A curated list of cookie recipes that taste amazing and are loved by friends and family.

These recipes are so good we crave them year round and our friends do too!

The List:

(click the title for a link to each recipe)

Crazy Oatmeal Cookies with Rosemary

This is the first batch of cookies we make every holiday season - often around Thanksgiving - and the only recipe we make more than once a season. The craisins and rosemary are magical together in this hearty cookie. Joe watched Guy Fieri make these and immediately knocked out a batch. This recipe was crowned our favorite after that, dethroning the also delicious Oatmeal Raisin. You’ll find me unapologetically eating one of these with a glass of milk for breakfast the week before Christmas. We love rosemary so about double what is called for ends up in our version.

Tip: Watch the video in the link above and prep three bowls as shown, it’s a lot easier. Also, use all dishwasher safe bowls so clean up is quick! I don’t buy quick cook oats, instead I put old fashioned oats in the Cuisinart and pulse about 10 times and the result works great.

Salted Mudslide Cookies

Craving chocolate? These are divine and pretty easy to make. They are the type of cookie people continue to talk about two years after you bring them to a party.

Tip: Use the best quality salt you can afford to sprinkle on these as they cool (for me that's Maldon Sea Salt ordered from Amazon). Don’t stack them or the salt from the ones underneath will melt into the top layer.

Chocolate Chunk Cookie s

A classic, delicious chocolate chip cookie that's more chocolatey than cookie. You can use pecans, swap them for walnut, or stay chocolate chunk purist. From my testing, the chunks really do make a difference over chips. I’ve used both and the chunks just work better.

Want blondies instead of cookies? (Guys, the holidays are so busy! Shortcuts are ok.) To make as blondie bars: spread evenly into an 8” x 12” x 2” greased and floured baking pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°, exactly! A toothpick doesn't always come out clean with the delightful amount of chocolate included. Use the right size pan, make sure the oven is hot, rotate the pan in the over 180° after 15 minutes and you should be good to go! The bars will need to cool over night for the chocolate to firm up enough for cutting into bite-sized bars. Plan accordingly.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

This dairy-free recipe came our way when a good friend had diet restrictions while nursing her firstborn. It's a spicy, sweet recipe that reminds me of cookies from the old fashioned German Dutch stores back home. This batter freezes and travels well. It has become a staple at our weekend-away trips with friends. We'll make a batch at home in advance and pack it in the cooler for the road trip. At the rental house, we'll roll out a dozen or two and bake them just before we sit down to play a game or watch a movie. The house smells cozy and the cookies are devoured warm.

Ethel's Sugar Cookies

These sugar cookies are very tasty and stay soft for weeks. They work well if you want to decorate with sugar and sprinkles or hold up for frosting. You’ll need to chill this recipe overnight. This recipe is from the 1963 Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, the cookie book we used growing up in my family.

Snickerdoodles

A buttery cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar that crinkles perfectly. Makes you kitchen smell perfectly like the holidays. This recipe is from the 1963 Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, the cookie book we used growing up in my family.