17 Classic Cookie Recipes Just Like Your Grandmother Used to Bake

By Kaitlyn Yarborough
John Kernick

When it comes to baking, a Southern grandmother is the queen in a cloud of flour. Many of us can recall a childhood speckled with grandma’s cookies of all kinds, from classic chocolate chip to royally iced sugar (and every recipe in between). We’ll be darned if we ever tasted a cookie as good as one of hers, and we’d never admit it if we did. Because, no matter how masterful, they can never truly measure up to her magic. Southerners are a loyal bunch, and we'll be true on this until the end: “Ain’t no cookie like my grandmother’s cookie.” We've rounded up a collection of classic Memaw-approved cookie recipes that’ll give you a taste of nostalgia—and a hankering for a warm cookie. These are Grandma’s specialty, after all, and they’re worth keeping around for decades to come.

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Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies

Her famous recipe won over the readers of Family Circle magazine back in 2000, and is still talked about—and baked—today.

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Kitchen Sink Cookies

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Kitchen Sink Cookies

This recipe is a more exciting version of basic chocolate chip cookies. As the name suggests, you can just throw in everything but the kitchen sink. (May we suggest: oats, crushed corn chips, chocolate chunks, and almonds.)

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

As if warm chocolate chip cookies couldn't get any better, this recipe swoops in with a next-level ingredient: browned butter. It'll stand out in a bake sale full of chocolate chip-studded cookies. 

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Funfetti Sugar Cookies

Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Funfetti Sugar Cookies 

Because grandma knows how to create a little magic in the kitchen, and—for a kid—colorful cookies that you can frost yourself are just that. 

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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

We always had the honor of pressing the chocolate kisses into these bite-sized beauties while cooking at grandma's. 

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Cheesecake Cookies

Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies

These maraschino cherry-topped cookies should look mighty familiar. This recipe is a longtime holiday crowd-pleaser. 

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Easiest Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Southern Living

Recipe: Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

Memaw's peanut butter cookies are legendary. Little did we know, you only need four ingredients to make a huge batch of perfection.

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Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

This is grandma's version of making lemonade out of lemons—but the lemon is boxed cake mix, which isn't too bad to start. She knows just how to create chewy cookies from her emergency red velvet mix. 

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Pinwheel Cookies

Laurey W. Glenn

Recipe: Pinwheel Cookies 

This vintage recipe gives basic butter cookies a fun chocolatey twist. It makes a classic cookie festive for the holidays. 

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Barbara Bush's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Barbara Bush’s Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

What's special about these "famous" chocolate chip cookies? The secret lies in the recipe. A Texan at heart, Barbara knows to go big or go home. Any Southern grandma appreciates that cookie mentality. 

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Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

She might show up to a swap, sale, or potluck with these stunners around February 14th. 

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Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

Victor Protasio

Recipe: Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies

Because leaving out the flour only makes room for more chocolate. We can get on board. 

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Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie

Southern Living

Recipe: Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie

This recipe is an all-time Southern classic. Make them year-round by switching up the sprinkle colors.

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Easter Cookies

Jen Causey

Recipe: Easter Cookies

You know it's serious when she whips out the royal icing. Easter is one of those special occasions. 

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Seven-Layer Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Seven-Layer Cookies

This is the first-ever bar cookie recipe ever featured in Southern Living. A favorite of Southern cooks, it's easy to make and easy to take. 

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Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Here's one of Grandma's ultimate cookie tricks: Toasting the oatmeal. It instantly makes classic oatmeal cookies so much better. 

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Linzer Cookies with Spiced Jam

John Kernick

Recipe: Linzer Cookies with Spiced Jam

These linzer torte-inspired cookies are pulled out for special occasions. They are as tasty as they are pretty. 

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