Our 30 Most Popular Cookie Recipes Ever (2024)

We love cookies—and so do our readers. We've been publishing cookie recipes since 1993 and over time, some have emerged as crowd-pleasing favorites. In this collection, we put them all in one place: We're sharing our 30 most popular cookies ever—put simply, these are the recipes you make the most.

Unsurprisingly, you'll find classics like sugar cookies, shortbread, gingerbread, peanut butter cookies, macarons, and more. But there are some less well-known options, like our skillet cookie and a bar cookie version of the most popular cookie on our list, too. Speaking of most popular: You probably won't be shocked to learn that there are several iterations of the chocolate-chip cookie in this series, so whether you prefer soft and chewy, thin and crispy, or cakey, you'll find a recipe (or two!) that is just right for you.

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Creamy Lemon Squares

Our 30 Most Popular Cookie Recipes Ever (1)

Martha loves lemon bars and so do our readers. This recipe is our most popular bar cookie—and for good reason. It's a classic, with a buttery shortbread crust and an irresistible lemon filling made with lemon juice and zest, condensed milk, and egg yolks.

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02of 30

Basic Sugar Cookies

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No matter the season, this cookie recipe shines. Cut them into any shape you choose—hearts for Valentine's Day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, or Christmas trees for the holiday season—and decorate them with our dependable Royal Icing.

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03of 30

French Macarons

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This gluten-free cookie is about as versatile as they come—tint the almond flour sandwich cookie with food coloring and fill with coconut buttercream, raspberry jam, or Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

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04of 30

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

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This better-for-you cookie starts with a combination of whole-wheat and all-purpose flour and rolled oats. Raisins bring a sweet touch.

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05of 30

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

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This crowd-pleasing recipe creates a giant cookie that bakes in and is served from a cast-iron skillet. It's much easier to make than forming individual balls of cookie dough.

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06of 30

Glazed Lemon Cookies

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These bright cookies have lemon zest and juice in both the dough and glaze. They're delightful for a springtime gathering or a tea party.

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07of 30

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Our most popular cookie recipe is this chocolate chip cookie. The texture is just right. Two sticks of softened butter and 1 cup of light brown sugar ensure that each bite will be rich and super moist.

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08of 30

Kitchen Sink Cookies

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Loaded with old-fashioned oats, chocolate chips, sweetened coconut, raisins, and chopped walnuts, this cookie recipe offers a little something for everyone.

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09of 30

Gingerbread Cookies

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As soon as we turn the page on our calendar to December, we're all about gingerbread. This timeless cookie recipe has plenty of holiday spice from a combination of molasses, dark brown sugar, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

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10of 30

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies

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In this twist on the classic oatmeal raisin cookie, we added chocolate chips to the flour-free batter and gluten-free old-fashioned oats.

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Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

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Chocolate lovers will adore these double chocolate cookies, which are made with a combination of melted semisweet chocolate and chocolate chunks. They are our most fudgy treat.

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12of 30

Peanut Butter Cookies

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You only need six ingredients to make these classic peanut butter cookies: creamy peanut butter, flour, butter, light brown sugar, baking powder, and one egg. Use a fork to create the cross-hatch pattern on top of each cookie.

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13of 30

Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies

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In a delicious departure from the traditional gingerbread cookies, this recipe calls for a combination of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate in addition to the usual ingredients, including ground and fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

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14of 30

Ideal Sugar Cookies

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Looking for a classic sugar cookie recipe? You've come to the right place. This recipe gets its flavor from vanilla extract and a touch of brandy, which really takes it to the next level.

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15of 30

Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

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If you prefer chocolate chip cookies that are crunchy rather than soft, this recipe is for you. Our pan-banging method creates a mesmerizing ripple effect and results in thin and crispy cookies every single time.

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Cookie-Press Cookies

Our 30 Most Popular Cookie Recipes Ever (16)

Use your cookie press with this simple recipe to make an array of treats for the holiday season.

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17of 30

Thin and Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

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The difference between thin and crispy cookies and soft and chewy cookies is the proportion of ingredients. This recipe calls for a little more butter and granulated sugar than you'll find in other recipes, which creates an extra-crunchy cookie.

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18of 30

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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A classic cookie recipe like oatmeal raisin never goes out of style. These treats come together in 30 minutes, but you'll need to wait a few more minutes for them to cool.

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19of 30

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

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Use your favorite jam—anything from raspberry to apricot to strawberry—in these winning four-ingredient cookies.

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20of 30

Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

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Sugar, spice, and everything nice! These cookies hit the perfect balance in terms of flavor and texture.

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21of 30

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Our readers can't get enough of these dark chocolate cookies made with a combination of Dutch-processed cocoa powder and coarsely chopped chocolate.

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22of 30

Shortbread Cookies

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Four ingredients—all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract—are all it takes to make these classic shortbread cookies.

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23of 30

Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies

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If you're team soft, this chocolate chip cookie recipe is for you. It calls for less butter and brown sugar than other recipes, which gives the cookies their cakey texture.

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24of 30

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

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This crowd-pleasing recipe turns everyone's favorite cookie into sliceable bars. A combination of semisweet and milk chocolate chips brings ooey-gooey, melt-in-your-mouth flavor.

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25of 30

Coconut Cookies

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An entire package of sweetened shredded coconut is used in this cookie recipe. They're more substantial than the usual coconut macaroon, another crowd favorite.

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26of 30

Old-Fashioned Lemon Sugar Cookies

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The zest and juice of fresh lemons perk up classic sugar cookies while sanding sugar gives them a shiny, crunchy finish.

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27of 30

Basic Vanilla Cookie Dough

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Here's a super versatile, yet simple cookie dough that can be used for cutout, spritz, thumbprint, or shaped icebox cookies.

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28of 30

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

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To create the appearance of a snow-kissed fudgy cookie, this chocolate cookie dough is rolled in confectioners' sugar just before baking.

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29of 30

Alexis's Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Martha's daughter, Alexis, developed this recipe for super thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies, which are made with three cups of brown sugar for a deep, caramelized flavor.

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30of 30

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

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Dried cranberries replace the usual raisins in this oatmeal cookie recipe. The result is a slightly more tart but even more delicious treat.

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