13 Artisinal Cookie Recipes That Taste Better Than The Bakery

There’s nothing I love more than a beautiful, artisanal cookie and a fresh cup of coffee, but those bakery goodies add up over time. Fortunately, these thirteen recipes satisfy my sweet tooth and keep my bank account happy. I generally have everything I need in my refrigerator and pantry to whip up a batch of delicious, better-than-the-bakery cookies to treat myself and my family.

1. Salted Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookies

If there’s a more dynamic and delicious duo than chocolate and caramel, I’ve yet to discover it. These cookies take the taste to an exciting new level with a sprinkle of sea salt on top. The combination of salty and sweet is totally irresistible. I like to use Hershey’s chocolate, but you can use anything you have on hand, plus brown sugar, caramels, a touch of vanilla extract, and sea salt to bring it all together.

2. Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

If you’re short on time and want a fresh, fruity cookie that blends tart strawberries with sweet vanilla ice cream, these twenty-minute wonders will do the trick. You only need five ingredients: strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, sprinkles, and vanilla icing. The result is a sophisticated and nostalgic blend of strawberries and cream that will put any bakery cookie to shame. I like to use rainbow sprinkles for a whimsical and kid-friendly presentation. 

3. Valentine’s Whoopie Pie Cookies

Although these cookies are spectacular for Valentine’s Day, you can make them anytime. I like to prepare them as a sweet surprise for my kids on the weekends. If you want to stick with the Valentine’s Day theme, use red, pink, or purple food coloring for the cookie base, but you can always experiment with different colors, too. The buttercream icing is a simple blend of pure vanilla extract, powdered sugar, butter, and milk that plays perfectly with the soft cookie shells.

4. Copycat Panera Lemon Drop Cookies

You can’t find these bright and zingy cookies on Panera’s menu anymore, but this copycat recipe perfectly captures the interplay of tangy lemon and sweet white chocolate. You need lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, sugar, egg, butter, and flour to create the yummy soft sugar cookie base. Stir in some white chocolate chips for a little extra mellow sweetness, and top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a fabulous presentation.

5. No Bake Chocolate Covered Raspberry Hearts

I adore these simple, no-bake chocolate raspberry hearts for plenty of different reasons, but topping the list has to be the presentation. They’re an absolutely perfect sweet ending to your next brunch or dinner party, and the elegant flavors of chocolate and raspberry shine through in each bite. The base is a simple mixture of raspberry extract, corn syrup, butter, and sugar that you cut into heart shapes and coat with a glossy blend of semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter. I like to decorate mine with a few sprinkles or a fresh raspberry on top.

6. Apple Crisp Cookies

These cookies are some of my fall and winter favorites because they evoke the flavors of a decadent, caramel-laced apple crisp but in cookie form. I like to enjoy them with some cinnamon-scented warm apple cider to double down on the delicious flavors of fall. The brown sugar and warm spice base is studded with oats and delectable pieces of carmelized green apples, which provide tons of flavor and textural interest, and the light sugar glaze adds a perfect amount of sweetness.

7. Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

I used to be intimidated by the thought of making shortbread until I discovered this fool-proof recipe that celebrates the yummy combination of mint and chocolate. Plus, it only takes half an hour from start to finish, and you only need five ingredients plus a touch of food coloring. I use softened unsalted butter for the base, and find that by using miniature chocolate chips I’m able to get the distribution of flavors just right.

8. Valentine’s Day Linzer Cookies

This is another better-than-the-bakery recipe that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, but you can simple enough to make any time of the year. With just 15 minutes of active prep time, these beautiful butter-based cookies feature a dollop of your favorite jam and a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a company-worthy presentation. I find the jewel-bright tones of raspberry or cherry jam particularly stunning, but you can play around with different flavors to find your favorite.

9. Coffee Kiss Cookies

Pour yourself a fresh cup of coffee and sink your teeth into these pretty piped cookies that you can have on the table in just about half an hour. With rich coffee flavors, a buttery and sugary base, and a bit of powdered sugar for a distinguished presentation, these cookies are the ideal companion to your relaxing weekend. Plus, the piped presentation is whimsical, fun, and completely appropriate for any occasion. 

10. Gluten-Free Bourbon Brown Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

If your body needs a break from the gluten but still craves a sweet treat at the end of the day, these beautifully balanced cookies are an excellent idea. They’ve got a lot of different flavors going on, from the sweet and rich chocolate chips to a luxe brown butter base and pecan pieces, but it all works so well together. The bourbon adds a bit of refinement and deepens the brown butter flavor, and sea salt provides a bit of welcome contrast that truly takes these cookies to the next level.

11. The Best Peach Cobbler Cookies

Peaches are a very underrated dessert fruit, in my opinion, which is why these summery peach cobbler cookies are one of my go-to recipes, especially when the weather starts turning colder. If you can find fresh peaches, use them, but canned ones are good, too, in a pinch. The fruit gets a glorious brown sugar and butter caramelized treatment, which perfectly echoes the brown sugar and vanilla notes in the dough, and a cream cheese and cinnamon frosting ties it all together.

12. Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies

It’s PSL season! Instead of heading to the bakery for an expensive cup of coffee and cookie, brew your own and bake up a batch of these artisanal and seasonal cookies. The combination of robust espresso and pumpkin pie spice is a true winner that’s balanced expertly by a smooth vanilla and pumpkin base. The espresso buttercream is just as delicious with a sprinkle of espresso and powdered sugar stirred into a decadent heavy cream and butter base.

13. Almond Crunch Cookies

These cookies are a fantastic example of how a streamlined flavor combination and a minimalist but polished presentation have a wow factor that you just can’t deny. Almond extract and almond flour make up the nutty base, and sliced almonds enhance the presentation and provide even more goodness in every bite. These cookies are crunchy, full of flavor, and perfect for dunking in that steaming hot cup of coffee.

Skip the bakery this season and make up some of these artisanal, easy, and delightful cookies at home. Your wallet will thank you, and you’ll get the joy of experimenting with different flavor combinations and creating true cookie masterpieces that everyone in your family will truly enjoy.