to the delicious filling: two different kinds of peanut butter and spoonfuls of honey.
- The New Easy, photography by William Meppem70/83
Chocolate Chunk Share Cookie
This oversized cookie comes to the table loaded with chunks of milk and white chocolate, and is the perfect canvas for vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, or the dessert topping of your choice.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne71/83
Coconut-Sugar Crinkle Cookie Sandwiches
These cookies puff dramatically in the oven. Once they settle down, you'll fill them with a velvety whipped white chocolate ganache that’s enriched with coconut cream, and a dash of dark rum or rye whiskey.
- Photo by Tara Donne, food and prop styling by Diana Yen72/83
All-in-One Sugar Cookie Dough
If you’re searching for a cookie dough that can do it all, look no further. This easy recipe is ideal for all your favorite cookie cutters, mix-ins, and icing designs.
- Tara Donne, food styling by Liza Jernow73/83
Gluten-Free Pistachio Truffle Cookies
A cross between truffles and macaroons, these cookies combine almonds, pistachios, and a splash of cognac, all enrobed in a dark chocolate shell.
- Leigh Beisch74/83
Buckwheat Linzer Cookies
These pretty slice-and-bake cookies are surprisingly easy to make. Buckwheat pairs well with any dark berry, cranberry, or cherry flavor, so feel free to try whatever preserves you have on hand.
- Ben Fink75/83
The Ischler
Looking for a cold-weather baking project? These classic Austrian sandwich cookies are just the thing. The filling is made with dried apricots, sugar, lemon zest, and brandy.
- Rinne Allen76/83
Salted Rye Cookies
You can make these as icebox cookies or drop cookies. Either way, you’ll love the sweet-salty combination of granulated sugar, salt, and citrus-scented dark rye flour.
- Christina Holmes77/83
Nutty Crunch Cookies
This recipe calls for blanched hazelnuts and roasted almonds, but it’s a flexible rubric. You can swap in walnuts, pecans, macadamias, or any of your other favorite nuts.
- donna hay magazine, photography by Chris Court78/83
Caramel Popcorn, Salted Almond, and Malt Cookies
Store-bought caramel popcorn gets new life in this recipe, which might just become your favorite cookie. Serve with hot chocolate or cold milk.
- Photo by Sarah Shatz79/83
Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
Two tablespoons of espresso give these chocolate cookies a boost. They bake up crisp on the edges with fudgy middles oozing with melted chocolate.
- Photo by Gabriele Stabile and Mark Ibold80/83
Citrus Cookies
Made with a veritable orchard of citrus fruits, these zippy cookies shine with lemon, lime, and orange flavors. They're sure to brighten up any cookie platter.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susan Spungen81/83
Zebra-Striped Shortbread Cookies
These show-stopping Christmas cookies look intricate but are surprisingly easy to make. You can mix the dough up to three days in advance, and then coat them in colorful sanding sugar when it’s time to bake.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susan Spungen82/83
Double Pecan Thumbprints
The buttery frangipane in these crowd-pleasing pecan cookies can be made ahead. Box them up pretty to share with friends.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott83/83
Chocolate–Almond Praline Cookies
These holiday party-ready wonders round out our list of the best cookie recipes to try at home. You can’t see the candied almonds in these cookies, but you’ll definitely taste them.
Joe Sevier
![37 Best Easy Cookie Recipes to Make Again and Again](https://cdn.statically.io/img/assets.epicurious.com/photos/59c2da2cd0e3db7f5ef76a42/1:1/pass/sesame-tahini-cookies-murray-mancini-recipe-091117.jpg)
Judy Kim
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