Sometimes you want to bake cookies without turning it into a whole project. Rolling dough, chilling, cutting shapes, and cleaning up flour everywhere can wait for another day. Drop cookies keep things simple while still delivering the flavors you want this time of year. Mix, scoop, bake and move on with your life. These recipes cover classic favorites and a few fun variations that don’t ask much from you.
Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
A rich chocolate dough sets the base for creamy white chocolate pieces that soften as the cookies bake. The contrast between dark cocoa and sweet white chocolate keeps each bite interesting without feeling heavy. These feel familiar but slightly unexpected, which makes them easy to reach for again and again.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
Olive Oil Cookies
These cookies have a lightly crisp edge with a soft middle and a clean, subtle sweetness. Olive oil gives them a different texture and flavor than butter-based cookies. They pair easily with coffee or tea.
Get the Recipe: Olive Oil Cookies
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fresh cranberries add tart bites that contrast with melted chocolate chips. The balance keeps the cookies from feeling heavy. They’re especially fitting when cranberries are in season.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Molasses and gingerbread spices bring depth to the dough, while chocolate chunks melt into the cookies as they bake. The flavor feels seasonal and familiar without being overpowering.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Amaretto Fudge Cookies
Dark chocolate forms the base of these soft cookies, with amaretto adding subtle almond flavor. The cookies stay rich and dense without tasting boozy. They feel fitting for winter baking.
Get the Recipe: Amaretto Fudge Cookies
Orange Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Citrus flavor brightens the dough, while pomegranate and chocolate add contrast. The flavors feel seasonal and balanced. These cookies stand out without feeling unusual.
Get the Recipe: Orange Pomegranate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy Thumbprint Cookies
A soft cookie base holds its shape around a simple center. The texture stays tender, and the filling adds sweetness without taking over. These feel classic and familiar.
Get the Recipe: Easy Thumbprint Cookies
Pignoli Cookies
Almond paste gives these cookies a chewy center, while pine nuts add crunch on top. The flavor is rich and focused, with no extras competing for attention. They feel special without being complicated.
Get the Recipe: Pignoli Cookies
Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies
These cookies lean into buttery flavor with chopped pecans and bits of toffee scattered throughout. The texture stays soft with little pops of crunch from the nuts. They taste like something you’d expect on a holiday tray, even though the flavor stays simple and classic.
Get the Recipe: Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies
Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
This version of a chocolate chip cookie has a deeper flavor that comes through without announcing itself. The chocolate stays front and center while the sourdough adds balance and richness. They feel like a grown-up take on a familiar cookie without straying too far from what people love.
Get the Recipe: Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pistachio Pudding Cookies
These cookies have a soft texture and a clear pistachio flavor that stands out from the usual chocolate options. The green color makes them eye-catching, while the inside stays tender after baking. They’re a nice change of pace when you want something nutty and sweet.
Get the Recipe: Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Chewy Caramel Apple Cookies
Apple flavor runs through the dough, with caramel adding sweetness that melts into the cookies as they bake. The texture stays soft and chewy, and the flavor reads clearly as fall without needing extra decoration. These feel comforting in a straightforward way.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Caramel Apple Cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
A chocolate cookie base pairs naturally with peanut butter chips that soften just enough while baking. The balance keeps the cookie from tasting overly sweet while still feeling rich. It’s a familiar combination that always seems to disappear first.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Peppermint Sugar Cookies
These cookies start with a classic sugar cookie base and finish with a peppermint glaze and crushed candy canes. The peppermint comes through cleanly without overpowering the cookie. They feel festive and nostalgic, especially during the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Ginger Sparklers
Strong ginger flavor runs through these cookies, balanced by a crackly sugar coating on the outside. The centers stay chewy, while the exterior adds texture. They’re bold without being overwhelming and stand out on any cookie tray.
Get the Recipe: Ginger Sparklers
Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Applesauce and spice give these snickerdoodles a softer texture and a clear apple note. The cinnamon coating adds warmth and contrast. They taste familiar at first, then finish with something a little different.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie
Chewy oats form the base of these cookies, with butterscotch chips adding sweetness throughout. The combination feels comforting and classic, with just enough richness to keep things interesting. These hold up well and taste even better after they’ve cooled.
Get the Recipe: Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookie
Funfetti Cookies
A soft sugar cookie dough gets a boost from colorful sprinkles baked right in. The texture stays tender, and the sprinkles add a playful crunch. These cookies feel lighthearted and always bring a little fun to the table.
Get the Recipe: Funfetti Cookies
Marble Cookies
Chocolate and vanilla dough swirl together to create cookies that look as good as they taste. Each bite brings a mix of both flavors without either one taking over. They feel familiar but visually interesting.
Get the Recipe: Marble Cookies
White Chocolate and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Tart cranberries cut through the sweetness of white chocolate, while oats add structure and chew. The flavor balance keeps these from feeling overly sweet. They’re especially fitting during colder months.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Bright lemon flavor runs through these cookies, with blueberries adding bursts of sweetness. The texture stays soft, and the citrus keeps everything feeling fresh. They’re a nice option when you want something lighter than chocolate.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Cookies
Sour Cream Cookies
These old-fashioned cookies stay soft with a gentle tang from sour cream. The frosting on top adds sweetness without weighing them down. They carry a nostalgic feel that works for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Cookies
Ranger Cookies
Oats, cornflakes, and chocolate chips come together in cookies with plenty of texture. Each bite has crunch and chew without feeling messy. They’re hearty and familiar in a way that feels comforting.
Get the Recipe: Ranger Cookies
Duck Fat Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies lean into savory notes that deepen the chocolate flavor. The texture stays crisp at the edges with a soft center. The salt ties everything together without overpowering the cookie.
Get the Recipe: Duck Fat Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
Monster Cookies
Thick and chewy, these cookies pack in chocolate pieces and crunchy bits throughout. They feel substantial and filling, with a texture that holds together well. One cookie goes a long way.
Get the Recipe: Monster Cookies
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies focus on soft centers and plenty of melted chocolate. The dough stays tender, and the chocolate spreads into every bite. They’re the kind of cookie people reach for first.
Get the Recipe: Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
German Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate cookies get extra texture from coconut and pecans mixed throughout. The flavors work together without being too sweet. They bring a familiar dessert flavor into cookie form.
Get the Recipe: German Chocolate Cookies
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
