Monster Cookies
This recipe combines several favorite flavors—peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate—in one big cookie. Before baking, I like to press a few extra M&M’s on top for added color. —Patricia Schroedl, Jefferson, Wisconsin(For tips about making all kinds of cookies, check out our cookie baking guide.)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everyone has a favorite type of chocolate chip cookie—a little crispy, a little chewy—but they all have to begin with a basic chocolate chip drop cookie recipe. This is the best place to start! —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, WisconsinLearn how to customize chocolate chip cookies to suit your tastes—whether you like chewy, crispy or soft.
Shortbread Cookies
My mother, who is of Scottish heritage, passed this shortbread recipe, along with other favorite recipes, on to me. When I entered this treat at our local fair, it won a red ribbon. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, ManitobaGet our favorite shortbread recipes.
Cutout Cookies
Christmas cutouts signal the holiday season. For variety, sprinkle half of the cookies with colored sugar before baking and frost the remaining ones after they're cooled.—Dawn Fagerstrom, Warren, MinnesotaThese are our favorite cutout cookies to make all year.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Here’s proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter drop cookies are an easy family favorite and never fail to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina
Crinkle Cookies
When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they’re lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, PennsylvaniaOatmeal Raisin Cookies
I packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into this drop cookie recipe. These soft oatmeal cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, WashingtonCookie Bars
My chocolate chip cookie bars are often requested at church dinners. They’re tasty and easy to serve. —Barbara Witte, Irving, TexasGingersnap Cookies
I discovered this recipe many years ago, and it's been a favorite among our family and friends ever since. Gingersnaps are timeless—a classic holiday cookie that's welcome year-round. —Francis Stoops, Stoneboro, PennsylvaniaPeanut Butter Cookies
It is amazing how much flavor is in these simple 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies without brown sugar. I make them very often because I always have the ingredients on hand. —Maggie Schimmel, Wauwatosa, WisconsinWhoopie Pies
I’ve saved this jam-filled sandwich cookie recipe for years after cutting it out of a newspaper. It’s one of my grandson’s personal favorites. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, PennsylvaniaSugar Cookies
This sugar cookie dates back to a Swedish woman born in 1877! Her daughter, Esther Davis, shared the recipe with me and she came up with all the exact measurements, since the original cookies were mixed by feel and taste. These are my favorite cookies and I hope they’ll become yours as well. —Helen Wallis, Vancouver, WashingtonCheck out more of our favorite sugar cookie recipes.
Kiss Cookies
Everyone who tries these beloved gems is amazed that they use only five ingredients. Baking cookies doesn't get much easier than this. —Dee Davis, Sun City, ArizonaSnickerdoodle Cookies
The history of these whimsically named treats has been widely disputed, but their popularity is undeniable. Help yourself to one of our soft cinnamon-sugared cookies and see for yourself. —Taste of Home Test KitchenChocolate Cookies
Who doesn’t like chocolate chip cookies? Cocoa in the batter gives these treats a double dose of chocolate. They disappear fast from the cookie jar! —Diane Hixon, Niceville, FloridaCrispy, chewy and insanely delicious chocolate cookie recipes.
Slice-and-Bake Cookies
Tinting flaky white coconut reminds me of snowflakes falling under holiday lights. The reds and greens of this icebox cookie add Christmas wonder. — Lee Roberts, Racine, WisconsinSee more of our favorite slice-and-bake cookies.
Sandwich Cookies
These sandwich cookies freeze well, so it’s easy to keep some on hand for last-minute munching. In summer, I often make them larger to use for ice cream sandwiches. —Mary Rempel, Altona, ManitobaSpritz Cookies
This tender spritz cookie recipe is very eye-catching on my Christmas cookie tray. The dough is easy to work with, so it’s fun to make these pressed cookies into a variety of festive shapes. This is hands down the best spritz cookie recipe ever. —Beverly Launius, Sandwich, IllinoisThese are our favorite spritz cookie recipes.
Biscotti
I've learned to bake a double batch whenever I make these crisp dunking cookies, because one batch always goes too fast! —H. Michaelsen, St. Charles, IllinoisTry more scrumptious biscotti recipes.
Butter Cookies
This great pressed cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, VirginiaFind even more melt-in-your-mouth butter cookie recipes!
Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Craving a childhood classic? These sugar-free cookies will bring you all the comfort and joy you remember. Savor the crisp, lightly browned edges or dunk in a tall glass of cold milk. —Taste of Home Test KitchenSnowball Cookies
A juicy maraschino cherry is the secret center tucked inside these filled cookies. My mom was inspired to create this by a recipe she clipped out of a newspaper more than 30 years ago. —Evy Adams, West Seneca, New YorkMolasses Cookies
My family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These chewy molasses cookies are also great for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
Drop Cookies
The night before I make these drop cookies, I measure out the pretzels, peanuts, raisins and chocolate. Assembly goes quickly the next day. —Kelly Ward-Hartman, Cape Coral, Florida
Pinwheel Cookies
This icebox cookie recipe evolved from several different recipes that I combined into one. I’ve never received so many compliments on my baking!—Denise Hufford, Midland, MichiganMeringue Cookies
Eat these pretty treats as is or crush them into a bowl of strawberries and whipped cream. Readers of my blog, utry.it, went nuts when I posted that idea.—Amy Tong, Anaheim, CaliforniaLinzer Cookies
This specialty cookie takes a little extra effort, but the results are sweet! They really help to make the holidays feel special. —Jane Pearcy, Verona, WisconsinGluten-Free Cookies
I can’t consume gluten, so I’ve transformed my favorite recipes to fit my diet. I came up with these cakelike cookies, and no one ever guesses they’re gluten free. —Becki DiMercurio, Martinez, CaliforniaGF eaters, rejoice! We have plenty more gluten-free cookie recipes to whip up.
Wafer Cookies
These buttery cookies bake up chewy and crispy at the same time. Sprinkle these vanilla wafers with colored sugar or leave them as-is. Their simplicity is beauty enough! —Edith MacBeath, Gaines, PennsylvaniaMacaroons
These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, WisconsinMacarons
These macarons are a fall and winter staple for me. Inspired by the classic cinnamon roll, they are a delicious treat for a cold or snowy day. These pair well with a mug of tea, and can be eaten as a dessert or just a snack. Other fillings would work well with this—including custard, mousse, ganache or other buttercream. —Elizabeth Ding, El Cerrito, CaliforniaLearn how to make macarons these step by step.
Thumbprint Cookies
These buttery filled cookies add beautiful color to a platter of treats. Fill the thumbprint in the center with any fruit preserves you like. —Taste of Home Test KitchenVegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
As a competitive figure skater, I need high-energy snacks to keep me going. These vegan cookies are loaded with nuts, chips and fabulous flavor. Coaches at my skating rink are always sneaking two or three when I bring them in! —Cassandra Brzycki, Wauwatosa, WisconsinIcebox Cookies
This cookie recipe from my 91-year-old grandmother was my grandfather's favorite. She still makes them and sends us home with the dough so that we can make more whenever we want, I love to make a fresh batch when company drops in. —Chris Paulsen, Glendale, ArizonaWe’ve got even more icebox cookie recipes you’ve got to try!
Waffle Cookies
The recipe for these cookies is the easiest to find in my book because the page is a beautiful mess covered with fingerprints, flour smudges and memories of more than 30 Christmases! I made these with my daughters, and now I make them with my granddaughters. —Judy Taylor, Quarryville, PennsylvaniaTea Cakes
I like to present my favorite holiday cookies in a special way. I pile this fresh-baked Russian tea cakes recipe on pretty plates that I buy throughout the year, then wrap them with colored cellophane to give friends. —Valerie Hudson, Mason City, IowaCookie Cups
Our family wanted to share our love of ganache-filled cupcakes, so we made them into cookies. Even better: we bake the cookies in muffin cups, fill with ganache, and get the best of both worlds! —Adela Srinivasan, Parker, Colorado
No-Bake Cookies
These chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies bring back fond memories of my mom. They were her favorite, and she always made a batch when she knew company was coming. —Jacquie McTaggart, Independence, Iowa