Sweet, buttery, and filled with fruity jam, these Valentine’s Day Thumbprint Cookies with Jam are the perfect treat for sharing the love. With soft centers, crisp edges, and a drizzle of creamy white chocolate, they’re as beautiful as they are delicious.

Simple ingredients and a whole lot of heart make this Valentine’s cookie recipe one you’ll want to make year after year.

This classic thumbprint cookie recipe uses just the right amount of butter, while still delivering that rich, buttery flavor! They’re shaped into sweet little hearts, baked with love, and perfect for Valentine’s Day!

The first time I had a thumbprint cookie, I was in elementary school and my mom had this little cookbook for kids. That was so cute with these darling little graphics of kids cooking almost precious moments style. Remember those little kids that were so popular? The only problem was the recipe turned out dry and boring.

I’ve been hesitant to share a thumbprint cookie ever since, but this one is absolute perfection and it’s almost like a cross between a sugar cookie and a melt in your mouth butter cookie. I prefer to use a seedless jam, but do whatever you’ve got on hand. My extra touch? A little drizzle of white chocolate and making the indents into the shape of a heart really takes these to the next level for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients For Valentine’s Day Thumbprint Cookies

You don’t need anything fancy to make these Valentine’s thumbprint cookies! Just a handful of pantry staples that come together to create the perfect treat.

• Butter: Creates a rich, tender cookie base.
• Sugar: Sweetens and helps the cookies spread.
• Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a soft texture.
• Egg Yolk: Binds the dough and keeps it chewy.
• Vanilla: Enhances the overall flavor.
• Almond Extract: Adds a light, nutty warmth.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness.
• Flour: Gives the cookies structure.
• Cornstarch: Keeps the cookies soft and thick.
• Seedless Jam: For the jam filling for each thumbprint. Strawberry, raspberry, and cherry work best for Valentine’s Day.
• White Baking Bark/White Chocolate Chips: Adds a sweet, creamy finish.

I love making these cookies while my kids are at school, so when they come home, a sweet Valentine’s treat is waiting for them.

How to Make Thumbprint Cookies

These thumbprint cookies are a fun take on a classic, and they’re easy enough for kids to help make. Here’s how to bake them step by step:

1. Prep Chocolate: Chop the white baking bark or white chocolate chips and set aside.
2. Cream Butter: Beat the butter until soft and fluffy.
3. Add Sugars: Mix in both sugars and the salt until smooth.
4. Mix Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract.
5. Add Dry Ingredients: Slowly mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.
6. Shape Cookies: Roll dough into balls, place on a lined tray, and press a thumbprint in the center.
7. Chill Dough: Freeze cookies for 30 minutes so they hold their shape.
8. Fill & Bake: Warm the jam, fill each thumbprint, then bake at 375°F until edges are golden.
9. Cool: Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Drizzle: Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the cooled cookies.

More detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

These thumbprint cookies are easy to make ahead of time. You can prepare and shape the dough, then freeze it until you’re ready to bake. Just add the jam and bake straight from the freezer. You can also freeze fully baked cookies for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature and add the white chocolate drizzle before serving for the best taste and texture.

Once baked, let the cookies cool completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. 

Whether you’re baking for a classroom party, for an after-school treat, a romantic dessert, galentines, or a special holiday spread, these easy Valentine’s Thumbprint Cookies come together quickly and always impress.

Other Valentine’s Day Recipes You’ll Like

• Garlic Butter Steak
• Oven Braised Short Ribs
• Chocolate Fondue
• Raspberry Sweet Rolls
• Valentines Snack Mix

Watch How To Make These Cookies

For all our chocoholics, these double chocolate chip cookies are about to become your new obsession. With double the chocolate and double the deliciousness, they are chewy, rich, and completely irresistible.

I struggled to find the perfect name for them whether it should be chocolate chip chocolate, chocolate chocolate chip, or simply double chocolate chip but one thing is certain this cookie recipe is absolutely divine.

I’m actually more of a fruit dessert kind of gal, and Cade is a chocolate lover, but when I make these cookies, it’s me who can’t stop eating them. I may have even grabbed a couple and eaten them alone in the pantry so I didn’t have to share with my kids. Shhhhhh…yes, I am one of those moms!

Ingredients You’ll Need

These double chocolate chip cookies are the best cookies for chocolate cravings. It starts like classic chocolate chip cookies and then we add all the chocolate! They could actually be called triple chocolate chip cookies because we have chocolate coming from three different directions. Yummmmm!

• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps create a soft, tender texture.
• Eggs: Bind the dough and provide structure and moisture.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps them spread slightly.
• Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, deeper flavor, and a chewier texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances and rounds out the chocolate flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure and helps them hold their shape.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and boosts overall flavor.
• Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and stay soft.
• Devil’s Food Pudding: Makes the cookies super soft, rich, and extra chocolatey.
• Cocoa Powder: Deepens the chocolate flavor and darkens the dough.
• Chocolate Chips: Add pops of melty chocolate throughout the cookies. (Use whatever kind you like! Milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips work great!)

Jump down to the recipe card for all the exact measurements.

What Kind of Cocoa Powder is Best?

For the richest flavor and deepest color, use a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder works great in these cookies because it delivers a bold chocolate taste and reacts well with the leavening for a soft, tender texture.

If you want an even more intense, almost fudgy chocolate flavor, you can use Dutch process cocoa powder, but it may make the cookies slightly denser. Both options work, so choose based on the flavor you prefer and what you already have in your pantry.

How to Make Double Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies

These double chocolate chip cookies are so simple it’s dangerous! They’re a chocolate lover’s dream!

1. Mix: Combine all the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and mix evenly.
2. Whisk: Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Fold: Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.
5. Scoop: Scoop dough using a cookie scoop onto a prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake: In a 350 degree oven, bake until slightly underdone.
7. Cool: Cool in a single layer on a wire rack and enjoy!

Head to the recipe card to for all the detailed instructions.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

These double chocolate chip cookies are perfect for making ahead. You can scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until the next day. When you are ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15–30 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven.

You can also freeze the dough for longer storage. Simply scoop the dough into balls, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze for about 2 hours. Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag.

Frozen cookie dough keeps well for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, let the dough sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften slightly, then bake as directed. Baked cookies should be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Pudding makes these double chocolate chip cookies the most soft and moist cookies, not to mention the delicious chocolate flavor. Trust me, you’ll want to put pudding in all your cookies from now on! They’re so irresistible, they may not even make it off the baking sheet before they’re gone!

More COOKIE RECIPES You’re Going to Love:

• Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
• Chocolate Reese’s Pieces Cookies
• NY Times BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• Nutella and Dulce de Leche Stuffed Cookies
• Copycat Swig Sugar Cookies

Watch How to Make Chocolate Cookies…

There’s just something magical about a classic peanut butter cookie recipe—the soft, chewy centers, the warm, rich peanut butter flavor, and of course that nostalgic criss-cross pattern that makes you feel like a kid again.

If you’ve been searching for the best peanut butter cookie recipe, this is the one that will finally end your hunt.

Memories

This is the recipe our family has made for years, and it’s still the one we reach for when we want a no-fuss, guaranteed-delicious cookie. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in minutes, this easy peanut butter cookies recipe is the perfect blend of cozy, homemade goodness and bakery-style texture.

I originally wrote this post for old-fashioned peanut butter cookies and then had the feeling that I should dedicate this post to my parents, and I try to always follow those little feelings. Thank you for taking the time to always encourage, patiently teach and most of all love me through anything and everything. You gave me the wings to fly anywhere and become anything.

Music and food. Two things that store up memories like nothing else. I can love a book but never remember what was going on when I was reading it. A certain song though, well suddenly I’m right back in college teaching a Pilates class, or driving to a marching band practice. Yup. Totally did that. Haha, but seriously, music and food bring back so many memories and I bet a few of you have one attached to soft peanut butter cookies.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There’s just one unexpected ingredient in these cookies, but I swear to you it will make all the difference! The rest of the ingredients will be in your pantry already. Here is what you’ll need:

• Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and helps create a soft, tender cookie. I prefer to use unsalted butter. Make sure it is softened.
• Brown Sugar: Provides moisture, sweetness, chewiness, and deeper caramel flavor.
• White Sugar: Helps the cookies spread and adds crisp edges. You’ll also use the sugar to sprinkle over the top of the cookies before baking.
• Peanut Butter: The star flavor; also adds fat and moisture for a soft, dense texture. You’ll want to use creamy peanut butter and avoid natural peanut butter.
• Egg: Binds the dough and adds structure and tenderness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor and rounds out the sweetness.
• Milk: Softens the dough slightly and prevents dryness if needed.
• All Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure so they hold their shape.
• Cornaby’s EZ Gel: This is the unusual ingredient. It helps keep the cookies soft and chewy by locking in moisture. Substitute with cornstarch if you don’t have the EZ gel.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and boosts flavor.
• Baking Soda: Gives a slight lift and creates a tender crumb.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Wet Ingredients: Cream together the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the peanut butter and them mix again.
   • PRO TIP: This allows the sugars and butter to beat against the bowl, incorporating more air for a lighter, fluffier cookie.
3. Mix: Add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix together until smooth.
4. Whisk: Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
5. Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
6. Roll: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and roll them in granulated sugar.
7. Crisscross: Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and then press the dough lightly with a fork. Lift and press again in the opposite direction.
   • NOTE: I’m not sure how this tradition started with peanut butter cookies but it helps shape the cookies. Peanut butter cookies have a lot of fat in them, so they won’t spread much when they bake. This flattens them out some.
8. Bake: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Cookies FAQs

Storage Tips

Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator and will keep for 4-5 days.

To freeze, let them cool completely and then place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. They will keep for up to 3 months.

Whether you’re baking for a holiday cookie plate, a late-night craving, or just because peanut butter cookies make everything better, this recipe always comes through. These homemade peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, and so easy you’ll memorize them after one batch.

I hope they bring your home the same warmth and joy they bring to ours—because nothing beats a simple cookie made with love. Now grab a glass of cold milk, share a few with someone you love, and enjoy every buttery, peanut-y bite.

More Classic Cookies Recipes to Try:

• Snickerdoodles
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Soft Sugar Cookies
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Peanut Butter Blossoms

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies Video

These Pinwheel Cookies are a treasured family favorite straight from Grandma’s cookbook! Delicious vanilla cookie dough is rolled up with a sweet raisin filling that bakes into the most nostalgic treat. They’re the perfect Christmas cookies but just as delicious any time of year.

Even if you’re not a raisin lover, trust me, your whole family will fall for these!

These pinwheel cookies are sneaky little delights with delicious raisin-filled swirls, simple to look at but impossible to stop eating. They’ve been a hit with my cousins for years, and now we keep the tradition alive in our own kitchen.

I’ll never forget standing in my grandma’s kitchen, pouring the vanilla and feeling trusted to help. Baking these cookies instantly brings back those warm, silly, perfect memories. Grab a kid, make a batch, tell some stories, and pass the magic (and the vanilla) along.

Pinwheel Cookies Ingredients

This great recipe has two parts: the cookie dough and the raisin pinwheel filling. I’ve seen recipes online for date pinwheel cookies, but my family has always made the filling with raisins.

Here’s what you’ll need to make pinwheel cookies:

• Vanilla Extract: Boosts flavor and adds warmth
• Shortening: Provides structure and tenderness for the cookie dough
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with spreading
• Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, chewiness, and rich flavor
• Eggs: Bind the dough and add moisture
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the cookie dough
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors
• Baking Soda: Helps cookies rise and brown
• Raisins: Sweet filling for the pinwheel center
• Water: Moistens the raisin filling

How To Make Grandma’s Pinwheel Cookies:

Don’t let the pretty pinwheel pattern fool you into thinking these cookies are tough to make! These Christmas pinwheel cookies require little prep work and are super simple to shape and bake.

1. Blend: Combine raisins, water, sugar, and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Boil: Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
3. Mix: Prepare the cookie dough in a large mixing bowl and roll it into a large rectangle sheet of dough on a lightly floured surface.
4. Spread: Evenly spread the raisin filling over the piece of dough.
5. Roll: Roll the dough tightly into a log of dough, just like you would for cinnamon rolls.
6. Slice: Cut into cookies and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
7. Bake: Bake until lightly golden and set.

Can I Add Other Flavors or Mix-Ins to the Filling?

Some pinwheel cookie recipes call for chopped nuts, different flavor extracts, or other mix-ins in the filling. We’ve always stuck with the classic version, so we can’t say for sure how additions might change the texture or bake time. If you experiment with nuts or other flavors, let us know in the comments how they turn out—we’d love to hear!

Do I Need To Use Shortening?

You can use half shortening and half butter in the dough, though we usually stick with all shortening. Don’t swap all butter, the texture will change.

Make sure shortening and butter are at room temperature so the dough isn’t crumbly. If it’s still dry, add a splash of water.

Can I Make the Dough Ahead of Time? 

You can easily make the dough ahead of time. The vanilla cookie dough can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator to chill. When you pull the chilled dough from the fridge, it may take a few extra minutes to bake.

For longer storage, make the dough logs with the raisin filling and freeze them until ready to bake.

If freezing unsliced, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Sliced cookies can go straight into an airtight gallon-sized ziploc bag. Baking from frozen will require a little extra patience and a few additional minutes in the oven, but the cookies come out just as delicious!

Storing Pinwheel Cookies

These pinwheel cookies stay fresh for 3-5 days when kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

You can also freeze them once completely cooled. Store in freezer-safe bags or containers, and when ready to enjoy, simply thaw on the counter. They’ll taste just as delicious as when freshly baked!

These pinwheel cookies are a timeless treat your whole family will love. Bake a batch, share some stories, and enjoy a sweet bite of tradition!

More Easy Cookie Recipes: 

• The Best Soft Gingerbread Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies
• Sweet Glazed Lemon Cookies
• White Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread
• …All of our cookie recipes! 

Watch How These Cookies are Made…

Looking for the perfect bakery style peanut butter cookies recipe? Look no further! This recipe guarantees the most delicious and chewy cookies that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

We all know and love the classic peanut butter cookies recipe with the criss-cross pattern on top that you make with a fork, but these are not those! No offense to those! I love them! But these are giant bakery style cookies that are soft and chewy and loaded with peanut butter flavor!

We use the pan-banging method (perfected by Sarah Kieffer), which I’ll explain more below. This gives the cookies a crispy outer edge and a soft and chewy center.

Ingredients for the BEST Peanut Butter Cookies

Gather all your typical cookie ingredients and some creamy butter and you’re ready for making these bakery style cookies. Here is everything you’ll need:

• Flour: just regular all-purpose flour is all you need
• Baking Soda: gives the cookies lift and fluffiness
• Baking Powder: gives the cookies more rise
• Salt: enhances all the flavors and contrasts the sweetness
• Unsalted Butter: adds the fat and richness in flavor
• Creamy Peanut Butter: creamy JIF or Skippy is my preference
• Sugar: adds sweetness
• Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and moisture
• Egg: gives the cookies structure
• Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
• Whole Milk: adds moisture
• Dry Roasted Unsalted Peanuts: adds more peanut flavor and a nice crunchy texture

Keep scrolling to the end of the post to see all the measurements needed for each ingredient.

How to Make Bakery Style Peanut Butter Cookies

If you’re new to pan-banging cookies, we are going to walk you through how to do it. Here are is the step-by-step guide for making this fabulous peanut butter cookie recipe:

1. Prep: Line a baking sheet with foil (dull side up) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Dry Ingredients: Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. Cream: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer) and cream the butter until fluffy. Add the peanut butter and beat again until smooth.
4. Mix: Add in the sugars and mix until combined. Be sure to scrape down the sides as you go. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix to combine. Slowly pour in the dry ingredients and mix until everything comes together but be careful to not overmix.
5. Rest: Allow the dough to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Scoop: Using a large cookie scoop (1/4 cup) scoop the dough into balls and roll in your hands.
7. Bake: Place 3-4 cookies on the prepared cookie sheet giving them plenty of space to spread. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
8. Bang: Pull out the pan and bang it on the stove top or counter until the edge of the cookies deflate then stick the pan back in the oven. Bake for another 2 minutes and then pull it out and bang it again. Repeat a third time after 2 minutes for a total baking time of 16-18 minutes.
9. Cool: Move the cookies to a wire rack and bake the rest of the dough repeating the same process.

All of these instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Can I Use Chunky Peanut Butter?

Yes, you can absolutely use chunky peanut butter. I prefer the texture of the cookies when creamy peanut butter is used and then I add chopped peanuts on top for a little texture.

Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter?

Yes, natural peanut butter can be used but be sure to give it a really good stir before measuring it and adding it to the dough. The texture will be slightly more dry if you use natural peanut butter.

What is Pan-Banging Cookies?

Anyone else yell “bang-a-rang Peter” in their head? Hook…such a great movie! Pan-banging is a technique used while baking cookies where “the pan is tapped in the oven every few minutes, creating ripples on the edge of the cookie. This creates two textures in the cookie: a crisp outer edge, and a soft, gooey center.” That was taken directly from Sarah Kieffer’s post. I’m obsessed with this method! I love the variation in texture is creates!

Variations

These cookies are such a great base dough for all kinds of add-ins! We like to top ours with chopped peanuts for added texture and flavor. You could also add in mini m&m’s or mini chocolate chips. I’ve seen some people dip half the cookie in melted chocolate which looks divine.

Storage Tips

Leftover should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to a week. You can also freeze the baked cookies or the cookie dough. Cookies or cookie dough will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you freeze the cookie dough balls, bake straight from frozen as written in the instructions but you will add a few extra minutes. To freeze the baked cookies, let them cool completely and then place them in a ziploc bag and then wrap them in foil.

Looking for the perfect peanut butter cookies recipe? Look no further! This post shows you how to make the softest and chewiest cookies that are packed with peanut butter flavor. Pour a glass of milk and indulge!

More Peanut Butter Desserts to Try:

• Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Ultimate Peanut Butter Pie
• Peanut Butter Bars
• Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie
• No Bake Peanut Butter Nutella Pie
• Peanut Butter Mug Cake
• Peanut Butter Meltaway Cookies

This is the classic holiday recipe for meringue cookies! Our little meringues only call for 5 ingredients, and a lot of oven time. Be patient as the piping takes a little bit of practice, but this recipe will walk you through the steps so that you can make your own perfect meringues!

Must Make Holiday Cookies

Ok, this Christmas, well, holiday cookie recipe is one you would have found in my grandma’s kitchen which means it’s a must-make! I love the traditions of holidays and cookies are the perfect place to remember loved ones.

I’ve been busy practicing meringue cookies, dying meringues, and munching on A LOT of meringues so that I can share what I’ve learned with you! Now you can make these addictive cookies without the stress! And since they are only about 20 calories each, munch away!

Important Tip: Making Meringue Cookies

This recipe calls for only 5 ingredients. With so few ingredients, you actually run a higher risk of issues. The key to avoiding those issues is stiff peaks.

While adding the sugar, the foamy egg mixture will start to become thick, glossy, and sticky, that’s exactly what you are looking for! My mom would often stop the mixer, grab the whisk and turn it upside down to inspect. I love that method of checking for stiff peaks!

Ingredients for Meringue Cookie Recipe

• Egg Whites: The foundation of meringue — when whipped, they trap air, creating the light, airy structure. As they cook, the proteins set and give the cookies their crisp texture.
• Salt: Sharpens the flavor and helps slightly strengthen the egg white foam during whipping.
• Cream of Tartar: The acid that stabilizes the egg whites which allows them to hold more air without collapsing, and helps prevent overbeating.
• Clear Vanilla: Adds flavor without discoloring the pure white meringue. Regular vanilla extract can give the meringue a beige tint.
• Sugar: Sweetens and dissolves into the egg whites to create a glossy, stable foam that bakes into a crisp shell outside with melt-in-your-mouth marshmallow on the inside.

How to Make Meringue Cookies

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 225℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat: Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer (you can also use a mixing bowl and electric hand mixer), beat the egg whites. When they start to get foamy, add the salt, cream of tartar and vanilla. Continue beating until soft peaks form.
3. Whip: Slowly add the sugar one small spoonful at a time continuing to whip until stiff peaks form and the meringue is shiny.
   • PRO TIP: Test the meringue by rubbing a small bit of the mixture between your fingers, you shouldn’t feel the sugar or any grittiness. If you can still feel the sugar, just whip it a little longer.
4. Pipe: Transfer the meringue batter to a large piping bag with a large star piping tip. Pipe onto the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake and Cool: Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 1 hour. DO NOT open the oven! When the 1 hour is up, turn the oven off and let the cookies cool completely in the oven then remove.

Adding Color

If you want to add some color to your meringue cookies, you’ll add food gel at the end of step 3. Once the meringue is fully combined and shiny, add a few drops of food gel and mix to combine. Add more food gel until you get the color you want.

NOTE: The meringue will brown when you add food coloring so plan on a darker color than what you start with.

Tips for Beautiful Meringue Cookies

• Clean Bowls: In college I watched a chef repeat often that you cannot think about making meringue until you make sure your bowl is clean and free of grease, water and any debris.
• Two Bowl Eggs: The second tip she gave was to crack your eggs in a separate bowl when separating the whites to avoid any egg yolk sneaking in.  Even a tiny bit of yolk will ruin your meringues.
• Gritty Sugar: You need to beat the meringues until smooth, which can be a little hard to tell. Add the sugar gradually, one tablespoon at a time, and then take a small bit of meringue and rub between your fingers to see if it’s gritty.
• Stiff Peaks: You’ve already heard my two cents, just truly make sure you can turn that whisk upside down and a peak stays standing.
   

How to Store Meringue Cookies

Meringue cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They need to be kept dry and they will keep for up to 2 weeks.

They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.

There’s just something so magical about how a few simple ingredients—egg whites, sugar, and a touch of vanilla—can turn into the lightest, crispest meringue cookies. Whether you’re making them for Christmas cookie trays, a baby shower, or just because you want a sweet little treat for the family, these easy meringue cookies always feel special.

More Holiday Cookies to Try:

• Soft Gingerbread Men Cookies
• Best Christmas M&M Cookies
• Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
• Christmas Sugar Cookies

In this roundup, you’ll find the very best Christmas cookies and treats, from classic sugar cookies and chocolate peppermint cookies to peanut butter balls, homemade caramels, and more. Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, gifting homemade treats, or just making memories in the kitchen, this list has something everyone will love.

Growing up, baking Christmas cookies was how we kicked off the holiday season — rolling dough, stealing tastes, decorating cookies, and sharing trays with neighbors and friends. Today I still love carrying on that tradition with recipes that are simple, delicious, and always a hit.

Classic Christmas Cookies

These are the cookies that feel like home — soft sugar cookies, classic gingerbread, and nostalgic favorites that every holiday baking list needs. Perfect for cookie plates, decorating traditions, and sharing with neighbors and friends.

Peppermint & Chocolate Favorites

Rich chocolate meets cool peppermint for the ultimate Christmas flavor combo. These cookies look festive, taste decadent, and always feel like the holidays in every bite.

Gingerbread Holiday Cookies

Warm spices, deep molasses flavor, and that unmistakable scent that instantly feels like Christmas. These gingerbread treats are cozy, classic, and perfect with a mug of hot cocoa.

Kid-Friendly & Crowd Favorites

These are the cookies the kids (and grown-ups!) go straight for — cheerful, colorful, easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Great for cookie swaps, school parties, and family baking days.

Pretty & Festive Cookies

Delicate, gorgeous, and guaranteed to impress. These cookies look bakery-perfect but are surprisingly easy to make — ideal for gifting or holiday dessert boards.

No-Bake Holiday Treats

Quick, simple, and still completely delicious. These no-bake goodies are perfect when you’re short on time but still want something festive and sweet.

Homemade Christmas Candy

Soft caramels, rich fudge, and classic holiday candy that tastes like tradition. These treats are wonderful for gifting and guaranteed to make someone’s day.

Christmas baking is one of my favorite traditions, and nothing makes the season feel cozier than filling the kitchen with delicious smells and sharing homemade treats with the people we love.

Whether you’re decorating sugar cookies with the kids, making neighbor gifts, or keeping it low-key with a batch of fudge on a quiet winter night, the memories matter just as much as the treats. I hope this roundup helps you find new favorites and start (or continue!) traditions that make the holidays feel special.

read more: If you need ideas for Christmas dinner, head to our Christmas dinner recipes roundup!

These FLUFFY banana chocolate chip cookies are the cookies of my childhood! You are going to love EVERYTHING about these banana bread cookies! It’s your favorite quick bread in cookie form!

The other day, a neighbor posted on Facebook that she had some ripe bananas that she was going to throw away unless someone wanted them. And then I sprinted to her door! Ok, just kidding, but never ever, under any circumstances, should ripe bananas be thrown away! I’ll take them all!

I’d use them to make these amazing banana cookies, and if there are any left over, I’d make a loaf of our perfect banana bread! Oh shoot, but what about our banana bundt cake?! We can’t forget about that one! Needless to say, don’t throw away the bananas!!

Ingredients for Banana Bread Cookies

• Shortening: Creates a tender, softer texture and helps the cookies hold their shape without spreading too much.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor, moisture, and contributes to slight spreading and a crispy edge.
• Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture, and chewiness thanks to its molasses content.
• Sugar: Balances sweetness and contributes to crisp edges and spreading
• Eggs: Bind the dough, provide structure while also helping with leavening
• All Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies.
• Baking Soda: Neutralizes acidity (from brown sugar and banana) and encourages browning/spread.
• Baking Powder: Provides lift and helps keep cookies light and soft and not dense.
• Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
• Banana: Adds natural sweetness and banana flavor, moisture, and a soft, tender texture while also reducing need for extra fat.
• Vanilla Extract: Rounds out and enhances the flavor of the dough.
• Chocolate Chips: Add rich bursts of chocolate, balancing the sweetness of the banana cookie base.

How to Make Banana Cookies with Chocolate Chips

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream: Add the shortening, butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again.
3. Whisk: Add all the dry ingredients to a separate bowl and whisk everything together.
4. Combine: Alternating between the flour mixture and the mashed bananas, add them to the wet ingredients and mix everything together. Add the chocolate chips with the last addition of dry ingredients and fold them in.
5. Bake: Scoop the cookie dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-12 minutes.
   • NOTE: If you have the time, stick the cookie dough in the fridge while you clean up and then bake them. That will help them be a little fluffier.

Can I Use Frozen Bananas?

Yes, but I prefer fresh ripe/slightly overripe bananas for the right cookie texture. If you have frozen bananas to use though, definitely use them! Let them thaw completely and then drain the juices that are released. Then add them to the recipe as instructed.

How to Avoid Flat Cookies

It is important to beat the sugars and butter for at least 1 minute to change the sugar structure, allowing for a fluffier cookie.

Refrigeration will set the dough more firm leading to less spreading.

Variations

If you are a nut lover, this recipe would be extra tasty with some chopped walnuts or pecans added. You could also use milk chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips.

Storage Tips

Leftover cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container and they will keep for up to 5 days. If you want them to last a little longer, they freeze really well. Place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper in between layers. They will keep for up to 3 months.

At the end of the day, these banana chocolate chip cookies are proof that the simplest ingredients can turn into something truly special. They are a dreamy twist on a classic…soft, cozy, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat without being over the top.

Whether you’ve got a few ripe bananas on the counter or little hands eager to help in the kitchen, this recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again. Bake a batch, pour some cold milk, and enjoy the kind of everyday magic that only comes with a batch of homemade cookies.

Our Favorite Ways to Use Ripe Bananas…

• Brown Butter Banana Cookies
• Best Banana Bread
• Banana Bundt Cake
• Banana Bread Muffins with Crumb Topping
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Watch This Video to See How These Cookies are Made…

Banana cream pie cookies are sweet and creamy with a graham cracker crust inspired cookie base and an easy banana cream filling. Now you can make this Crumbl cookie copycat in the comfort of your own kitchen!

Once upon a time I decided to make a peach crisp cookie which was like a peach crisp and a peach cobbler all in one. Then I figured an apple crisp cookie had to come next. It was divine!

So naturally I had to dabble into the cream pie-inspired cookies, and the key lime pie cookie was born and the pumpkin pie cookie quickly followed. And with each new cookie, someone would tell me that Crumbl had the same cookie. Ha! Blast those Crumbl people!

So I guess you can call these Crumbl cookie copycat recipes, but these recipes have really just been my imagination running wild. What kind of cookie should I try to make next that Crumbl hasn’t already made?! Is there anything? I know they have a banana cream pie cookie already, but ours is better! 🤫

Ingredients for Banana Cream Pie Cookies

The ingredients for this banana cookie recipe is divided into two components. First, you have the banana cream pudding and then you have the cookie base. Here is what you will need for both parts:

Banana Cream Pie Filling

• Bananas: You want them slightly ripe, bright yellow with just a few brown spots on the peels to add real banana flavor.
• Whole Milk: Combines with the pudding powder to make the creamy filling.
• Instant French Vanilla Pudding Mix: Make sure it is the instant pudding mix and NOT the cook and serve kind.
• Cream Cheese: adds richness and creaminess
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: adds more sweetness and creaminess
• Cool Whip: You can use regular whipped cream but Cool Whip holds its thickness and structure better.

Cookie Base

• Unsalted Butter: make sure it is softened but not melting at all
• Cream Cheese: need to be softened so it will integrate into the cookie dough smoothly
• Brown Sugar: adds rich flavor and sweetness
• White Sugar: adds sweetness
• Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
• Eggs: adds structure to the cookie base
• Almond Extract: totally optional, but I love the flavor it adds
• Flour: just regular all-purpose flour
• Cornstarch: adds chewiness to the cookies
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: adds fluffiness and rise to the cookies
• Salt: enhances all the flavors
• Graham Cracker Crust: You can make your own or buy a store-bought crust and it will be used in the cookie base and to sprinkle on top of the cookies.
  • You can use either graham cracker crumbs or vanilla wafers depending on your preference both work equally well to mix into the filling and to sprinkle on top.
• Nilla Wafers: for garnish on top

The details and measurements of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post so keep scrolling to see all the details.

How to Make the Banana Cream Filling

This recipe starts with making the creamy banana filling which uses vanilla pudding with chunks of real banana. I like to make it first and let it chill until I’m ready to fill the cookies.

1. Chop: Cut up the bananas into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Whisk: Add the milk and pudding powder into a small bowl and whisk until combined. Let it sit for a few minutes until thickened.
3. Beat: Add the cream cheese to a separate bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat again until combined. Pour the pudding mixture and stir it in completely.
4. Fold: Using a spatula or wooden spoon fold in the Cool Whip and then gently fold in the chopped bananas.
5. Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill while you make the cookies.

Continue on to the next section to read how to make the cookies!

How to Make the Cookie Base

Making the cookie base or the mini “pie crusts” is simple. Let me walk you through the process:

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat it until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat it again. Finally, add the sugars and mix until smooth.
3. Mix: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla, egg and almond extract.
4. Whisk: Add all the dry ingredients to a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until about half of the flour mixture is incorporated.
5. Fold: Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and using a wooden spoon, fold in the chunks of graham cracker crust into the cookie dough until everything is incorporated but not overmixed.
6. Scoop: Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out 8-10 large chunks of cookie dough and roll them into balls. Then roll the cookie dough balls in the crushed graham cracker crumbs and place 4-5 on a baking sheet.
7. Chill: Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to chill so that they don’t spread too much while baking. Let them chill for at least 30 minutes.
8. Form: Pull one pan of cookie dough balls out of the fridge and using the back of a tablespoon, press a well into the center of each ball.
   • NOTE: Be sure to not press all the way through the dough!
9. Bake: Place the cookies into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Pull the cookies from the oven and use the bottom of a cup or spoon to indent the center again and bake for another minute or two.
10. Cool: Set aside the cookies to cool completely. Press with the glass or spoon one more time if needed. Bake the second batch of cookies and follow the same process.
11. Fill: Once the cookies have cooled completely, add a spoonful or two of the banana pie filling and top with a Nilla Wafer and sprinkle some graham cracker crust crumbs over the tope.
    • NOTE: You could also top the cookies with a dollop of whipped cream or Cool Whip if you want, but I’m a firm believer that cookies shouldn’t be as much work as a pie or cake, so I left it off.

These instructions can also be found in the recipe card down below.

Additional Toppings or Variations

If you are a banana cream pie purist, then leave this cookie as is, but it is open for addition toppings either sprinkled on top or mixed into the banana filling. Here are a few ideas:

• Diced Strawberries
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Chocolate Shavings
• White Chocolate Chips

Storage Tips

You can make the separate components, cookie and filling, a day ahead of time, but I don’t fill them until I’m ready to serve them so if they don’t get soggy.

Once the cookies have been assembled, they aren’t going to store super well. The bottom gets quite soggy. If you do have some leftovers, store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep for just a day or two.

We are obsessed with banana desserts here at Oh Sweet Basil. They are just so dang good! Whether it’s a classic banana cream pie, banana bread or chewy banana cookies, this banana cream pie cookie recipe is our latest banana dessert craze!

Indulge in these delectable banana cream pie cookies, similar to the nationally loved Crumbl Cookies. With a buttery crust, creamy banana filling, and a sprinkle of crunchy crumbs on top, these cookies are a must-try for any dessert lover.

More Favorite Banana Recipes:

• Banana Pudding Bundt Cake
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Paula Deen’s Banana Pudding
• No Bake Banana Pudding Pie
• Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Deliciously thick, soft, and chewy spring Easter M&M Cookies! These cookies are the epitome of a perfect chocolate chip cookie: delightfully crunchy around the edges with a warm, soft center. Trust me, you absolutely must enjoy one while it’s warm!

I have seriously never worked so quickly to get a recipe out to you all, but the response on our Instagram for our M&M cookies was out of control, so I just had to put these Easter cookies into your hands!

I am almost always making and photographing recipes a year in advance. Therefore, these last few weeks, I’ve been developing, making, and photographing recipes for next spring and Easter. However, I just couldn’t resist showing you all the most perfect and awe-inspiring Easter M&M cookies that I had made last week. They were simply too glorious not to share…and you all agreed!

In fact, you agreed so much that I got bombarded with emails, DMs, comments, and all the things (which I LOVE). So, here they are—you don’t have to wait a whole year because I’m just that nice!

Endless Possibilities for Add-Ins

Even though Easter is over, this recipe works great with any add-ins you want. For instance, you can swap the Easter M&M’s for regular M&M’s or any holiday M&M’s. Since the 4th of July is just around the corner, can you imagine them with red, white, and blue? I can’t wait! Additionally, you could use Reese’s Pieces or pretty much anything else you desire. I’m going to write a whole section about add-ins below.

Furthermore, these cookies do not need to wait in the fridge, but I believe that they taste a little better if you let the dough rest. The key is that anytime you refrigerate or freeze a cookie, you want to give it about 15-30 minutes on the counter (if refrigerated overnight) to rest, the same goes for frozen cookies.

Ingredients for Easter M&M Cookies

This will be pretty much your standard list of ingredients for classic chocolate chip cookies plus some M&M’s. Here is what you will need:

• Unsalted Butter: using unsalted allows you to control the saltiness of the recipe and make sure it is softened but not too soft!
• Brown Sugar: you want fresh moist brown sugar to make the texture of these cookies perfect
• White Sugar: just regular granulated white sugar
• Egg: gives structure to the cookies and helps hold everything together
• Vanilla Extract: adds to the flavor, and use the real stuff…no imitation vanilla

• Flour: make sure to measure the flour correctly so they come out chewy and soft
• Baking Soda: gives the cookies their rise and fluffiness
• Cornstarch: helps make the cookies stay thick and soft
• Salt: so essential for balancing all the sweetness and enhancing flavor
• Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: use regular size or minis, and feel free to swap with milk chocolate, dark chocolate or whatever your favorite is!
• Easter M&M’s: regular or any holiday M&M’s can be used

The measurements for each ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can also save or print the recipe from there.

How to Make Easter M&M Cookies

The complete instructions for making these cookies are listed in the recipe card down below. These are just the basic steps to give you a quick idea of what to expect:

1. Combine dry ingredients – Whisk together the dry ingredients so everything gets incorporated together.
2. Combine wet ingredients – Cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy and then add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients – Combine the ingredients together until just combined. Don’t overmix!
4. Add the M&M’s and chocolate chips – You will want to use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix in the M&M’s by hand. The M&M’s will get crushed if you mix them in the stand mixer.
5. Form into balls – I used a regular-sized cookie scoop but scooped out a heaping scoop to form the dough balls. Press a few M&M’s and chocolate chips into the dough balls.
6. Bake – Don’t overbake them! After 8-10 minutes, they will look a little underdone, but they will bake a little more as they cool and be perfect!

Tips for Perfect-Looking Easter M&M Cookies

Follow these tips and you will have cookies that look like they came straight from a bakery…

1. Pressing chocolate chips and candies into the top just before or just after baking. 
2. Using a large glass or biscuit cutter over cookies that have cooled for 2 minutes, spinning the ring gently around the cookie to make it perfectly round. 

Why You Will Love These Cookies

• Texture: crispy around the edges with a chewy, thick, and soft center, and I love the texture of the M&M’s in the cookies with the crunch from that candy-coated shell!
• Appearance: Golden, with those bright pops of color from the M&M’s make these so pretty
• Flavor: buttery and sugary with the richness from the brown sugar and then the combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips with the M&M’s is so heavenly
• Ease: my youngest loves to help me make these…something about M&M’s just reels the kiddos in, so they couldn’t be easier to make
• Time: these cookies don’t have to chill (though I do recommend letting them rest for about a half hour for maximum flavor), so they can really be made and in your mouth in less than a half hour

Variations for Add-ins

Ok, the possibilities are endless really! When you have the perfect base recipe for the dough, you can add just about any add-in to it according to your desires. Here are just a few ideas:

• Peanut Butter Chips
• Caramel Bits
• White, Dark, or Milk Chocolate Chips
• Different M&M’s: peanut, peanut butter, almond, pretzel, crispy, dark chocolate, etc.
• Broken Pretzel Pieces
• Toffee Bits
• Butterscotch Chips
• Reese’s Pieces
• Reese’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups

We would love to hear what combination of add-ins you use to make your best of the best cookie!

Can You Freeze These Cookies?

Yes, you can either freeze the dough balls or freeze the fully baked cookies.

Freezing cookie dough – place all the formed dough balls on a cookie sheet and stick the cookie sheet in the freezer for about an hour. Once the dough is frozen, toss the balls into a ziploc bag and store in the freezer for 2-3 months.

When you’re ready to bake them, place the frozen balls on a cookie sheet and let them thaw for about a half hour. Then bake as stated in the instructions.

Freezing baked cookies – let the cookies cool completely then place in a ziploc bag. They will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, just set them on the counter for about 30 minutes to thaw.

You asked and begged and we have hunkered down and delivered! Now we want to see your pictures and hear about what celebrations you are taking these cookies to! These springy Easter M&M cookies with chocolate chips are one of my finest creations yet! All the heart eyes for these ones!

More M&M Cookie Recipes:

• Chocolate M&M Cookies
• Shortbread M&M Cookies
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and M&M Cookies
• Red Velvet M&M Cookies
• Kitchen Sink Cookies
• Boyfriend Cookies

Watch How These Cookies are Made…