13 Delicious Cookies You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

When you’re short on time but crave a mouthwatering homemade treat, these thirteen delicious cookies will more than do the trick. They’re all ready in half an hour or less and fill your home with the fantastic aroma of freshly baked goodies. I’ve made all of these cookies time and time again, and I’m sure that once you try them, they’ll become some of your favorites, too!

1. Copycat Starbucks Ginger Molasses Cookies

Skip the Starbucks line and keep your bank account happy with these copycat cookies that come together in just 20 minutes. They’re chewy and packed with rich molasses flavor, warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and tons of brown sugar for a perfectly balanced treat. Plus, they make your whole house smell heavenly for an additional win.

2. Carrot Cake Mix Sandwich Cookies

These cookies will be your best secret weapon for those times when you have surprise company, and they look and taste just as good as anything from the bakery. All you need is 25 minutes, some short-cut ingredients, and a piping bag to fill each cookie perfectly. Store-bought carrot cake mix gets a glow-up from grated carrots, walnuts, rolled oats, and spices, and the frosting is a decadent blend of butter, cream cheese, sugar, and a touch of vanilla extract. Together, it’s the perfect bite that echoes the flavors of carrot cake but in cookie form.

3. St. Patrick’s Day Pistachio Cookies

Although these cookies are fab for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in style, I think they’re perfect for any time of the year. Packed with rich pistachio flavor and white chocolate, and at just 25 minutes of in-kitchen time from start to finish, they’re better than a pot of gold. Instant pistachio pudding mix added velvety texture and tons of flavor, and brown sugar and white chocolate round off each bite nicely. I add a drop of green food coloring to echo the pistachio notes and amp up the presentation.

4. Sugar Sprinkle Cookies

These colorful 20-minute sugar sprinkle cookies are just the thing to brighten up even the dreariest of days. They’re kid-approved, too, and an excellent recipe to stir up with your little ones on the weekend. The sugar cookie base is a tried-and-true blend of flour, baking soda, butter, egg, and brown and white sugar. I add a few teaspoons of vanilla extract to play off the buttery notes and mini sprinkles to the batter so that each bite is a rainbow of colors and flavors. 

5. White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

White chocolate and macadamia nuts are one of those classic combinations, and these quick cookies do it justice in only 22 minutes from pantry to plate. Plus, you probably have all of the ingredients you need right in your kitchen. Brown sugar and granulated sugar add plenty of sweetness while still letting the white chocolate chips shine, and macadamia nuts provide a tasty texture. I like to top mine with a bit of sea salt and a few more macadamias.

6. Copycat Crumbl Pink Sugar Cookies

I’m a sucker for a Crumbl cookie, which is why these delicious dupes sing to me. Plus, they’re ready in 26 minutes, less time than it takes to run out to the store. The buttery, soft base gets its signature taste from a bit of vanilla and almond extracts, and the trademark pink icing is a beautiful blend of salted butter, powdered sugar, milk, a touch of almond extract, and food coloring.

7. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These 20-minute oatmeal cookies studded with sweet chocolate chips have the power to transport you directly back to childhood and are so much better than anything store-bought. Start with an easy base of flour, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and salt, then stir in rolled oats and a blend of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips. The combination of the sweeter chips and the rich dark chocolate ones adds a touch of sophistication that makes these cookies totally irresistible.

8. Valentine’s M&M Cookies

Surprise your sweet on Valentine’s Day or any time of the year with these homemade sugar cookies full of milk chocolate chips and colorful Valentine’s M&Ms. You’ll just need 25 minutes from start to finish, a handful of common pantry ingredients like brown and white sugars, butter, egg, vanilla extract, and flour. Each cookie is soft, chewy, and laced with rich chocolate flavor.

9. Cinnamon Heart Cookies

Sweet sugar cookies get a fiery kick from cinnamon hearts in these beautiful cookies that take 25 minutes to prepare. Plus, you only need five ingredients. The sugar cookie base is an inspired but simple mixture of softened butter, all-purpose flour, and granulated sugar. Gently fold in some crushed red cinnamon hearts to infuse each bite with delicious flavor, and save a few to decorate the tops. It’s delicious and oh-so-simple.

10. Cadbury Mini Eggs Cookies

Cadbury Mini Eggs are a true treat all on their own, but these cookies take them to the next level by pairing them with a scrumptious buttery, brown-sugar base and white and milk chocolate chips. The result is a cookie that delivers tons of textural notes, from the soft cookie base to the melt-in-your-mouth chips and crunchy, sweet Cadbury Mini Eggs. Plus, you only need 22 minutes to make these beauties.

11. Butterfingers Cake Mix Cookies

If you have 20 minutes, you can make these Butterfingers-inspired cookies full of crushed Butterfinger pieces and buttery yellow cake cookies. I love this recipe because it uses smart short-cuts, like boxed yellow butter cake mix, and only requires four ingredients. Stir your cake mix with melted butter and two eggs, and gently add crushed Butterfinger pieces so that every bite is infused with roasted peanut butter flavor and delicious chocolate.

12. Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

These simple, light cookies get their velvety texture from mashed banana and come together in 22 minutes. The banana does double-duty, keeping the cookies chewy and adding delicate flavor that plays well with creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. If you’re looking for a fun riff on a peanut butter cookie, try this speedy recipe on for size. It’s also a great way to use up ripe bananas. 

13. Hershey’s Kiss Cookies

I grew up with Hershey’s Kiss cookies, which is why I was delighted to discover this 25-minute recipe that gives me the nostalgic flavor I crave in no time. You’ll need some simple pantry basics, like salted butter, flour, sugar, egg, a splash of milk, and a bit of vanilla extract for the cookie base. I like to add a bit of sugar to the tops of each cookie before baking, too. While they’re still warm, gently press a Hershey Kiss into the middle of each cookie, and enjoy.

In 30 minutes or less, you can make any number of tasty cookie concoctions with common kitchen ingredients- no supermarket runs required. Plus, these recipes are simple, making them ideal for cooking with the kids and then sharing the sweet fruits of your labors together. Try one or several, and I’m sure that these recipes will become some of your new favorites.