The Ultimate Guide to Different Types of 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

Everyone has a favorite type of chocolate chip cookie—a little crispy, a little chewy—but they all have to begin with a basic recipe. This is the best place to start! —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Scottish settlers first came to this area over 150 years ago. My mother herself was Scottish, and—as with most of my favorite recipes—she passed this shortbread recipe on to me. I make a triple batch of it each year at Christmas, to enjoy and as gifts. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

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, Minnesota

I packed chocolate chips, raisins, nuts and cinnamon into my oatmeal cookie recipe. These soft cookies are easy to make. Best of all, our kids love them! —Janis Plageman, Lynden, Washington

I discovered this recipe many years ago, and it's been a favorite among our family and friends since. Who doesn't like cookies during the holidays? —Francis Stoops, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

It is amazing how much flavor these simple peanut butter cookies without brown sugar have. I make them very often because I always have the ingredients on hand. —Maggie Schimmel, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

I’ve saved this jam-filled whoopie pie recipe for years after cutting it out of a newspaper. It’s one of my grandson's personal favorites. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania

My grandmother always had sugar cookies in her pantry, and we grandchildren would empty that big jar quickly because they were the best! I now regularly bake these wonderful cookies to share with friends. —Evelyn Poteet, Hancock, Maryland

Baking peanut butter kiss cookies to share doesn't get much easier than this. Stir together four ingredients. Bake. Top with a kiss. Done! Your family will love this Hershey's peanut butter blossom cookie recipe. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona

The history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie is undeniable! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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, Florida

Tinting flaky white coconut reminds me of snowflakes falling under holiday lights. The reds and greens add colorful Christmas wonder. — Lee Roberts, Racine, Wisconsin

These 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, Manitoba

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 spritz cookies into a variety of festive shapes. This is hands down the best spritz cookie recipe ever. —Beverly Launius, Sandwich, Illinois

I've learned to bake a double batch of this crisp almond biscotti recipe, because one batch goes too fast! —H. Michaelson, St. Charles, Illinois

This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia

A juicy maraschino cherry is the secret center tucked inside these special 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 York

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

When we lived on the East Coast, a nearby fruit and vegetable stand had a bakery featuring these soft, cakelike cookies. We missed every bite when we moved away, so I developed this recipe. —Barbara Franklin, Tucson, Arizona

This recipe evolved from several different recipes that I combined into one. I've never received so many compliments on my baking!—Denise Hufford, Midland, Michigan

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, California

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, Wisconsin

I need to avoid gluten and have tried transforming my favorite recipes to fit my diet. I came up with these cakelike cookies, and no one ever guesses that they’re gluten-free.

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, Pennsylvania

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 for some, too! I especially like that this macaroon recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin

These macarons are a winter/fall 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. Try custard, mousse, ganache, or any other buttercream as fillings, too. —Elizabeth Ding, El Cerrito, California

These buttery little rounds add beautiful color to a platter of treats. Fill the thumbprint in the center with any fruit preserves you like. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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, Arizona

The recipe for these cookies is the easiest to find in my book because it's a beautiful mess. It's 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, Pennsylvania

I like to present my favorite holiday cookies in a special way. I pile these fresh-baked tea cakes on pretty plates that I buy throughout the year, then wrap them with colored cellophane to give friends. —Valerie Hudson, Mason City, Iowa

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

When a co-worker’s husband came home from Iraq, we had a potluck for him. These cookies with coarse red sugar matched our patriotic theme. —Janet Whittington, Heath, Ohio

No holiday treat platter would be complete without gingerbread man cookies! This is a tried-and-true recipe I'm happy to share with you. —Mitzi Sentiff, Annapolis, Maryland

I make so many of these fancy tassies, I use up a 7-pound container of almond paste every year! They’re one of my family’s holiday favorites. —Donna Westhouse, Dorr, Michigan

Before we five kids headed off to school each day, Mom took our requests for that day's dinner. I usually asked her to make these cookies for dessert, and she would rarely disappoint. I still enjoy them today. —Patricia Ramczyk, Appleton, Wisconsin

Having lived in Germany, I try to keep my German cooking as authentic as possible. This lovely lebkuchen recipe is a culinary Christmas custom. —Cathy Lemmon, Quinlan, Texas

I've experimented with different varieties of pizzelle recipes, but this is definitely a favorite. My dad likes to help make them so that we don't run out!—Aimee McCullen, Youngwood, Pennsylvania

These sweet pastries have Polish and Czech roots and can also be spelled "kolaches." They are usually filled with poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it's simplest to use a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio

Our home is often filled with family and friends, so I'm always cooking up something. I created this recipe when I was looking for a treat to surprise my husband. —Susan Bettinger, Battle Creek, Michigan