25 Best Cookie Flavors Ranked
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Few desserts compare to the warm, soft center, and crunchy outside of a freshly baked cookie. Cookies are available in a wide variety of flavors, shapes, and textures. Cookies are a versatile and unique dessert. Most types of cookies tend to be crunchy, delicious, and delectable.
According to What's Cooking America, the word "cookie" stems from the Dutch word "koekje," which translates to "small or little cake." The earliest kinds of cookies can be traced back to 7th century Iran, which was one of the first countries to begin harvesting sugar cane. By the 14th century, cookies were being sold all over Paris. Renaissance cookbooks featured many recipes for cookies.
Most cookie lovers have a favorite type of cookie, whether it's crunchy, chewy, or contains some kind of filling. However, considering the sheer variety of cookie flavors out there, it can be hard to narrow down a favorite. There's so much to explore in the wide and wonderful world of cookie flavors.
25. Biscotti
Biscotti stems from the Tuscan city of Prato in Italy. To make this Italian almond biscuit, the pastry is baked twice in a long oval shape. The resultant cookie tastes dry and crunchy. The dry nature of the cookie allows it to stay fresh for longer than your average cookie. If your baked goods tend to go bad before you can finish them, then you should probably opt for Biscotti.
The taste and lack of overall sweetness of this cookie leave much to be desired. However, biscotti does offer a few redeeming qualities outside the long shelf life. Firstly, this cookie will not fall apart when dunked in your coffee or milk because it has a more robust build. And, the possibilities of the ingredients that you could add to biscotti are endless: Nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, and of course, pistachios. Savory biscotti that incorporate cheeses and herbs are also quite popular.
24. Fortune cookies
The origins of the fortune cookie are a bit murky (via Fancy Fortune Cookies). Some assert that they were created in California when a Chinese immigrant and founder of a noodle company made fortune cookies to provide the poor people around his shop with sustenance and inspiration. After making the cookies, he passed them out for free on the streets with a Bible scripture written on the paper inside each cookie. Others claim that the fortune cookie was created in China or Japan.
While the endorphins and motivation provided by fortune cookies are great, the cookies themselves do not live up to the delicious hype of several other cookie types. Once you finish a delightful Chinese take-out dinner, a fortune cookie does not provide the same sweet night cap you desire. Also, if the restaurant leaves the cookies in a bin for a long time, you may find yourself biting into a stale fortune cookie.
23. Shortbread cookies
The shortbread cookie originated in Scotland (via Bake from Scratch). Shortbread has been around since the Middle Ages and the essential recipe hasn't changed much. This pastry contains one part white sugar and two parts butter, which accounts for the dough's high-fat content. Unlike traditional cookies, shortbread cookies do not contain leavening ingredients.
When it comes to baking cookies, the shortbread variety requires the fewest ingredients. This may make the baking process seem easy, but a simple mistake could become affect the final result and nothing tastes worse than a poorly baked shortbread cookie.
The flavors in shortbread cookies are simply not satisfying enough. The minimal ingredients provide less flavor and complexity in each bite. If you're a self-proclaimed sugar addict, then the less-than-sweet nature of shortbread cookies is unlikely to be appealing. A sweeter version of shortbread, such as the sugar cookie, is by far the better choice.
22. Butter cookies
Some kinds of biscuits simply do not live up to cookie expectations. The butter cookie, also known as a Danish Biscuit, consists mainly of butter, flour, and sugar (via Tasting Table). These ingredients create a crisper cookie than many are used to eating for dessert. Butter cookies go well with a cup of coffee or tea.
Butter cookies contain similar ingredients to shortbread, although they contain increased levels of sugar (via Muddy's Bake Shop). The higher ratio of sugar to butter makes the baked cookie less likely to crumble.
Shortbread cookies do not stand out in the cookie world. While a butter cookie is still an enjoyable treat, it is unlikely to be your first choice. Additionally, butter cookies really tend to lack the wow factor. They can be a little bit underwhelming, and while the sugary flavor is nice, there are so many other cookies that surpass butter cookies.
21. Macarons
This cookie is often easily confused with another due to its name: Macrons and macaroons refer to different desserts but are often confused with one another. This Macaron cookie is often mistakingly pronounced "Macaroon" after the coconut-based macaroon cookie.
Parisian macarons contain ground almond flour, egg whites, and confectioners' sugar, which creates the puffy, hollow cookie. Bakers take two of the airy treats and smash ganache, jam, or buttercream between them (via Masterclass). Macarons are available in many flavors and colors and can be enjoyed after a meal with a hot beverage.
This cookie is wonderfully sweet and comes in a variety of flavor options. Macarons are bound to transport you to the Eiffel Tower and the French way of life. While they're quite delightful, the quality tends to vary depending on the baker. Finding a perfectly crafted macaron in the United States can be more complicated than you think.
20. Chocolate crinkle cookies
What's black and white rolled in powdered sugar? Chocolate Crinkle Cookies melt in your mouth and make for a light and airy dessert. To achieve the crinkle cookie's signature look, simply roll the dough in powdered sugar before baking (via Betty Crocker). These cookies emerge from the oven soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Crinkle cookies taste like a small cake-type treat.
Aside from their rough outer appearance, these cookies are near perfection. It can be challenging to get the consistency of these cookies just right when baking at home, but when you do, it's a sight to see (and taste).
These cookies are generally associated with the holiday season. Christmas special recipes for these cookies sometimes contain orange and cinnamon. That being said, these cookies can be enjoyed year-round. These soft, rich, brownie-like cookies are perfect for enjoying around the campfire during summertime. Move over smores; crinkle cookies are the new summery campfire treat.
19. Black & white cookies
A black and white cookie is the best of both worlds. The name is derived from the standard black and white frosting painted on top of each cookie soft vanilla cake-like cookie. This cookie is particularly popular on the East Coast of the U.S. These delicious cookie creations can be found in bakeries across New York.
The black and white cookie was named on the popular show "Seinfeld": Jerry famously says, "The thing about eating the black and white cookie, Elaine, is you want to get some black and some white in each bite. Nothing mixes better than vanilla and chocolate ... If people would only look to the cookie, all our problems would be solved" (via Quote Catalog).
Jerry's statement is absolutely true. The cookie provides the perfect harmony of vanilla and chocolate, giving you two delicious flavors in almost every bite. What more can you ask for from a cookie?
18. Macadamia nut cookies
While the specific origin of macadamia nut cookies remains uncertain, one thing's for sure: If cookies are going to contain nuts, they better be Macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts are commonly grown and harvested in Hawaii.
It's uncertain how macadamia nut cookies came to be. According to one theory, Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields' Original Cookies, popularized the cookie ingredient in the 1980s. Mrs. Fields offered 14 different cookies at this time, and the macadamia nut cookie was one of them (via Funding Universe).
While most nuts at a salty component of cookies, macadamia nuts have a buttery and rich taste and add a creamy, crunchy texture to the cookie. Additionally, they also provide health benefits like added antioxidants, which is a fact that should be wholeheartedly remembered when opting for this cookie. These cookies provide health benefits and a wonderfully decadent taste: What's not to love?
17. White chocolate macadamia nut cookies
The white chocolate macadamia nut cookie is sweet and simple perfection. While the regular macadamia nut cookie is quite good, the addition of white chocolate chips really enhances an already delectable cookie.
Nestlé invented white chocolate chips in the '30s although macadamia nuts only began to be consumed in the U.S. in 1975. Adding macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips to the same batter results in the perfect combination.
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are wonderful because of the conflicting textures they create in your mouth. Dipping these cookies in a cup of coconut coffee with whipped cream is truly delicious. The buttery crunch of the nuts goes with the melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate to form a chewy, crunchy cookie.
It's a texture and taste that is unlike many other cookies. At initial thought, these two flavors might not appear compatible, but macadamia nut and white chocolate chips taste like heaven when rolled up in dough together and baked.
16. Whoopie Pies
Did you know a Whoopie Pie is not a pie at all? While it looks like a cake sandwich, many categorize it in the cookie category. This cookie-shaped sandwich contains two moist cakes with whipped cream and frosting in the middle. It's a delicious cookie, cake, and pie hybrid.
The Whoopie Pie was created when Amish women used leftover cake batter to make little cookie-shaped pies (via Taste of Home). The men and kids would shout "whoopie" over the treats, and the name stuck. With a tasty dessert like a Whoopie Pie, it's easy to understand why people were compelled to yell "whoopie."
Whoopie pies are wonderful because of the variety of flavors that the dessert provides. Whoopie Pies are often available in flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, double chocolate, vanilla, chocolate chip, pumpkin, or gingerbread (via Farmer's Almanac). Chocolate whoopie pie with vanilla buttercream or marshmallow cream filling is the most delicious flavor.
15. Salted caramel cookies
Salted caramel cookies melt in your mouth with a soft buttery base and a thin layer of salty caramel coating. Bakers often sprinkle salted caramel cookies with sea salt for an added touch of flavor. At-home bakers may cut corners with store-bought caramel, but the good stuff comes from homemade cookie dough and salted caramel. The salt enhances the caramel flavor, so don't skip this step. This may seem obvious, but the cookie is only a caramel cookie without the added sea salt.
A salted caramel cookie is great because of its buttery, tangy topping. These cookies offer a gooey, sweet taste with a hint of salty deliciousness that is hard to obtain in another cookie flavor. You will definitely not be able to stop at only one salted caramel cookie. Pro Tip: Add chocolate chips for an added sweet, chocolatey taste to complement the salted caramel inside the cookie.
14. Gingersnaps
This cookie packs a robust ginger taste with a snap in every bite, hence the name "gingersnap." A classic gingersnaps cookie resembles a peanut butter cookie with a rigid texture, minus the fork marks.
While most cookie lovers enjoy gingersnaps during the holiday season, these cookies can be enjoyed year-round. Bakers make gingersnap cookies with a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves (via Sugar and Charm). The recipe also incorporates molasses and brown sugar. The result is a cookie with a crispy outer edge and a slightly chewier center. Gingersnaps have a more rigid texture than most cookies, but this does not detract from their deliciousness.
Homemade or bakery-made gingersnaps steal the show, but if you're looking for storebought, Trader Joe's sells wonderful gingersnap cookies. If you're in a rush when the craving for gingersnaps hits, pop into Trader Joe's and pick up the Triple Ginger Snaps. These cookies will satisfy your gingersnap craving instantly.
13. Molasses cookies
Molasses cookies have a sense of nostalgia attached to them. For many, they're associated with childhood and the holiday season. They contain molasses, which is a syrup that is made by separating sugar crystals from boiled sugar cane.
Molasses cookies contain ground cinnamon, ginger, and dark molasses (via Salty Marshmellow). They're similar to gingersnaps; both contain molasses as well as holiday spices like nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves (via My Recipes).
However, molasses cookies are chewier and less crispy in texture. Molasses cookies have a much chewier texture than gingersnaps. Gingersnaps can be hard on the teeth and a bit more difficult to chew.
Molasses cookies have a warm, sweet flavor. Additionally, these cookies tend to retain some moisture, which a lot of other cookies don't. These cookies are perfect for dipping in a glass of eggnog or hot chocolate while lying curled up under a blanket, no matter the time of year.
12. Gingerbread cookies
Gingerbread cookies taste like Christmas: They consist of similar ingredients as gingersnaps but tend to have a chewier consistency (via Sugar and Charm). Bakers also often shape these cookies like stars and people and decorate them with frosting accordingly. While some may overcook gingerbread men, leaving them hard and crunchy, gingerbread cookies should be served soft and warm.
While these cookies can be enjoyed year-round, they're especially ideal for consumption during the wintertime. The cookies have a long and illustrious history (via PBS). Retailers have created gingerbread house kits that consist of various gingerbread cookie pieces.
Creators can doll up the gingerbread houses with sprinkles, frosting, and candies. This effectively elevates the traditional cookie and creates a whole new eating experience. One bite into this hard ginger biscuit, and you'll be tasting the holiday season and hearing holiday carols in no time. Admit it, you're probably craving one right now.
11. Sugar cookie
The sugar cookies we know and love today date back hundreds of years ago (via Scrumptious Bites by Cheryl's Cookies). German Protestant settlers in the Nazareth, Pennsylvania, created the cookie in the 1700s (via Eat Wheat). Settlers originally named the cookie Nazareth, and today, years later, they have come to be known as sugar cookies.
While the ingredients for sugar cookies are fairly simple, dessert lovers can top these cookies with frosting, sprinkles, and candy. There's a lot of potential for decorating sugar cookies, especially during the holidays. Variations on the sugar cookie include adding a lemon glaze and using icing to create holiday- and winter-themed decorations such as snowmen.
The name gives it away: Sugar is the main component in these cookies. And this primary ingredient also suggests why the cookie can be so addictive. Let's be honest, who really stops at only one when it comes to sugar cookies? The simplicity of a delicious sugar cookie makes you want to go back again and again.
10. Funfetti cookies
This cookie takes sugar addiction to the next level, and this time, with added sprinkles. Funfetti cookies are a fun and exciting twist on the sugar cookie we all know and love. Unlike cookies topped with sprinkles, Funfetti cookies contain sprinkles throughout the dough. These cookies can also be topped with rainbow sprinkles for an inspired burst of color that is sure to appeal to kids and adults alike.
Funfetti cookies are similar to the famous Funfetti cake, which was an enormously popular kid's dessert in the 1990s. Funfetti cookies tend to channel your inner child. They may remind you of birthday parties as a kid and sprinkles on cakes.
Funfetti cookies taste as delicious and exciting as it looks. The colorful candied sprinkles inside add an extra layer of sweetness to the already candy-like sugar cookie. The sprinkles complement the cookie without overpowering it. These chewy, cake-like cookies are truly incredible with a glass of milk.
9. Brookie
The Brookie is a beloved brownie cookie hybrid that is made from layers of brownie mix and cookie dough. While some may assert that this dessert isn't technically a cookie, the crossbreed is simply too good to not mention. It's hard to narrow down the origin of the delicious dessert. Jovon English, who opened the Los Angeles-based Milk + Brookie with partners, launched her version of the Brookie in 2014. Many popular pizza joints launched brookies on their menus around the same time.
However, with millions of Pinterest pins with recipes to brookies, it can be challenging to narrow down the true origin of the treat. Regardless of the specific origin of the Brookie, this sweet treat is a truly enjoyable indulgence. This chocolate lover's dream combines the fudgy richness from brownie batter with the sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie dough to create a dessert that requires a glass of milk to go down smoothly.
8. Oatmeal raisin cookies
Some people may object to raisins in their cookies; however, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are quite delicious. These cookies are stuffed with raisins and provide moist and flavorful bites every time. This cookie flavor is pretty underrated. Some may be skeptical, however, if given a chance, these cookies are unusual and quite enjoyable. Unlike other, more moist cookies, these tend to be on the crispier end of cookies and provide a wonderful snap that is perfectly complemented by the moisture of the raisins.
They're highly versatile, which allows for the addition of other dried fruits. In theory, you can add dried mango, apricots, nuts, and other spices to an oatmeal cookie. This cookie remains a classic and next time you want to reach for a chocolate chip, give the oatmeal raisin a try instead. You may be surprised by how much you enjoy this crunchy yet yummy treat.
7. White chocolate chip cookie
While the white chocolate macadamia nut cookie is pretty great, the white chocolate chip cookie, which excludes the nuts and leaves you with a simple treat, is absolutely triumphant. White chocolate generally takes a backseat to milk chocolate.
The difference between white chocolate and regular chocolate is a matter of cocoa solids. White chocolate only contains cocoa butter, milk, sugar, and no cocoa solids. Milk chocolate and dark chocolate contain cocoa solids (via Wockenfuss Candies). White chocolate doesn't have the brown coloring of regular chocolate, which leaves it white.
While some cookie varieties like the Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are associated with Christmas or summertime by the campfire, the white chocolate chip cookie hits the spot year-round. It can be enjoyed at home as well as for a variety of different occasions. Once you start indulging in this cookie, you'll wonder why you ever let it slide to the wayside.
6. M&M chocolate chip cookie
The mix of M&Ms and chocolate chips in the M&M chocolate chip cookie elevates this cookie to the next level. They pack a powerful chocolatey punch that you will really enjoy if you love chocolate. And, because M&Ms are sold in a variety of colors for different holidays, you can customize these cookies to be enjoyed any time of year.
This bright and colorful treat brings joy in the same way that Funfetti cookies do: Something about the colorful candies in every bite provides a level of childlike excitement that other desserts may lack. Few flavors can compete with the gooey, sweet, festive nature of an M&M chocolate chip cookie.
These cookies offer a crispy outer edge, soft center, and loaded center filled with a beloved candy. The crisp outer edge is crucial to baking this cookie type successfully. Some cookies taste better on the soft side, but the M&M chocolate chip cookies are perfect with some structure that provides a crunchy bite every time.
5. Peanut butter cookie
Peanut Butter cookies primarily contain peanut butter. These flat, crunchy cookies have a strong peanut butter flavor. They differ from other cookies due to the fork marks they often have on the surface. These marks make it easier for the dough to cook evenly. These identifying marks also help those with nut allergies distinguish these cookies from other cookie types.
Peanut butter cookies date back to the 1910s when George Washington Carver of Alabama's Tuskegee Institute published a peanut cookbook to promote the peanut crop, leading to the birth of the peanut butter cookie (via ABC News). The rest is history.
These peanut butter-packed flavored cookies offer the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Each bite melts in your mouth and provides a soft yet crunchy texture. Peanut butter cookies taste great as they are, but to level them up, you can add a Hershey's kiss in the middle to create a delicious peanut butter blossom.
4. Double chocolate chunk cookie
How much chocolate is too much chocolate? The double chocolate chunk cookie answers the question: The limit does not exist. This cookie contains added cocoa and chocolate chunks to provide chocolatey deliciousness in every bite. Any chocolate enthusiast is bound to get excited at the sight of double chocolate chunk cookies.
The chocolate chip cookie was created by Ruth Wakefield of Toll House Inn (via The New York Times). The cookie was originally referred to as the Toll House Cookie. Wakefield discovered this recipe while making cookies. She was in too much of a hurry to actually melt the chocolate, so, she cut up a semi-sweet Nestlé chocolate bar into chunks and added it to her cookie recipe. An accidental creation turned into a considerable ingredient phenomenon.
The double chocolate chunk cookie is a variation of this recipe that contains cocoa powder. The chocolate-filled double chocolate chunk cookies truly taste rich and chocolatey. If you like chocolate, you'll understand the hype around these cookies, and if you don't, there are plenty of other cookie options to keep you happy and satisfied.
3. Snickerdoodles
The Snickerdoodle is a delicious cinnamon-sugar-coated cinnamon sugar cookie (say that five times fast) is chewy and soft, with a crunchy outer exterior. The name of this cookie name originates from either the German or Dutch language; the specific language remains up for debate (via Grit). The words from both languages describe a snail-like shape, but the shape of this cookie does not resemble a cinnamon bun. The Snickerdoodle cookie looks like any other cookie with cinnamon flavoring.
These cookies contain cream of tartar, which contributes to the unique texture and taste. The consistency of snickerdoodles is very important to the overall cookie. A perfect snickerdoodle must be soft and chewy and evenly coated in cinnamon sugar; this is an essential requirement. These cookies possess a beautiful golden brown color that is highlighted by the cinnamon sugar. Snickerdoodles have crispy edges and chewy centers, and each cinnamon-filled bite is simply delicious.
2. Chocolate chunk cookie
Remove the cocoa from the beloved double chocolate chunk cookie and it will turn into a chocolate chunk cookie. While double chocolate is delicious, the regular chocolate chunk cookie provides a wonderful flavor with chocolate chunks that perfectly balance with the plain, sugary dough.
As previously mentioned, the original recipe that included chocolate chunks was invented by Ruth Wakefield, the woman who ran Toll House restaurant in the 1990s (via The Sugar Association). This crispy cookie with melted chocolate chunks appeared in Wakefield's 1938 cookbook. While Wakefield originally recommended pairing the cookie with ice cream, these cookies can easily stand alone.
Chocolate chunk cookies provide an added crunch in every bite that traditional chocolate chip cookies do not. If you're baking these cookies, you can use the "Ruth method" which entails chopping up a chocolate bar to create chunks and mixing them into dough. You'll end up with a highly satisfying cookie.
1. Chocolate chip cookie
The chocolate chip cookie remains a classic favorite for its simple yet delicious nature. Can you think of anything more mouth-watering than a chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven? It's nearly impossible to stop at only one.
The chocolate chip cookie recipe found instant success after Ruth Wakefield invented the cookie as an accompaniment to ice cream (via The Sugar Association). Betty Crocker shared the cookie recipe on her radio show, and later, Wakefield sold the recipe as well as the rights to Toll House cookies to Nestlé.
Today, if you scroll on Pinterest or flip through any dessert cookbook, you will find hundreds of variations of this classic recipe. Whether the cookie comes out of the oven soft, crunchy, thick, with more chocolate chips or less, one thing is for sure; the chocolate chip cookie remains the best and sweetest type of cookie.