All-Time Favorites

Chewy Chocolate Chip

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Melt back into your childhood. This cookie is warm and cozy, and it makes time stand still.

Ingredients

Note: Want a more festive cookie? Add 1⁄2 cup of your favorite colorful sprinkles when you add the chocolate chips.

Note: Want shapes or bars? Spread out your dough about 3⁄4 inch thick on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown, then let the dough cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes. Turn the cookie sheet over onto a wire rack, then flip onto a large cutting board and cut into bars using a knife or into shapes using a cookie cutter.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 330°F/165°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, brown sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well combined, then add the chocolate chips and mix again.
  3. 3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Ginger Molasses

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

This cookie is good at any time of the year. With its warm ginger and other spices, it pairs well with a glass of milk and is even better served warm in the winter.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, molasses, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well blended.
  3. 3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are darker in color. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Kiss Me

Makes about 41/2 dozen cookies

What to eat first? The chocolate Hershey’s Kiss or the peanut butter bottom? This is my auntie’s classic Hershey’s Kiss cookie.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 355°F/180°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, peanut butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup of the granulated sugar, eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, honey, baking powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl.
  3. 3. Place the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl or shallow container. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll the balls through the sugar. Place the balls about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. (While the cookies bake, unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses.) Immediately push a Kiss into the top of each cookie, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Lucille’s Peanut Butter

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

My grandmother Lucille made the best peanut butter cookies. I especially loved the marks she made with the fork tines. These cookies are full of rich peanut buttery flavor and have that extra-special look.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, vegetable oil, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder, baking soda, honey, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well blended.
  3. 3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Using a fork, make a crisscross pattern in each ball of dough.
  4. 4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Noni’s Old-Fashioned Spice Raisin

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

This cookie is as spicy as my Noni was. With all of its cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses, it will tantalize your tongue.

Ingredients

Note: Just for fun, you could use 1 cup dark raisins and 1 cup golden raisins.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix until well blended. Add the raisins and mix until well combined.
  3. 3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Oatmeal Raisin

Makes about 41/2 dozen cookies

This cookie is reminiscent of days gone by. It doesn’t get much more classic than this.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 365°F/185°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the oats and mix well, then add the flour and mix well again. Add the raisins and mix until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. 3. Using a 11⁄2-inch cookie scoop or a large rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 11⁄2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Out-of-This-World Chocolate Chip

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

This is not your grandma’s chocolate chip cookie. This cookie packs a punch! With hills and valleys of white and semisweet chocolate chips, walnuts, and a bite of sea salt, it will keep you coming back for more.

Ingredients

Note: Want shapes or bars? Spread the dough about 3⁄4 inch thick on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes before turning onto a cutting board and cutting into shapes or bars.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix, then add the semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and walnuts, and mix well again.
  3. 3. Using a 11⁄2-inch cookie scoop or a large rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Shortbread

Makes about 41/2 dozen cookies

This simple, tasty cookie has brought tears to a grown woman’s eyes. It will bring you back to your grandma’s house, when you were little, and will be a tradition for years to come.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix well again.
  3. 3. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Flatten the rounded dough by pressing down with the back of a spatula.
  4. 4. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Snickerdoodle

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Snickerdoodles have been around since the 1800s. They're chewy yet crisp cookies with a little cinnamon to linger on your lips.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. If you’re not using nonstick cookie sheets, line them with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, 11⁄2 cups of the sugar, eggs, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix well again.
  3. 3. Combine the cinnamon and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a shallow bowl.
  4. 4. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a rounded teaspoon, scoop out the dough and roll it between the palms of your hands into balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place about 11⁄2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.
  5. 5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
All-Time Favorites

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

This is a simple, classic sugar cookie. If you don’t want to make shapes, you can drop spoonfuls of dough on a cookie sheet, press them flat, then bake them. If you’re looking to frost them, you can use meringue powder to make royal icing.

Ingredients

Note: There’s always some leftover dough when you make cutouts. Gather the dough into teaspoon-size balls, rolling them between the palms of your hands. Press the balls flat with the back of a spatula, sprinkle some sugar on them, and bake.

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. 2. Combine the butter, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, preferably with an electric mixer, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the flour and mix well again.
  3. 3. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and the top of the dough. Roll out the dough to be 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out your shapes, then place them on the cookie sheets.
  4. 4. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.