20 Of Grandma's Famous Cookie Recipes
And she never burned a batch.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
A Southern grandmother is a queen when it comes to baking. We'll be darned if we ever tasted a cookie as good as one of hers, and we'd never admit it if we did.
We've rounded up a collection of classic Memaw-approved cookie recipes that'll give you a taste of nostalgia—and a craving for a warm cookie. These are Grandma's specialty, and they're worth keeping around for decades to come.
Related: Grandma's 25 Favorite Birthday Cake Recipes
Cornbread Cookies
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Cornbread in a cookie? Leave it to Grandma to make magic happen. These tender cornbread cookies are topped with a honey butter frosting and they're perfect for any occasion.
Snickerdoodles
Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Ana Kelly; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This classic cookie is like a warm hug—from grandma or anyone else who loves to bake. Cinnamon is warm and inviting. Cream of tartar adds a touch of tang but keeps the cookies chewy, too.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Molly Bolton
As if warm chocolate chip cookies couldn't get any better, this recipe swoops in with a next-level ingredient: browned butter. When browning the butter, wait for it to turn a golden-brown hue, giving these cookies a classic chewy and crispy texture. It'll stand out in a bake sale full of chocolate chip-studded cookies.
Easy Sugar Cookies
Because grandma knows how to create a little magic in the kitchen, and—for a kid—colorful cookies that you can frost yourself are just that. Make this recipe as your base, then decorate away for any occasion. The key to perfectly baked cookies is rolling the dough to an even thickness.
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
We always had the honor of pressing the chocolate kisses into these bite-sized beauties while cooking with grandma. This cookie recipe uses just the pantry basics, perfect for making a dessert in a rush. Evenly coat the peanut butter cookie balls in sugar before baking.
Cheesecake Cookies
These maraschino cherry-topped cookies should look mighty familiar. This recipe is a longtime holiday crowd-pleaser. After baking, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and gently press into the top, leaving a small divot, before allowing the cookies to cool completely.
Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies
Hannah Zimmerman / Southern Living
Memaw's peanut butter cookies are legendary. Little did we know you only need four ingredients to make a massive batch of perfection. If you feel like adding more flavoring to these cookies, try incorporating chocolate morsels, toffee bits, or chopped peanuts in the cookie dough.
Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
This cookie is a classic example of making lemonade out of lemons. In this case, the lemon is a boxed cake mix, which isn't too bad to start. Red velvet cake mix and other ingredients help create chewy cookies dotted with white chocolate.
Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies
Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
Her famous recipe won over the readers of Family Circle magazine back in 2000 and is still talked about—and baked—today. This treat is a chocolate chip cookie stuffed with pecans, oats, and coconut. With all these mix-ins, they are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Pinwheel Cookies
This vintage recipe gives essential butter cookies a fun chocolatey twist. Leave enough time for the cookie dough to chill, at least two hours. Using food coloring to dye the cookie dough makes a classic cookie festive for the holidays.
Barbara Bush's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies
What's unique about these "famous" chocolate chip cookies? The secret lies in the recipe. A Texan at heart, Barbara knows to go big or go home. Any Southern grandma appreciates that cookie mentality.
Fudgy Flourless Chocolate-Pecan Cookies
You won't believe these cookies are flourless and gluten-free. Leaving out the flour makes room for more pockets of melted chocolate and toasted chopped pecans. Whipped egg whites make these cookies airy and crisp on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside.
Cream Cheese Christmas Cookie
This recipe is an all-time Southern classic. Make these cookies year-round by switching up the sprinkle colors. Despite looking beautiful and complicated to make, these cookies are essentially slice-and-bake.
Seven-Layer Cookies
Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss
The first-ever bar cookie recipe ever featured in Southern Living, this Seven-Layer Cookie recipe is a favorite of Southern cooks. It's easy to make and transport. The trick to making these cookies is evening out each layer before adding the next.
Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies
Chocolate lovers, this one is for you. No matter your skills in the kitchen, we are confident that you can whip up this classic chocolate cookie straight from your grandma's recipe box. Feel free to change the chocolate base by adding nuts or mint chips—you may perfect a recipe to pass down to future generations.
Cherry Winks
This recipe became a nationwide sensation in the 1950s, and what better time to bring it back? This cookie, made with a deliciously crispy exterior of cornflakes, has a perfectly sweet interior thanks to maraschino cherries—a forever childhood favorite.
Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Sugar cookies, step aside. These cinnamon sugar treats with a secret ingredient (spoiler: brown butter) hit the spot every time. Before freezing the dough balls, roll them in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
A favorite at Christmas time, thumbprint cookies bring on all the nostalgia of baking parties and holiday cookie swaps. Even today, this is not surprising because what's not to love about a bite-size dollop that's buttery and sweet? Try your own flavor combinations or follow this recipe.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
When you can't decide between two classics, bring them together. This recipe has a few sneaky tricks that Grandma loves to keep secret.
Ginger Cemetery Cookies
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Author Anne Byrn shared the story of ginger cemetery cookies, and that plus their delicious taste has put them on Grandma's beloved favorite list.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.
