31 Easy Cookie Recipes You’ll Put on Repeat
Sometimes you just need a cookie. You know what we mean. In these moments, it’s essential to have a few easy cookie recipes up your sleeve. No complicated Christmas cookie-level project; no finicky, multistep ado’s; no pro-level favorites—just delicious cookies you can make while you start and finish an episode of The Bear. We’re talking a total time of 30 minutes (or less!) from want to have-in-hand. (These chocolaty no-bake cookies can be ready to eat in 15 minutes, for instance.)
So grab your baking sheets and cookie scoops, unfurl your parchment paper, and preheat your oven (or don’t; some easy cookies are no-bake cookies, you know) because Need o’clock is now. Let’s find you your new favorite cookie.
Photograph by Christopher Testani, Food styling by Victoria Granof, prop styling by Alex Brannian1/31Lavender-Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Photo by Alex Lau, styling by Sean Dooley2/31BA’s Best Snickerdoodles
This cinnamon-sugar-coated childhood favorite gets its signature slight tang from cream of tartar. Don’t have any? This version sidesteps the issue by tossing in cornflakes, toffee candy, edible glitter—basically, the whole dang party.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones3/31Almond Cookies
These flourless Iraqi cookies, known as hadji bada, have a touch of rose water and a bit of spice (cinnamon or cardamom; your choice) for intrigue.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Alex Massillon4/31Giant Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness5/31BA’s Best Oatmeal Cookies
This oatmeal cookie recipe calls for baking soda but not baking powder. (Find out why in our baking soda vs. baking powder explainer; sorry, it’s a little too complicated for a caption.)
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart6/31BA’s Best Sugar Cookies
This is the sugar cookie recipe to end all sugar cookie recipes—and this is the easy sugar cookie icing recipe you should use to decorate them. PS: If you want to make them ahead, this is not a “store in an airtight container at room temperature” situation. The move is to wrap them tightly and freeze for up to two weeks.
Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mallory Lance, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon7/31Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
Molasses keeps these cookies magically fresh and chewy for days, perfect for making in advance of that potluck or cookie exchange. And since we’re speaking to the chewy cookie lovers right now, this ginger cookie recipe is another banger (and more gingery than gingerbread).
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens8/31BA’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
What makes this the best chocolate chip cookie recipe—and maybe even the best overall cookie recipe? Crispy edges, chewy centers, and no stand mixer required.
Alex Lau9/31Pignoli Cookies
This three-stepper is an easy cookie recipe, but there’s just no getting around the fact that you need a special ingredient: almond paste. It transforms the flavor of these flourless, gluten-free, meringue-like treats and helps them brown evenly.
Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sean Dooley11/31Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies With Toffee
Okay, you do have to make brown butter and chop up a toffee candy bar for this cookie, but for something with such big flavor and superior texture, it truly is an easy recipe.
Justin J Wee12/31Chipotle Cheddar Crackers
These buttery, cheesy, make-ahead crackers come courtesy of Queen Ina Garten, who keeps the dough in the freezer so she can slice and bake quickly when people are coming over for cocktails. Now, so can you.
Kelsey McClellan13/31Granola Cluster Cookies
When former senior editor Amanda Shapiro called these the easiest cookies she’d ever made, she wasn’t kidding. Want to make them even easier? Sub all the dry ingredients for your favorite store-bought granola.
Alex Lau16/31BA’s Best Peanut Butter Cookies
You want the truth? We don’t have an easy peanut butter cookie in our archives. This one is oven-steamed—yes, it’s worth it, and absolutely, it’s a little extra. This 3-ingredient PB cookie from our sister site Epicurious, though? Piece of cake (er…cookie).
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen17/31Salty Buckwheat Chocolate Chunk Cookies
When was the last time a chocolate chip cookie surprised you? If it wasn’t when the internet told you to add feta, let it be now. These are made with melted butter. That’s right: no waiting around for things to soften to room temp.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh18/31Raspberry-Tahini Thumbprint Cookies
Photograph by Emma Fishman. Food styling by Pearl Jones.19/31Pink Grapefruit Sugar Cookies
While this pink-frosted dessert is sure to become a lunchbox favorite, our pro “I need a cookie now” tip is that these citrusy cookies are delicious without any icing at all.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie20/31Miso White Chocolate–Macadamia Cookies
No, those are not marshmallows; they’re white chocolate chips, and we think white chocolate deserves more respect. Often maligned as “not chocolate,” white chocolate is made primarily with cocoa butter, which is fat from the cocoa bean—and we all know that fat equals flavor.
21/31Slice-and-Bake Jammy Pinwheel Cookies
This one-bowl cookie dough requires no machinery and is incredibly versatile: Cut it into shapes, form it into thumbprints, or roll it into a solid slice-and-bake log for maximum ease.
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Sue Li22/31Nan-e Berenji
Nan-e berenji is a delicate, barely sweet Persian rice flour cookie. This version gets topped with poppy seeds, black sesame, finely ground pistachios, and freeze-dried raspberries for color.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore23/31Chewy Date and Dark Chocolate Cookies
The special ingredient in this easy cookie recipe? All-purpose flour. Juuust kidding; that’s in almost every recipe. The special ingredients in these gooey, chewy cookies with crisp edges are sweet dates and nutty tahini.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen24/31Roasty Toasty Pecan-Caramel Shortbread Cookies
Store-bought dulce de leche and pulverized pecans give this tender, buttery shortbread depth of flavor. We love the contrasting look of white nonpareil, but feel free to roll the dough in whatever sprinkles you darn well please.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell, Prop Styling by Paige Hicks25/31Caramel Crunch–Chocolate Chunklet Cookies
Ever wonder why most cookie recipes call for unsalted butter? It’s just about control. Salted butter can contain anywhere from 1% to 2% salt; unsalted allows you to be in charge of the amount of salt in the finished product.
Kelsey McClellan27/31Honey-Vanilla Sablé Cookie Dough
This recipe calls for whole vanilla beans, not vanilla extract. If you want true simplicity (why else would you be here?), feel free to sub in 1–2 Tbsp. of the liquid stuff (add it in with the honey).
Peden & Munk31/31Chocolate Chunk–Pumpkin Seed Cookies
The unexpected ingredient in this easy cookie recipe: hot smoked Spanish paprika. The element that brings the crunch: raw pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, toasted until golden brown.