136 soft cookie recipes

Soft drop cookies loaded with apricot preserves, cream cheese, and pecans, topped with an apricot-spiked frosting for double fruit flavor.

Old-fashioned cut-out sugar cookies brushed with egg-white glaze and sprinkled with nuts or sugar. A versatile rolled cookie that goes thin and crisp or thick and soft to suit any occasion.

Cinnamon sugar cookies with a tender shortening-based dough, brushed with egg white and topped with a cinnamon sugar sparkle. Crisp edges, soft centers.

Old-fashioned hickory nut drop cookies with sour milk, raisins, and chopped nuts in a soft, cakey dough. A heritage Midwest recipe with buttery, wild nut flavor.

Old-fashioned sour cream drop cookies that bake up soft and pillowy. Versatile enough for chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, or rolled and cut into shapes.

Peanut butter thumbprint cookies filled with cherry preserves. Soft, nutty peanut butter dough with a jewel-toned jelly center in every bite.

Chocolate covered marshmallow cookies with a soft vanilla base, a melted marshmallow top, cocoa frosting, and a pecan half. Like homemade Mallomars.

Chewy chocolate cookies made with cocoa powder, corn syrup, and egg whites for a fat-free treat that's soft, fudgy, and guilt-free.

Whoopie pies sandwich two soft chocolate cake-cookies around a fluffy vanilla cream filling. Maine and Pennsylvania Dutch dessert with a cult following.

Holiday Unbeatables are chewy, no-butter cookies made with egg whites, powdered sugar, walnuts, and candied cherries. Naturally gluten-light with a crisp edge and soft, meringue-like center.

Soft persimmon cookies spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, loaded with walnuts and raisins. A nostalgic fall baking recipe that puts ripe persimmon pulp to its best use.

Norwegian kringla are soft pretzel-shaped buttermilk cookies twisted into figure-eights. A traditional Scandinavian coffee-time treat that needs an overnight chill for flavor.

Soft chocolate drop cookies packed with maraschino cherries and topped with a glossy chocolate frosting. Buttermilk keeps them tender. Makes 4 to 5 dozen in about 30 minutes, so they're built for holiday cookie trays and bake sales.

Brown sugar drop cookies made with buttermilk, shortening, and just seven ingredients. Soft, chewy, and caramelly with a one-hour chill and 10-minute bake.

Old-fashioned honey drop cookies with cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. No refined sugar at all. Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced with a caramel-like sweetness.

Chewy oatmeal cookies loaded with milk chocolate chips, chopped toffee bars, and maple syrup. Rolled into balls and baked until just set for a soft, chewy center.