Delightful Cookies, Brownies, and Bar Cookies Recipes

Chunky Chocolate Gobs

These ultrachocolate cookies are, hands down, some of the best ever to come through our Test Kitchens.

Recipe: Chunky Chocolate Gobs

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Tequila-Lime-Coconut Macaroon Bars

Tequila, lime, and coconut are a tropical trio in this summery dessert. Garnish with powdered sugar and lime rind curls for an impressive finish.

Recipe: Tequila-Lime-Coconut Macaroon Bars

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Peanut Butter-Chocolate-Oatmeal Cereal Bars

It's hard to beat the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Mix in some peanuts and oatmeal and you'll have a more nutritious treat.

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Chocolate-Oatmeal Cereal Bars

Brownie Cookies

You'll love how these scrumptious double-chocolate cookies are similar in taste and texture to thick and fudgy brownies.

Recipe: Brownie Cookies

Peanut Butter-Candy Bar Brownies

Peanut butter sandwich cookies become the crumb crust for these hunky bars loaded with chunks of your favorite candy bars.

Recipe: Peanut Butter-Candy Bar Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Transform simple brownies into Mississippi Mud Brownies by adding toasted pecans and miniature marshmallows.

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Brownies

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dark brown sugar adds surprising richness to this cookie dough. Bake each batch 8 minutes for soft and gooey cookies, or up to 14 minutes for crisp results.

Recipe: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Ginger-Lemon Bars with Almond Streusel

Ginger and lemon give these bars a little unexpected zip. Try this easy recipe for a weekday dessert or a summer party.

Recipe: Ginger-Lemon Bars with Almond Streusel

Chocolate Chunk-Mocha Cookies

Fabulously rich Chocolate Chunk-Mocha Cookies are simple enough for the most novice of bakers. After the cookies cool completely, spread with Mocha Frosting.

Recipe: Chocolate Chunk-Mocha Cookies

Kitchen Sink Brownies

Decadence abounds in each bite of these chunky, candy-studded brownies full of good things you might already have in the pantry.

Recipe: Kitchen Sink Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Peach Melba Shortbread Bars

This easy recipe puts peach melba into a bar form with a winning combination of shortbread and raspberry and peach preserves. Garnish with sliced almonds and powdered sugar.

Recipe: Peach Melba Shortbread Bars

Smoky Mountain Snowcaps

Reminiscent of the white-dusted mountain peaks, these cookies, with white chocolate and a sprinkling of powdered sugar, are as sweet as snowfall on a school day in the South. Toasted walnuts and nutmeg give them a nice crunch and spicy flavor.

Recipe: Smoky Mountain Snowcaps

Death by Caramel Bars

These showy brownies are nice and tall, with pockets of soft caramel. They are wicked enough on their own, but for an over-the-top dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Recipe: Death by Caramel Bars

Pecan Squares

Use salted butter and bring the filling to a rolling boil before pouring it over the crust.

Recipe: Pecan Squares

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Snickerdoodles

Rolling these basic sugar cookies in a cinnamon-sugar mixture adds just enough spice and a bit of color.

Recipe: Snickerdoodles

Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

These indulgent bars are filled with toasted chopped pecans and semisweet chocolate morsels, and topped with a warm Caramel Frosting. What more can you ask out of a brownie?

Recipe: Double Chocolate Brownies with Caramel Frosting

Oatmeal Carmelitas

Caramels, chocolate morsels, and pecans combine for a fast-disappearing treat.

Recipe: Oatmeal Carmelitas

Crunchy Frostbite Cookies

Just a touch of peppermint extract adds the frosty flavor to the icing in this melt-in-your-mouth favorite.

Recipe: Crunchy Frostbite Cookies

Cheesecake Swirl Squares

Cheesecake brownies get a splash of rum flavor and extra richness from eggnog. Cut them into large bars for a special-occasion splurge.

Recipe: Cheesecake Swirl Squares

Butter-Mint Shortbread

A dash of mint extract gives these buttery shortbread cookies an extra zing. Choose peppermint or spearmint extract to give them the flavor twist you prefer; then serve them with hot mint tea or a tall glass of sweet tea and a slice of fresh lemon.

Recipe: Butter-Mint Shortbread

Oatmeal-Pecan Snack Cookies

These nutritious cookies are great with a cup of cold low-fat milk for a super-quick breakfast or healthier dessert. Store them in zip-top plastic freezer bags in the freezer for up to one month.

Recipe: Oatmeal-Pecan Snack Cookies

Bayou Brownies

Don’t think chocolate when you try these brownies; instead, think pecans and a sweet cream cheese topping. Yellow cake mix makes the recipe extra convenient for busy cooks to whip up in minutes.

Recipe: Bayou Brownies

Cappuccino Frosted Brownies

These delicious little treats received our Test Kitchen's highest rating.

Recipe: Cappuccino Frosted Brownies

Crispy Praline Cookies

In Louisiana it’s “prah·leen.” In Georgia it’s “pray·leen.” But no matter how you pronounce it, these cookies are reminiscent of the beloved pecan candy tradition from New Orleans, on the Mississippi River, where sugarcane and nuts were cultivated in abundance.

Recipe: Crispy Praline Cookies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Caramel Pecan Brownies

Next time you make simple brownies, try topping with caramel and toasted pecans. This recipe is easier than you might think.

Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Strawberry-Lemon Shortbread Bars

Shortbread, strawberry preserves, and cheesecake make up the three layers in this delicious bar recipe. You can easily refrigerate the leftovers, but don't expect to have any!

Recipe: Strawberry-Lemon Shortbread Bars

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Candy Bar-Peanut Butter Cookies

These gooey cookies are made with Snickers and peanut butter for that decadent chocolate-peanut buttery flavor.

Recipe: Candy Bar-Peanut Butter Cookies

Key Lime Bars with Macadamia Crust

Found in the southernmost tip of Florida, Key limes are small, yellow, and have a tarter flavor than other lime varieties. Macadamias contribute to the perfect crust for this creamy filling.

Recipe: Key Lime Bars with Macadamia Crust

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Marbled Brownies

Create marbled brownies by swirling in a cream cheese mixture to your simple brownie batter. Not only do they look impressive, but they're extra delicious, too.