Forget the complicated bakes with 12 steps and a prayer. These 17 tried-and-true favorites are reliable, easy to follow, and genuinely worth keeping around. They’ve survived generations, taste tests, and one accidental salt swap that shall not be repeated. Great for gift-giving, snacking, or just avoiding small talk at family gatherings by showing up with a full cookie tin.
White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
There’s something about the contrast in White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies that makes them impossible to ignore. Soft in the center with that signature crinkle on top, they’re equal parts casual and oddly impressive. They look fancy without actually requiring any effort, which is really the dream. Great for holiday trays or random Tuesdays that need a boost. Kids love them, adults hoard them—nobody loses here.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Zucchini Cookies with Chocolate & Pecans
Yes, they have zucchini. No, they’re not healthy. Zucchini Cookies with Chocolate & Pecans are the kind of cookie that makes people ask for the recipe and then raise an eyebrow. But they work—every time. They’re soft, loaded with texture, and somehow never dry, which is more than can be said for half the cookies out there.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Cookies with Chocolate & Pecans
Air Fryer Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
These aren’t just a shortcut—they’re a solution. Air Fryer Oatmeal Raisin Cookies give you warm, chewy comfort in record time, without heating up the whole kitchen. They’re ideal for late-night cravings or last-minute guests who show up expecting dessert. Surprisingly crisp on the outside and soft in the center, they hold their own against oven-baked versions. And yes, they’re just as addictive as the classic.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Chocolate Caramel Cookies
These cookies walk the line between dessert and full-on event. Chocolate Caramel Cookies have enough going on to keep things interesting but don’t cross into fussy territory. They’re rich without being too much and pair well with silence—because people are too busy eating to talk. Best saved for days when basic won’t cut it. Good luck stopping at one.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Peaches & Cream Cookies
These soft cookies are exactly what they sound like—comfort disguised as dessert. Peaches & Cream Cookies hit that sweet spot between nostalgic and oddly irresistible, even to the ones who say they “don’t like fruit in desserts.” They’ve got just the right mix of chewy and creamy, with enough personality to stand out on any cookie platter. Perfect for summer picnics or pretending it’s summer during winter. No one expects these to be the favorite, and yet—here we are.
Get the Recipe: Peaches & Cream Cookies
Double Chocolate Brookies
Half brownie, half cookie, all commitment. Double Chocolate Brookies don’t waste time pretending to be light or restrained—they’re the full send of dessert. It’s what happens when someone couldn’t decide and the result somehow worked out better than it should’ve. They hold their own against any bake sale competition and disappear mysteriously fast from the cooling rack. Great for when you want chocolate and more chocolate, with no apology.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Brookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Everyone underestimates them until they try one. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies don’t shout for attention, but they show up every time and do the job better than expected. They’ve got that chewy texture people secretly prefer and a comfort factor that’s hard to beat. Even the raisin skeptics end up reaching for another. These are the cookies that somehow taste better the next day—if they last that long.
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Shortbread Cookies with M&Ms
Not your average shortbread situation. Shortbread Cookies with M&Ms are simple, colorful, and just chaotic enough to win over kids and nostalgic adults. They break with a snap and leave you reaching for a second without thinking. Minimal fuss, maximum reward. Great for cookie tins, gift bags, or Tuesday.
Get the Recipe: Shortbread Cookies with M&Ms
Salted Caramel Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Fancy name, zero stress. Salted Caramel Brown Butter Snickerdoodles sound like something from a bakery menu, but they’re surprisingly down-to-earth. Sweet and salty in all the right ways, with a chewy center that actually stays chewy. Not too messy, not too plain—just the right amount of extra. They’ve never once made it to a storage container.
Get the Recipe: Salted Caramel Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Minty without being toothpaste-level. Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are bold, smooth, and excellent for people who don’t want their cookies to taste like dessert-light. They’ve got enough kick to feel like the holidays, but they’re good enough to keep around year-round. Not too sweet, not too bitter, and just weird enough to be memorable. People ask for these more than you’d think.
Get the Recipe: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies
These lean hard into the sweet-salty situation and don’t look back. Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies skip the fluff and get straight to the point with flavor that just works. They’re bold enough to impress, but still casual enough for weeknight baking. Rich, chewy, and oddly good with coffee. The kind of cookie that’s always worth turning the oven on for.
Get the Recipe: Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies
Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
These are a cookie tray curveball—in a good way. Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies are crisp, citrusy, and surprisingly refreshing for something with butter and sugar. They’re not loud, but they leave an impression. Great for brunches, tea, or anyone who’s not in the mood for chocolate but still wants something solid. Basically, they’re what happens when someone bakes with opinions.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
Hot Chocolate Cookies
They taste like winter, even when it’s 85 degrees. Hot Chocolate Cookies somehow pull off cozy in cookie form, without needing a mug or a snowstorm. They’re soft, rich, and usually the first to vanish from the tray. Ideal for anyone who wants dessert without needing utensils or a fire. Bonus: they also work as peace offerings.
Get the Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ginger Spice Cookies
These have just enough kick to remind you they’re not messing around. Ginger Spice Cookies lean into bold flavor without going full holiday overload. They’re chewy, warm, and somehow feel like a better version of everything you thought you didn’t like as a kid. Not flashy, but absolutely reliable. Great with coffee, or just standing in the kitchen staring into the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Ginger Spice Cookies
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
If dessert could be a picnic, it’d be this. Strawberry Shortcake Cookies take a familiar favorite and wrap it into something hand-held and easier to hoard. They’re soft, sweet, and dangerously good when slightly warm. The kind of cookie that works in every season and doesn’t need frosting to hold attention. Also the kind that gets eaten before they ever make it to the table.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Chocolate Overload Cookies
This cookie does not know moderation. Chocolate Overload Cookies exist for the person who scrolls past “vanilla” without a second glance. They’re packed, intense, and completely unapologetic about it. Definitely not an everyday cookie—unless you live dangerously. Perfect for sharing, though you probably won’t.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Overload Cookies
Cookie Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookies
There’s regular chocolate chip cookies, and then there’s this. Cookie Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookies take the usual crowd-pleaser and add a layer that makes you wonder why frosting isn’t standard. It’s the upgrade nobody asked for but everyone appreciates. Sweet, soft, and a little bit over-the-top in the best way. They’re also a solid excuse to eat two and call it one.
Get the Recipe: Cookie Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookies