Food and Recipes Desserts Cookies 84 Best Cookies And Bars To Fill Your Cookie Jars By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines and Patricia S York Patricia S York Patricia was the assistant food editor at Southern Living and worked with the Southern Living food team from 2006-2022. She contributed to articles about food, gardening, and pets. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on October 19, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Cookies, brownies, and bars make great homemade gifts for friends and family during the holidays or any special occasion. Whenever we have someone we appreciate, these treats are the best way to show our gratitude. But in that case, you'll want to make a double batch, because there's no chance that a plate of Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownies makes it to the potluck without a quick "quality check" first. These handheld treats will be the hit of any party. We love cookie recipes with a special Southern twist but also crave classics like chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, or snickerdoodles just as much. Get creative—not to mention decadent—with brownie and bar recipes that fuse two classic desserts, like Pecan Pie Bars. During the holidays, try our spins on favorite holiday flavors like Molasses Crinkles. With 75 cookie and bar recipes to choose from, you can fill your cookie jar year-round. You'll always have an easy answer when somebody asks, "What's for dessert?" 01 of 84 Kitchen Sink Cookies Jennifer Causey Go ahead and throw everything in. Well, not quite everything. As the name implies, you throw just about everything but the kitchen sink into these ultra-decadent cookies. They are packed full of chocolate, almonds, corn chips, and oats—that's a lot of deliciousness. Get The Recipe 02 of 84 Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer With luxurious layers of peanut butter and chocolate fudge, these bars are sure to impress. They also prove that your favorite candy can also be your favorite cookie bar. If you can manage to keep them around, these bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Get The Recipe 03 of 84 Snickerdoodle Cookies Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Chewy-crispy snickerdoodles are always a favorite cookie. The combination of sugar and warm cinnamon belong at any party, holiday tray, or weeknight dessert. Get the Recipe 04 of 84 Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies Victor Protasio This recipe gets rave reviews from our readers, who love how simple it is to get rich flavors from such few ingredients. You probably already have everything you need to put a batch of these together sitting in your pantry. So, if you want a great-tasting chocolate cookie recipe that is also gluten-free, this is your dessert. Get The Recipe 05 of 84 Persimmon Cookies Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle When fall and winter roll around, persimmons start to hit the stores. Take advantage of the bounty to make these delicious spice cookies. After they are done baking, drizzle a light lemon glaze on each cookie and sprinkle with pecans. Get the Recipe 06 of 84 Chewy Molasses Cookies Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox No unnecessary spices here: These cookies are full of straightforward, old-fashioned molasses flavor. Don't overbake them, so you can preserve the crinkly, soft, and chewy texture. Get The Recipe 07 of 84 Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox You can make a batch of oatmeal cookies for lunchboxes, after-school treats, or bake sales any day of the week. Between the toasty oats and creamy peanut butter, you'll find yourself grabbing one any time you crave a snack. What else is good in these cookies? How about chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, or M&Ms? Get The Recipe 08 of 84 Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Are your chocolate brownies missing something? We thought so. This recipe calls for bourbon and espresso for an extra decadent dessert. Get The Recipe 09 of 84 Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These no-bake favorites bring back memories of classroom parties past. Kids will love to help make the four-ingredient recipe. Best of all, these cookies only need to set 10 minutes before serving. Get The Recipe 10 of 84 Sugar Cookie Bars Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox Sugar cookies with a layer of buttercream will be your go-to treat. You can change the color of the buttercream, and switch up your sprinkles. Match the cookies to the occasion. Get the Recipe 11 of 84 Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living If our Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies had any fewer ingredients you would literally be standing at your counter eating peanut butter out of a jar with a spoon. They're also easy to remember because you need one of everything: 1 cup of peanut butter; 1 cup of sugar; one egg; and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. And, if you want to spice it up a little, add your favorite chocolate morsels, chopped peanuts, or other delicious embellishments. Get The Recipe 12 of 84 Monster Cookies Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These super chewy and sweet cookies are loaded with favorite candies, like M&Ms and toffee bits. You can get creative with what you add. Almost anything would make a great addition to the fun and over-the-top cookies. Get the Recipe 13 of 84 Crunchy Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Bars Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones Peanut butter and chocolate unite to create a rich, delectable, and memorable bar. White and dark chocolate swirls sit atop a creamy peanut butter base while crisp rice cereal and roasted peanuts add crunch. Even better, there's no baking involved. Get The Recipe 14 of 84 Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Rolling these basic sugar cookies in a cinnamon-sugar mixture adds just enough spice and a bit of color. Brown butter makes them an extra-special delight that practically melts in your mouth. These cookies are just begging to be dunked in a glass of milk. Get The Recipe 15 of 84 Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars Photo: Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns This recipe came to us from the chefs at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, so you know they're good. These ooey-gooey treats taste like a twist between blackberry cobbler and a bar cookie. Pack a batch of these tart, fruity bars for your next picnic or barbecue. Get The Recipe 16 of 84 Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies We love this recipe for many reasons, but mostly because even an amateur baker can whip up a batch. Shaping with a cookie scoop helps to keep these rich cookies uniform in size. This recipe also yields 5 dozen cookies, which means you have plenty to share with family and friends. Get the Recipe 17 of 84 Chewy Chocolate-Peanut Bars Hector Manuel Sanchez These microwave-made chocolate-peanut blondies truly surprised us. You'll love their combination of sticky-sweet peanut butter and rich, gooey chocolate. Your guests won't care how you made them once they take a bite, so take advantage of that often-overlooked kitchen appliance and make this tasty treat. Get The Recipe 18 of 84 Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Jennifer Causey We'll take your chocolate chip cookies and raise you a dose of brown butter, which adds nutty flavor to the dough. This twist on the classic is as much of a crowd-pleaser as the original. Get The Recipe 19 of 84 Spiced Pecan Pie Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Not in the mood for a whole pie? These Spiced Pecan Bars are a delicious alternative. Plus, they're portable, making them easy to bring to your next holiday party. Cinnamon and ginger add an unexpected pie spice flavor. Get The Recipe 20 of 84 Easy Sugar Cookies Carlina Teteris/Getty Images This recipe creates cookies that look beautiful and taste delicious. To transform these from everyday to elegant, cut this dough into a variety of your favorite shapes. If you're not into icing cookies, give them a sprinkle of sanding or granulated sugar for a sparkly, crunchy finish. Get The Recipe 21 of 84 Red Velvet Brownies Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners These are the brownies to serve at your next holiday party. They are moist, tasty, rich with cream cheese, and bursting with festive color. Allow to cool before frosting. Get The Recipe 22 of 84 Molasses Crinkles Hector Manuel Sanchez This wonderful recipe was sent to us by Ms. Alice Rhodes from Harrisonburg, Virginia. A heavy sugar crust and the peppery bite of ginger make these molasses cookies scrumptious. Be sure to use fresh spices; it will make a big difference in how the cookies taste. Get The Recipe 23 of 84 Cappuccino Swirl Bars Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Grab one of these coffee bars for a quick jolt in the morning or afternoon pick-me-up. And while they may look fancy, store-bought wafer cookies are the secret to the chocolate crust. Sprinkle chocolate-covered espresso beans on top for the finishing touch. Get The Recipe 24 of 84 Old Fashioned Tea Cake Micah A. Leal Whether the tea is for two, or just for you, you will love the taste of these tea cakes. Even though they're called cakes, tea cakes are actually easy-to-make, easier-to-eat old-fashioned cookies with a light lemon flavor. Think of these as the perfect cookie to pair with afternoon tea or enjoy with a glass of lemonade. Get The Recipe 25 of 84 Coconut Cheesecake Squares Southern Living These bars get their dreamy tropical flavor from coconut milk, lime, and flaked coconut. Add a little island crunch by topping with toasted macadamia nuts. Who needs a tropical vacation when you have these waiting for you in the kitchen? Get The Recipe 26 of 84 Spritz Cookies Micah A. Leal Spritz cookies are holiday classics. To bake truly authentic spritz cookies, you will want to invest in a cookie press. Then you will be sure to get that oh-so-perfect shape. You can even add colored sugar crystals on top for an extra festive flair. Get The Recipe 27 of 84 Raspberry Crumble Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Sweet enough to be dessert, but also perfect as a mid-afternoon snack, these bars will become a staple in your house after just one batch. Plus, these layered fruit bars work well with fresh or frozen raspberries, making them a year-round treat. Get The Recipe 28 of 84 Brown Sugar Cookie Stars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall These sugar cookies are anything but boring. With brown sugar mixed into the dough and sparkly gold decorations, they're definitely not your average sugar cookies. The brown sugar gives these soft and chewy sugar cookies a deeper flavor. Get The Recipe 29 of 84 Millionaire Shortbread Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland Consider this the homemade, way-upgraded version of your favorite candy bar. With layers of shortbread, caramel, and dark chocolate, each bite delivers a perfect blend of sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy. Get The Recipe 30 of 84 Cheesecake Cookies Caitlin Bensel Sure, cheesecake is delicious, but baking one from scratch can be a whole day's work. Opt for these simplified (yet just as elegant) Cheesecake Cookies instead. Bright maraschino cherries give them a festive feel. Get The Recipe 31 of 84 Best-Ever Brownies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Test Kitchen Professional Ivy Odom developed this brownie recipe just in time for the holidays, but we have a feeling it'll be in our steady rotation all year round. Each batch delivers two pans of gooey, fudgy goodness. Add one of her stir-in surprises: Chocolate Chunk-Sea Salt, Toasted Nut, or Chocolate Mint. Get The Recipe 32 of 84 Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle As with most things in Texas, Bush's Cowboy Cookies are enormous. They're also stuffed with lots of mix-ins like oats, coconut, pecans, and of course, chocolate chips. Since her recipe was published during the 2000 campaign, it has roped in a lot of fans. Get The Recipe 33 of 84 Magic Cookie Bars Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis This recipe takes the best parts of a cookie and a bar and combines them in one delightful dessert so delicious, that people will think you're magic. We used pecans and both bittersweet chocolate and butterscotch chips, but you can experiment with any chips and nuts you enjoy. Get The Recipe 34 of 84 Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall These fragrant cranberry-orange cookies make a great holiday gift. Dried cherries are a tasty alternative other times of year. Pro-tip: so the dough has plenty of time to chill, make the dough the night before and bake the cookies the next day. Get The Recipe 35 of 84 Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones Blueberry and lemon is one of our favorite warm-weather combinations, and these bars are simply bursting with fruity flavor. These bars are gooey and crumbly and need a fork for eating, but you won't mind when you dig into the layer of homemade blueberry preserves. Get The Recipe 36 of 84 Passover Macaroon Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Although this kosher recipe is meant for Passover, the winning combination of coconut and strawberry jam makes these an anytime treat. We also consider it a go-to for when you need a dairy-free, gluten-free treat. Get The Recipe 37 of 84 Daffodil Cookies Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox These fresh, floral, iced cookies are perfect for spring or Easter celebrations. The best part? You don't even need a special cookie cutter to make the flower shapes. Get The Recipe 38 of 84 Seven-Layer Cookies Southern Living These vintage cookies pack seven layers of heaven into one little bar. Fun fact: this was the first bar cookie recipe ever featured in Southern Living Magazine. It remains one of our most popular almost 60 years later. Get The Recipe 39 of 84 Butter Cookies Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Go back to basics with these sweet butter cookies that belong at any celebration. Bonus: The dough comes together quickly thanks to a list of pantry-staple ingredients—no grocery run necessary. Get The Recipe 40 of 84 Red, White, And Blue Cheesecake Bars Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox Complete with a stunning fruit swirl, these bars are the ultimate patriotic treat. Although they're so good, you'll be making them all summer long, not just on the Fourth of July. Either fresh or frozen berries can be used in this recipe. Get The Recipe 41 of 84 Salted Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Slice n' bakes never looked so good. With crushed pecans in the dough and toasted pecan halves on top, these cookies have double the nutty flavor. For extra crunch, evenly coat both dough logs with turbinado sugar before slicing them into rounds. Get the Recipe 42 of 84 No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars Iain Bagwell This one is for those days when you just can't bear to turn on your oven, but you still want your chocolate fix. We layered graham crackers with gooey caramel and creamy chocolate, then sprinkled chopped toffee bars on top. Chill at least four hours before serving. Get The Recipe 43 of 84 Pecan Sandies Micah A. Leal Southerners will sneak pecans into just about anything, including our cookies. This rich recipe has as much butter and sugar as it does flour. The key to these cookies is toasting the pecans to draw out all of their nutty flavor. Get The Recipe 44 of 84 Cream Cheese Brownies Micah A. Leal If you want to adorn your brownies with something other than messy frosting, this one's for you. These brownies may look fancy, but they only take 25 minutes of active time. Cream cheese adds a touch of tang to balance out the sweetness. Get The Recipe 45 of 84 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Caitlin Bensel These easy, delicious cookies are ready for the oven in a matter of minutes. The most difficult part of this recipe will be unwrapping the chocolate kisses—especially since you may be tempted to eat some as you go. Get The Recipe 46 of 84 Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Bright lemon curd and a rich cheesecake mixture combine to create Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars. Why Meyer lemons? They're a little sweeter, less acidic, and come with a heady floral aroma and flavor. Get The Recipe 47 of 84 Texas Sheet Cake Cookies Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee The famous cake takes the form of a cookie topped with its signature frosting. We use boxed cake mix to make these cookies as easy as can be. Dip each one in the warm frosting, then sprinkle with candies, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Get The Recipe 48 of 84 Blueberry Breakfast Bars Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely With jammy centers and toasty tops, these bars make a great afternoon snack—and maybe a breakfast bite, too. With rolled oats and the rich flavors of butter, brown sugar, and blueberries, these delicious breakfast bars are better for you, but they feel like a guilty pleasure. Get The Recipe 49 of 84 Birthday Cake Cookies Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee These nostalgic cookies will take you straight back to childhood. Change the sprinkles to fit any occasion. Serve them with a cold glass of milk—or maybe even a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Get The Recipe 50 of 84 Basil-Lemon Bars Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely These are not your grandmother's lemon bars—and we're okay with that. The addition of basil provides a sophisticated twist on a well-loved dessert. If you're not a fan of basil, try them with a sprig of mint. Get The Recipe 51 of 84 Red Velvet Cake Crinkle Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones If you love red velvet cake, then you'll appreciate its cookie counterpart, too. They're rich, cakey, slightly fudgy—kids and adults will go crazy for them. Powdered sugar enhances those chocolatey crinkles that develop while baking. Get The Recipe 52 of 84 Coconut-Citrus Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee Move over, lemon square. This recipe repackages everything we love about ambrosia at the holidays. Whether you find yourself in the throes of summer or a chilly winter, our Coconut-Citrus Bars are sure to brighten everything up. Get The Recipe 53 of 84 Triple-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones Add these to your holiday cookie arsenal and you're pretty much guaranteed an invite to every cookie swap of the season. A layer of chocolate marshmallow cream hides between two wafers, which are covered with a luxurious coating of melted chocolate. Use white chocolate to pipe a contrasting design for an extra fancy cookie. Get The Recipe 54 of 84 Carrot Cake Bars Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin Calling all carrot cake lovers. This one's for you: everything you love about it with less of the fuss. The firm but moist squares are easy to cut and bring to a gathering. Get The Recipe 55 of 84 Soft Pumpkin Cookies Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey These cookies are the ultimate fall pick-me-up. Cakey, warmly spiced, and topped with sweet icing and crunchy pecans, they'll be impossible for company to resist. The bite-sized cookies contain actual pumpkin, not just pumpkin spice. Get The Recipe 56 of 84 Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Take our Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars to your next spring picnic. A buttery cookie base balances out the tart rhubarb, and raspberries add a tangy sweetness. Almonds add a subtle nutty and sweet aroma. Get The Recipe 57 of 84 Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Christine Keely If you love a little kitchen drama, you'll want to add our Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies to your recipe box. Let's just say these'll be a…smashing success. The edges are very crispy, while the centers maintain a chewy, gooey consistency. Get The Recipe 58 of 84 Lavender Shortbread Cookies Joy Howard Say hello to summer with this crumbly shortbread recipe perfumed with lavender. You'll instantly be transported to the fields of Provence. Use culinary lavender and a light touch, as a little floral flavor goes a long way. Get The Recipe 59 of 84 Red, White, And Blue Cake Mix Cookies Joy Howard In a festive mood? These easy cookies do just the trick. Serve alongside a tall glass of lemonade, and use different sprinkles to suit any occasion and celebration. Get The Recipe 60 of 84 Salted Caramel Popcorn Bars Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel These may sound fancy, but the truth is, the caramel sauce comes together quickly with the help of some caramel candies, a little water, and marshmallows. Try some of our favorite additions, like M&Ms, dried apple chips and candied pecans, or marshmallows and milk chocolate. Get The Recipe 61 of 84 Raspberry-White Chocolate Meringue Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis These delicate treats are a spot-on Valentine's Day or springtime offering. Crisp raspberry meringue roses sandwich a luscious white-chocolate filling tapered by tart raspberry preserves. Get The Recipe 62 of 84 Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies Linda Pugliese These bars have a lot going on, and we're loving every part of it. Why make boring blondies when you could have these? Use high-quality 100% maple syrup for these bars. The darker the syrup, the stronger the flavor. Get The Recipe 63 of 84 Butterscotch-Toasted Oatmeal Cookies Linda Pugliese These are not your average oatmeal cookies. Butterscotch chips and toasted pecan pieces sub in for raisins (which we know the raisin-haters will appreciate), adding an extra nuttiness that pairs well with the warm flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in these cookies. Get The Recipe 64 of 84 Chocolate-Hazelnut Rugelach Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Layers of sugar, spice, nuts, and chocolate get rolled up in a flaky, pie-crust-like dough for a cookie that looks impressive but is basically a slice-and-bake. The filling for these cookies is endlessly customizable: Use your favorite nuts, dried fruit, or even jams instead. Get The Recipe 65 of 84 Gingerbread Biscotti Photographer: Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Biscotti means "twice baked" in Italian. The double-baking process ensures that these cookies are crispy throughout. For extra holiday cheer, we made these biscotti gingerbread-flavored by adding molasses and plenty of warm spices, including of course, ginger. Get The Recipe 66 of 84 White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Photo: Jennifer Causey White chocolate isn't for everyone, but if it's for you, then these are your cookies. Sweet and creamy white chocolate pairs with tart dried cranberries for soft and chewy cookies that make a sweet addition to any cookie jar. Get The Recipe 67 of 84 Ambrosia Streusel Bars With Shortbread Crust Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Serve ambrosia in a new way with these delectable bars. Crushed pineapple, maraschino cherries, and orange marmalade create a filling that tastes exactly like everyone's favorite salad, while a shortbread crust serves as an easy, buttery base. Get The Recipe 68 of 84 Cherry Pie Bars Greg Dupree We transformed cherry pie into a crowd-pleasing, portable treat. The thick, buttery crust is covered in cherry pie filling and a pecan crumble, then topped with a sweet glaze. Make and store these bars, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to three days. Get The Recipe 69 of 84 Pumpkin Spice Cookies Micah A. Leal Speaking of spice cookies, you'll eat up this riff on snickerdoodles. Canned pumpkin gives the cookies a slightly orange hue and makes them soft and velvety. Don't use canned pumpkin pie filling, which has extra ingredients that will throw off the recipe. Get The Recipe 70 of 84 Lemon Cream Cheese Bars Micah A. Leal Looking for something heftier than the usual powdery, crumbly lemon bar? Our Lemon Cream Cheese Bars are rich and creamy with a thick and chewy bottom crust that makes up almost half of the bar. Ribbons of lemon curd run through the gooey layer on top. Get The Recipe 71 of 84 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis If you thought you couldn't improve on banana pudding, we're here to prove you wrong. These Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars have all of the custardy appeal of old-fashioned banana pudding, but they're much easier to make and take to a gathering. From the silky cheesecake filling to the brown butter-vanilla wafer crust, these bars have layers of flavor in every bite. Get The Recipe 72 of 84 Cranberry-Lemon Bars Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox We added a layer of cranberry jam for an unexpected twist on this bridal shower and family reunion favorite. It takes about 30 minutes to cook on the stove, but we think the brilliant color and zingy flavor are worth it. Chill these bars completely before slicing. Get The Recipe 73 of 84 Brownie Cookies Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist Shell Royster You knew it was coming: Of course we converted fudgy brownies into an amazing cookie. This five-ingredient recipe starts with a double-chocolate brownie mix. Freezing the dough briefly helps the cookies hold their shape when they bake. Get The Recipe 74 of 84 Santa's Kitchen Sink Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis These holiday cookies are so addictive, let's just hope there are some left for Santa. You'll find pretzel pieces, chocolate chips, and marshmallows in these salty and sweet cookies. Add red and green M&Ms for a festive touch. Get The Recipe 75 of 84 White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies Iain Bagwell Pretty crushed peppermints and creamy mint icing dress up these blondies in holiday style. Like many of our bars, you'll want to line the pan with parchment paper so you can easily slide out the dessert and cut it neatly. This recipe is designed to make two dozen bars, plenty to take to your next holiday potluck. Get The Recipe 76 of 84 Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars Antonis Achilleos At once fruity and buttery, these bars topped with crumbly almond streusel simply melt in your mouth. They might just replace lemon bars as your go-to fruity dessert once you get a taste of the tropics. Get The Recipe 77 of 84 Coconut Cookies Micah A. Leal Coconut flavor has the potential to utterly charm you, and when applied in this easy-to-bake cookie recipe, it just can't be beat. Get The Recipe 78 of 84 Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Micah A. Leal Red velvet cake has more than a few fans out there, and when you don't want to spend your time baking a cake, you can always spin up a batch of delicious cookies using the same easy cake mix. Get The Recipe 79 of 84 Homemade Pralines Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Torie Cox No holiday cookie jar is complete without a praline or two. Whip up a batch for a nostalgic holiday moment. Get The Recipe 80 of 84 Dark Chocolate-Ginger-Molasses Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Molasses is a favorite fall and winter flavor, and it does just the trick in these cozy and warming cookies that are also spiced with ginger and dark chocolate. Get The Recipe 81 of 84 Soft Ginger-Molasses Cookies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis These striped beauties pack a punch of festive flavor thanks to the addition of ginger and molasses. Get The Recipe 82 of 84 Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread Recipe Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller Toasted pecans take center stage in this delicious recipe, but they're happy to share the spotlight with the tartness of holiday-ready cranberry. Get The Recipe 83 of 84 Peppermint Divinity Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Peppermint divinity always has a place in our holiday cookie tin. Get The Recipe 84 of 84 Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies Katie Strasberg Rousso Chocolate drop cookies, just like Grandma made them. This recipe is so simple to make, and the results are delectable. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit