Our Best Recipes for a Cookie Swap

Updated October 12, 2018
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With these cookies, you'll be the life of any cookie swap party. 

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Pumpkin Pie Cutout Cookies

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Pumpkin Pie Cutout Cookies Recipe

Bake the cookies up to five days ahead, and store in an airtight container. To make our wind cookies and leaf cookies, we used round cutters and swirly piping to represent the wind, and various sizes of leaf-shaped cutters for fluttering foliage. For more on decorating cookies, visit southernliving.com/cookietips.

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Lavender-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Credit: Whitney Ott; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Lavender-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These delicate, crispy shortbread cookies are incredibly impressive given how easy they are to make. With just the right balance of gentle herbaceous, floral flavor and saltiness, these not-too-sweet shortbread cookies are the perfect treat to pair with anything from coffee and tea to lemonade or rosé. While both have fairly potent flavors, when applied with an expert touch (i.e. knowing restraint), lavender and rosemary make an amazing team—delivering sophisticated personality to whatever they touch. Culinary lavender buds are readily available in many nationwide supermarkets, but you can also order them online if you have trouble finding them locally. One key baker's tip to remember when it comes to making shortbread, definitely don’t skip out on chilling your dough before baking. This resting period helps the dough relax (resulting in a more tender, delicate cookie) and helps the cookies keep their shape in the oven. If you plan to make these lavender shortbread cookies for a special occasion (or you just love them so much you want to keep them around), you can easily whip up a double or triple batch of dough in advance and keep the unbaked logs frozen; when you’re ready for cookies, just pop the logs out of the freezer, then slice and bake. If you wanted to dress them up even further, a simple lemon glaze would be a delightful addition drizzled over the baked and cooled lavender-rosemary shortbread. 

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The Ultimate Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Credit: Sara Tane

The Ultimate Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookie Recipe

Everybody needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, and this is the one that you can rely on, time after time. Topped with flaky sea salt and bursting with bittersweet chocolate chunks, this sweet treat is not for the faint of heart. By baking them at a high temperature for a short burst of time, the exterior boasts a crisp texture and golden-brown color, while the inside remains melty, chewy and warm as ever. For the ultimate sweet deal, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or drink it alongside a tall glass of milk.

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Cherry and Pistachio Rugelach

Credit: Linda Pugliese; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross Walker

Cherry and Pistachio Rugelach Recipe

You can switch out the cherry preserves and dried cherries for another fruit that comes in both spread and dried form, such as apricot, currant, or blueberry.

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Swedish Holiday Cookies

Swedish Holiday Cookies Recipe

Bring these cookies to your next holiday cookie swap.

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Golden Almond Cookies

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Golden Almond Cookies Recipe

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Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Caroline Murphey

Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies Recipe

The chai gives this cookie a kick while the eggnog topping shows a sweet side.

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Stacked Snowman Cookies

Credit: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Blake Ramsey Murray

Stacked Snowman Cookies Recipe

Kids will love helping to frost and deliver these stackable snowman cookies!

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Thin Mint Whoopie Pies

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Thin Mint Whoopie Pies Recipe

Inspired by the favorite Girl Scout Cookie, these mint-chocolate whoopie pies are a Thin Mint lover’s dream. The addition of crushed Thin Mints to the soft and fluffy dessert sandwiches delivers the perfect element of crunch.

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Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti Cookies Recipe

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Pecan Bar Cookies

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Pecan Bar Cookies Recipe

Though these delicate cookies have a crisp outside, they are soft inside, making them the ideal bar cookie in our book.

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Peppermint Cookies

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Peppermint Cookies Recipe

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Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies

Credit: Jan Smith

Maple-Walnut Spice Cookies Recipe

Store these frosted cookies between layers of parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from sticking together. You can bake and freeze the cookies up to a month in advance; bring the cookies to room temperature before frosting them.

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Lemon-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies

Lemon-Lime Mexican Wedding Cookies Recipe

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Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Credit: Yunhee Kim; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Ginger-Molasses Cookies Recipe

Serve a plate of melt-in-your-mouth cookies to friends and family tonight. The ginger in these cookies make them extra memorable.

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Cranberry Meringue Cookies

Cranberry Meringue Cookies Recipe

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Chilled Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies

Credit: Andrew McCaul; Food Styling: Jamie Kimm; Prop Styling: Gerri Williams

Chilled Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

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Oatmeal, Chocolate, and Walnut Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Oatmeal, Chocolate, and Walnut Cookies Recipe

Chewy oatmeal and crunchy walnuts can completely transform the typical lunch box chocolate chip cookie, adding new flavors and texture while subtly increasing the cookie's nutritional value.

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5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies

Credit: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller

5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies Recipe

When glazing, use a shallow bowl that will accommodate the entire cookie.

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Peanut Butter Icebox Cookies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cathy Muir

Peanut Butter Icebox Cookies Recipe

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Triple Chocolate Cookies

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Triple Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Chocolate lovers will be delighted over Triple Chocolate Cookies with chopped semisweet chocolate and milk chocolate chips inside the cookies and melted white chocolate on the outside.

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Caramel Popcorn Cookies

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Claire Spollen

Caramel Popcorn Cookies Recipe

Experimenting with unusual ingredients can produce an irresistible batch of cookies. In this recipe, caramel and popcorn pieces create the ultimate combination of salty and sweet—in cookie form!

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Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro

Macadamia Butter Cookies with Dried Cranberries Recipe

We love these thick, satisfying cookies as humble as peanut butter cookies but not as crumbly. Dried cranberries provide a slightly tart counterpoint to the macadamia nuts' richness. The dough is somewhat sticky; chilling it briefly makes handling easier.

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Cocoa Fudge Cookies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Cocoa Fudge Cookies Recipe

You can mix these incredibly easy, fudge cookies right in the saucepan. When freshly baked, these thin cookies have crisp edges and chewy centers. You can make them with either Dutch process or natural unsweetened cocoa powder; we opted for the latter.

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Spritz Cookies

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Linda Hirst

Spritz Cookies Recipe

No holiday dessert table is complete without Spritz Cookies. For truly authentic Spritz Cookies, be sure to invest in a cookie press to get that oh-so-perfect shape.

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Chocolate Malted Cookies

Credit: Randy Mayor

Chocolate Malted Cookies Recipe

Four types of chocolate make these cookies an extra-special treat for the chocolate lover in your family.

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Mudslide Cookies

Credit: Randy Mayor

Mudslide Cookies Recipe

Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and rich and delicious all the way around is how readers rate these brownie-like cookies. Need we say more?

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Triple Fruit Cookies

Credit: Jan Smith

Triple Fruit Cookies Recipe

Make these cookies up to a week in advance, since they freeze well. Dried fruits are available in most supermarkets and health food stores.

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Peanut Butter Cookies with Butterscotch Bits

Credit: John Montana; Styling: Lynn Miller

Peanut Butter Cookies with Butterscotch Bits Recipe

Crisscrossed fork marks and all, these peanut butter cookies are just like Mom made, with the addition of yummy butterscotch morsels for extra flavor and a sweet crunch.

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Pecan Cookies

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Sarah Smart

Pecan Cookies Recipe

Make the cookie dough up to a month in advance, wrap it tightly, and freeze. Thaw dough completely by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.

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Anise Tea Crescents

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr, Jan Gautro

Anise Tea Crescents Recipe

Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar while they're still warm results in a deliciously sweet, snowy coating.

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Orange Bizcochitos

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke

Orange Bizcochitos Recipe

Bizcochitos are anise-flavored drop cookies that originated in New Mexico. Prepare the dough in advance, and refrigerate up to three days. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. Omit the aniseed if you don't care for its licorice flavor.

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Spicy Oatmeal Crisps

Spicy Oatmeal Crisps Recipe

Pepper may sound like an odd ingredient for a cookie, but it complements the other spices well (although you can omit it if you prefer).

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Chocolate-Hazelnut Thumbprints Recipe

With a double shot of chocolate and hazelnut flavors, kids and adults will rave over these filled cookies. The espresso powder is optional, but it intensifies the chocolate flavor.

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Crunchy Sesame Cookies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Jan Gautro

Crunchy Sesame Cookies Recipe

Roasted sesame-seed paste and dark sesame oil deliver a deep, nutty flavor. A touch of corn syrup and cornstarch ensure crispness.

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