Our 70 Best Cookies And Bars To Fill Your Cookie Jars Try our best cookie and bar recipes, including classics, as well as new takes on old favorites. 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 Updated on December 21, 2024 Close Credit: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Cookies, brownies, and bars make great homemade gifts for friends and family during the holidays or any special occasion. These homemade 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. With so many 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 70 Chocolate Velvets Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell A reader favorite from 1984 that made a comeback in 2024: creamy chocolate truffles with an incredible, can't-be-topped texture. get the recipe Save 02 of 70 Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These rich and fudgy cookies have a flavor and texture that's similar to brownies. The dough is sticky, so make sure it is thoroughly chilled before you scoop it and roll it into balls. get the recipe Save 03 of 70 Hot Cocoa Cookies Credit: Brian Woodcock; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell A five-star recipe that will not disappoint (especially around the holidays!). Rich and creamy hot cocoa cookies have a brownie-like texture with a marshmallow topping. get the recipe Save 04 of 70 Southern Cheese Thumbprints Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Fans of classic cheese straws will go wild for these sweet and savory treats. The cookie is super cheesy with a perfect amount of sweetness from the powdered sugar and heat from pepper jelly. get the recipe Save 05 of 70 5-Ingredient Sugar Cookie Fudge Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Meet the star of the cookie swap. If you love sugar cookies and decadent fudge, this easy recipe will be something to celebrate. get the recipe Save 06 of 70 Red Velvet Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Enjoy the fudgy flavor of your favorite classic cake with just 20 minutes of active baking time. White chocolate chunks studded throughout make these feel especially festive. GET THE RECIPE Save 07 of 70 Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies Credit: Will Dickey; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee 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 Save 08 of 70 Chewy Molasses Cookies Credit: 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 Save 09 of 70 Pecan Sandies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Buttery shortbread and nutty pecans are a match made in heaven, and this recipe combines the best of both. The classic cookie gets its name from both the golden-brown sand color and crumbly texture that's also a bit "sandy". Get The Recipe Save 10 of 70 Walnut Crescent Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox These melt-in-your-mouth walnut crescent cookies are buttery, crisp, and dusted with powdered sugar for an irresistible treat. Toasted walnuts add depth, but pecans are an easy swap for a flavor variation. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 70 Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars Credit: 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 Save 12 of 70 Vanilla Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Sometimes the simplest cookies are the best, and these let the pure floral flavor and fragrance of vanilla shine. (And if you can't resist chocolate chips or another mix-in, they work well with those too.) Get The Recipe Save 13 of 70 Snickerdoodle Cookies Credit: 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 Save 14 of 70 Tea Cakes Credit: Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen While they can be served with tea, Southern-style tea cakes, aren't cakes, they are thin cookies with soft centers and crisp edges. Get The Recipe Save 15 of 70 Chocolate Chip Blondies Credit: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel A generous amount of vanilla, semisweet chocolate chips, and flaky salt give these blondies an edge over other recipes you may have tried. Get The Recipe Save 16 of 70 No-Bake Cookies Credit: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Lauren Odum; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Make a batch of homemade cookies without turning on the oven. It's a great recipe beginning bakers and kids. Get The Recipe Save 17 of 70 Ranger Cookies Credit: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle A cousin to Cowboy Cookies, Ranger Cookies are also made with chocolate chips, nuts, and oats. These also have puffed rice cereal and coconut for a fun twist. Get The Recipe Save 18 of 70 Snowball Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox A cookie tin favorite, these crumbly, pecan-filled treats are delicious any time of the year. Get The Recipe Save 19 of 70 Persimmon Cookies Credit: 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 Save 20 of 70 Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Credit: 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 Save 21 of 70 Chocolate Macarons Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Macarons, while delicious, are famously tricky to make. Which is why we created this baker-friendly, tip-filled recipe to make the process easier. Get The Recipe Save 22 of 70 Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies Credit: 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 Save 23 of 70 Texas Sheet Cake Cookies Credit: 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 Save 24 of 70 Sugar Cookie Bars Credit: 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 Save 25 of 70 Ginger Cemetery Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Never heard of Cemetery Cookies? You're not alone. But these obscure molasses-spice packed treats are so good, they deserve to be more well-known. Get The Recipe Save 26 of 70 Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Credit: 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 Save 27 of 70 Monster Cookies Credit: 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 Save 28 of 70 Crunchy Peanut Butter-Chocolate Swirl Bars Credit: 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 Save 29 of 70 Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Credit: 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 Save 30 of 70 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 Save 31 of 70 Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Credit: 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 Save 32 of 70 Spiced Pecan Pie Bars Credit: 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 Save 33 of 70 Easy Sugar Cookies Credit: Carlina Teteris/Getty Images Get your rolling pin ready to create 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 Save 34 of 70 Red Velvet Brownies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox 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 Save 35 of 70 Molasses Crinkles Credit: 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 Save 36 of 70 Cappuccino Swirl Bars Credit: 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 Save 37 of 70 Coconut Cheesecake Squares Credit: 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 Save 38 of 70 Easy Spritz Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox 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 Save 39 of 70 Cheesecake Cookies Credit: 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 Save 40 of 70 Best-Ever Brownies Credit: 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 Save 41 of 70 Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies Credit: 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 Save 42 of 70 Magic Cookie Bars Credit: 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 Save 43 of 70 Cranberry-Orange Butter Cookies Credit: 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 Save 44 of 70 Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars Credit: 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 Save 45 of 70 Passover Macaroon Sandwich Cookies Credit: 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 Save 46 of 70 Seven-Layer Cookies Credit: 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 Save 47 of 70 Butter Cookies Credit: 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 Save 48 of 70 Red, White, And Blue Cheesecake Bars Credit: 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 Save 49 of 70 Salted Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies Credit: 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 Save 50 of 70 No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars Credit: 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 Save 51 of 70 Cream Cheese Brownies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox 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 Save 52 of 70 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster 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 Save 53 of 70 Meyer Lemon Cheesecake Bars Credit: 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 Save 54 of 70 Blueberry Breakfast Bars Credit: 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 Save 55 of 70 Carrot Cake Bars Credit: 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 Save 56 of 70 Pan-Banging Chocolate Chip Cookies Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox 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 Save 57 of 70 Raspberry-White Chocolate Meringue Sandwich Cookies Credit: 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 Save 58 of 70 Brown Butter-Maple-Pecan Blondies Credit: 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 Save 59 of 70 White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies Credit: 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 Save 60 of 70 Cherry Pie Bars Credit: 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 Save 61 of 70 Pumpkin Spice Cookies Credit: Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless 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 Save 62 of 70 Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars Credit: 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 Save 63 of 70 Cranberry-Lemon Bars Credit: 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 Save 64 of 70 Brownie Cookies Credit: 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 Save 65 of 70 Santa's Kitchen Sink Cookies Credit: 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 Save 66 of 70 White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies Credit: 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 Save 67 of 70 Buttery Pineapple Crumble Bars Credit: 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 68 of 70 Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies Credit: Emily Laurae 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 Save 69 of 70 Homemade Pralines Credit: 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 Save 70 of 70 Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies Credit: 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 Save Explore more: Food and Recipes Desserts Cookies Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit