20 Soft, Chewy Cookie Recipes You'll Melt For

Sugardoodle Cookies Recipe

Girl Scout cookies are great, but these cookies are better! Tip: for consistent measurements when rounding and shaping your dough, use a mini ice cream scoop for the perfect size every time.

Soft Sugar Cookie Trees Recipe

These tender cookies are even better when topped with cream cheese icing. Make the dough up to 2 days ahead. It will be easier to roll when it's very cold.

Eggnog Cookies Recipe

Picky eater? No problem. Even if you don't love eggnog, you'll love this easy cookie. Whether you make it for Santa or for yourself (no judgment here), this festive recipe is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season. Though they're delicious without any bells and whistles, the boozy, four-ingredient Eggnog-Bourbon Buttercream is what truly makes these cookies shine. Want something with a bit more spice? Try these Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies next. 

Italian Christmas Cookies Recipe

No need to buy a tray of Italian Christmas cookies this year—they’re easy to make and all the ingredients are readily available. The cookie itself is not overly sweet and has a cakey texture, so the sweetness really banks on the icing. We used almond extract in our recipe, but you can also use anise.

Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies with Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

No one will believe these impressive (yet low-effort) spring treats start with a boxed cake mix. The strawberry buttercream filling for these sandwich cookies uses both fresh and freeze-dried berries in order to deliver a potent punch of vibrant strawberry flavor.

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

You’ve probably heard of olive oil cake, and if you’ve ever tasted one, you know how much rich character olive oil can bring to a dessert. And that’s certainly the case for these anything-but-average chocolate chip cookies. With their crispy edges and perfectly gooey center, they’re downright dreamy.

Sugar Cookies Recipe

There is nothing better than the buttery taste of a golden sugar cookie. Sure you can decorate them, but why mess with perfection?

Glazed Condensed Milk Cookies Recipe

Need to throw together a last minute treat? Make a batch of fluffy and buttery, cream cheese-glazed cookies using 1 whole (14-ounce) can of sweetened and just a handful of other staple ingredients you probably already have in the fridge and pantry.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Coffee Glaze Recipe

Full of warming fall flavors, these easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies are just about the perfect after-dinner treat to pair with a cup of coffee. After all, they’re basically everyone’s favorite seasonal latte delivered in cookie form. If you plan to share these pumpkin spice cookies at any sort of fall potluck and nut allergies are a concern, you can certainly leave the ground pecans out of the batter—simply replace them with 1/3 cup more all-purpose flour.

If you’d rather skip the booze in the coffee glaze, try replacing it with 2-3 tablespoons of cold coffee. Or you can opt for a different glaze altogether; the maple glaze used here or this toasty tahini glaze would both work great for these pumpkin cookies. 

Hungry for more? Check out our 25 Best Pumpkin Spice Recipes next. 

3 Ingredient Easter Cookies Recipe

These Easter cookies feel festive, but you only need a handful of ingredients that you've already got on hand.

Cranberry Cookies With Orange Glaze Recipe

Oh, so festive! These cakey cranberry cookies are a perfect Christmastime snack, dessert, or even breakfast.

Cherry Blossom Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

These buttery thumbprint cookies offer a faint cherry flavor in the cookie itself and the most stunning pop of pale pink, along with a delicate taste of cherry blossom, in the jam filling. These elegant thumbprint cookies are almost too pretty to eat (although we’re sure you’ll find a way), and would make the perfect sweet finish to a bridal shower or dinner party. Cherry blossom jelly is a specialty product we ordered online, but we found it to be worth the extra bit of effort and expense for a special occasion. However, you could fill these cookies with whatever flavored jam you like. Alternatively, we also tested the recipe using chocolate kisses instead of a jam, and this is also a delicious option. The chocolate makes a very tasty companion to the subtle cherry notes in the cookie.  

THICK Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

The key to making big, thick bakery-style chocolate chip cookies isn’t in secret ingredients or tricky techniques—it’s actually just a matter of shifting the ratios of your ingredients a bit. These dense, thick, decadent cookies have less sugar and more baking powder than your standard chocolate chip cookies, which helps inhibit the cookies’ spreading during baking. While we think that preparing this recipe as six gigantic cookies is sort of an essential part of the experience, you could make twelve smaller cookies if you prefer; you will simply need to adjust your bake times accordingly. For more helpful cookie baking tips, check out our guide to making the perfect batch. 

Chewy Molasses Cookies Recipe

Perfectly spiced and wonderfully tender, these molasses cookies are a staff favorite.

3 Ingredient Cookies Recipe

There’s no reason to wipe out your pantry supplies when this effortless, 3-ingredient cookie recipe exists. Plus, boxed cake mix yields the softest, fluffiest cookies that everyone will enjoy.

All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

When it comes to making cookies from scratch, these crispy-chewy chocolate chip cookies represent the best of the best. Simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions make this a recipe you'll come back to again and again. Whip up a batch of these all-time favorite cookies and they won't last long. Pro tip: Bake 10 minutes for a softer cookie or up to 14 minutes for a crispier cookie.

After you've made these craveworthy cookies, don't forget to try our fun variations. All sorts of goodies—from crushed white-chocolate pretzels to toffee candy—can be added to the batter to create other signature cookies.

Thick, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

If you're of the school that thinks chocolate chip cookies should be soft and chewy, you'll love this recipe. If not, these cookies will change your mind.

Five-Spice Cookies Recipe

Look for five-spice powder on the spice aisle or with the Asian foods in your grocery store. We love the sparkle of sanding sugar used to coat the outside of the cookies; you’ll find it in craft stores. Supermarket turbinado works well, too.

Chewy Ginger Cookies Recipe

Fresh ginger and black pepper bring a kick to this classic cookie. Prep tip: Swirl a liquid measuring cup with a thin coat of vegetable oil before measuring molasses for the most accurate (and least sticky) result.

Hershey's Kiss Cookies Recipe

Here’s a really tasty peanut butter cookie with a delightful milk (or whatever you want!) chocolate nugget smack dab in the center. It’s slightly chewy, with a little crunch from the sugar-coating, and a creamy, melty center. These can be eaten warm, but if you’re taking them somewhere, wait until the cookies have cooled completely before transporting.