13 Cookie Recipes With Six Ingredients or Less That You Can Whip Up in a Snap

When you’re in a time crunch and don’t have time to head to the store for extra ingredients, these simple, six-or-less-ingredient cookies will more than do the trick. With clever shortcuts and tried and true flavors, they’re some of my absolute favorites, and you will probably have everything you need right in your kitchen.

1. Butterfingers Cake Mix Cookies

These cookies take less than half an hour from the pantry to the plate, and you only need four ingredients. The rich, buttery yellow cake gets a serious upgrade from crushed butterfinger pieces, infusing each bite with crunch, chocolate, and decadent toffee taste. The only two other ingredients you need are melted butter and eggs, and you have cookies that are perfect for company, or a great treat for the kids on the weekends.  

2. Mint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

These sophisticated cookies are ideal for St. Patrick’s Day but are guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face all year round. You only need six ingredients; they’re better than anything you’ll find in your local bakery. The shortbread is a quick mix of softened butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of mint extract and green food coloring to keep the flavor and color on point. Fold in your mini chocolate chips and bake for twenty minutes until crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.

3. Five Ingredient Magic Cookies

These five ingredient cookies have the power to transport me straight back to my childhood. While you can use regular condensed milk, I like to use coconut condensed milk for a tropical vibe that also makes them vegan. Coconut flakes are a fine companion to the condensed milk, cashews add a bit of crunch, and chocolate chips and graham crackers round off the magic cookies. Bake them at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes. They’re true crowd-pleasers and an excellent way to treat your inner child.

4. Edible Cookie Dough

This yummy, super simple edible cookie dough requires just six ingredients, which you probably already have on hand in your fridge and cupboards. You only need five minutes of hands-on time and half an hour to chill the dough before sinking your spoon in and enjoying it. To make this decadent dough, you’ll need a splash of heavy cream and vanilla, a cup of flour, half a cup of brown sugar, butter, and mini chocolate chips.

5. Three Ingredient Sugar Cookies

If you have last-minute visitors, an event you totally forgot about, or just want to make something homemade and delicious without running to the store, these cookies can save the day. You only need white sugar, butter, and all-purpose flour. Mix your three ingredients, form small balls, and dip each into the extra white sugar. Bake for fifteen minutes until golden and crunchy outside. I will sometimes add a splash of vanilla extract to make these cookies a touch sweeter and play off the rich, buttery base.

6. No Bake Chocolate Covered Raspberry Hearts

These sweet and simple chocolate-covered hearts are a cute surprise for your significant other, or just a fun, no-bake dessert to make that will brighten up the day. You’ll need four ingredients for the raspberry dough, two for the chocolate coating, and a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to make the shape. A few drops of raspberry extract combined with corn syrup, butter, and powdered sugar create a tasty dough that goes well with the chocolate coating. Keep refrigerated so that they keep their shape and consistency.

7. Classic Crisp French Cookies

With just six ingredients you can have classic French cookies that will rival anything you’d find in the finest bakery. You just need room-temperature butter, an egg yolk, a few tablespoons of flour, powdered sugar, a touch of vanilla extract, and granulated sugar to dust each cookie. The key to making these is to make sure that the log of cookie dough is properly chilled before slicing it into rounds and baking. I love these cookies’ simple elegance, which pair perfectly with a cup of freshly roasted coffee.

8. Cinnamon Heart Cookies

This simple recipe relies on the sure-fire combination of buttery sugar cookies and fiery red cinnamon hearts for a dynamite contrast you and your whole family will love. They come together in less than half an hour, have a whimsical presentation, and are the perfect weekend snack when paired with a steaming mug of tea or cocoa. You just need butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon hearts to make it all come together.

9. Two Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

When I say this recipe is the easiest, most foolproof way I’ve found to make peanut butter cookies, I mean it. You just need two simple ingredients and about fifteen minutes to whip up a batch of delicious, warm-from-the-oven homemade gems. Use equal parts creamy or chunky peanut butter and powdered sugar for the base. Blend well, and place equally-sized balls of dough on parchment paper. Flatten with your fork, and bake until the cookies are golden and your kitchen smells heavenly.

10. Peppermint Drizzle Cookies

These cookies hit all the high notes for spectacular presentation, with a dramatic drizzle of dark chocolate across the sugar cookie base. They also taste elegant and festive. A touch of peppermint extract in the buttery sugar cookie batter complements the peppermint-infused Andes chocolate drizzle. To prepare these beauties, you’ll only need five ingredients, including the Andes chocolates, and half an hour.

11. Three Ingredient Grandma’s Cream Cookies

Sometimes, I want a break from too-sweet desserts and prefer something simple and sophisticated with an Old World feel. That’s when I reach for this recipe: a three-ingredient cookie with flour, sour cream, and cold butter as the base. While they’re perfectly tasty on their own, you can also pep them up a bit with a slight dusting of sugar or a hint of cinnamon.

12. Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

These charming and summery cookies are just the thing to brighten up your darkest winter days and delight your kids as a special weekend treat. They also couldn’t be easier to make, using just five ingredients. Strawberry cake mix is the ultimate shortcut ingredient. Paired with vegetable oil and two eggs, it makes a fantastic cookie base. The cookies bake beautifully in just ten minutes. Pipe a few lines of vanilla icing over one side and crown them with some rainbow sprinkles for a fun and colorful presentation.

13. Condensed Milk Cookies

These condensed milk cookies are an inspired alternative to sugar or butter cookies, with a rich, sweet flavor and a delicious chewy consistency. You just need six ingredients including the condensed milk, flour, butter, baking powder, baking soda, and some granulated sugar. I like to add just a touch of salt to the batter to give it a little depth, but you don’t need to. Once you’ve made the batter, chill it, scoop it, and cook for about ten to twelve minutes.  

These thirteen recipes are always in regular rotation at my home because they’re easy to put together, require minimal ingredients, and offer that homestyle taste that you just can’t get from the corner bakery. Try one, or several today, and I’m sure you’ll agree.