14 Best Cookie Recipes

Written by
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Linda Larsen
Updated 06/14/20
Hands grabbing for chocolate chip cookies on plate

 gchutka/Getty Images

Cookies are really a reward for being alive. Think of the best cookies you've eaten and why you've eaten them. They are a perfect pick-me-up with coffee, are the best lunchbox treats, and enhance any celebration from a child's birthday party to a retirement party. These are my favorite cookies; they'll soon become yours too!

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  • 01 of 14

    M&M Cookies

    M&M cookies

     davewallace/Getty Images

    The best M & M cookies are soft and chewy, with a wonderful brown sugar flavor. The contrast between the chewy cookie and the crisp candies is fabulous. No wonder kids love this cookie so much!

  • 02 of 14

    Grandma's Sugar Cookies

    Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
    Diana Rattray

    These are the best sugar cookies ever. This is my Grandmother Matha's recipe, and the cookies are tender, crisp, and perfectly sweet.

  • 03 of 14

    Applesauce Cookies

    Apple Sauce Cookies

    The Spruce / Jennifer Perillo

    If you're craving a fall cookie recipe, these applesauce cookies are it. They're not cloyingly sweet, nor overly spiced as some fall desserts can be. Although they feature cinnamon, these are light enough to be enjoyed anytime of year. The applesauce lends these cookies a springtime freshness, and their cake-like quality helps them keep for for several days. Best of all, they come together in just 30 minutes.

  • 04 of 14

    My Mom's Oatmeal Cookies

    Oatmeal cookies

     Jennifer Counter/Getty Images

    This is another fabulous old fashioned recipe. The combination of butter and oil makes a really chewy cookie that manages to be tender too. And the flavor can't be beaten. Yum.

    Continue to 5 of 14 below.
  • 05 of 14

    Butterscotch Cookies

    Butterscotch cookies on a serving plate with a scoopful of butterscotch chips on the side

     The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    If the flavor of butterscotch conjures images of all things warm and fuzzy, these butterscotch cookies won't disappoint. They get a modern twist from the addition of butterscotch chips, corn flakes, chopped walnuts, and rolled oats for a sweet-and-crunchy taste sensation that's hard to beat.

  • 06 of 14

    Black and White Cookies

    Black and White Cookies

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    You don't have to visit a New York City bakery to get black and white cookies because they're surprisingly easy to make at home. The cake-like batter includes lemon and vanilla extracts for a delicious base flavor. Once baked, they're topped with the chocolate and vanilla frosting that makes them instantly recognizable.

  • 07 of 14

    Andes Mint Cookies

    Andes Mint Cookies

    The Spruce Eats / Kristina Vanni

    If you haven't tried Andes Mint cookies, you're in for a real treat. The little chocolate mint candies make adding flavor to a basic cookie dough easy. You'll need two boxes of mints and sneaking one or two while you bake is perfectly acceptable.

  • 08 of 14

    White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

    White chocolate macadamia nut cookies on a serving plate

     The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    Buttery macadamia nuts are folded into the batter for these white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and the result is outstanding. Definitely a "gourmet" cookie, it's as much a winner at an elegant party as it is at a potluck.

    Continue to 9 of 14 below.
  • 09 of 14

    Potato Chip Cookies

    A plate of potato chip cookies

     The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

    The unbeatable combination of sweet and salty are baked into these potato chip cookies. Terrific on their own, if you want to gild the lily, try dipping one end of the baked cookie into melted chocolate and sprinkle it with crushed potato chips.

  • 10 of 14

    Peanut Blossom Cookies

    Peanut blossom cookies

    Jen Tapp/Getty Images

    This classic cookie recipe is slightly different from all the others out there. You must chill the dough before baking. The cookies are tender and perfect with the chocolate kiss on top.

  • 11 of 14

    Homemade Nilla Wafers

    Vanilla wafers
    The Spruce / Jessie Sheehan

    Everyone loves lightly sweet and crispy Nilla Wafers. The homemade version is even better, and easy to make, too. Enjoy with a tall glass of milk or hot cup of tea.

  • 12 of 14

    The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Diana Rattray

    This recipe, from my first cookbook Everything Meals for a Month, has been spreading around the world! You must read the first review of this recipe; it brought tears to my eyes! These chewy, tender, crisp cookies are just perfect.

    Continue to 13 of 14 below.
  • 13 of 14

    White Chocolate Cashew Cookies

    White chocolate chips and cookies

     StephanieFrey/Getty Images

    These fabulous cookies are soft, but with a fabulous texture. The white chocolate chips and chopped cashews are the perfect addition.

  • 14 of 14

    Classic Snickerdoodles

    Snickerdoodles

     Souders Studio/Getty Images

    These classic cookies are crisp and tender, with a fabulous cinnamon flavor. They're a classic cookie jar and lunch box cookie.