13 cookie recipes that make the long weekend feel sweeter

ByHeidi Bruaw

Long weekends call for something a little extra, and these cookies deliver. From soft and chewy classics to rich, chocolate-packed favorites, every recipe here makes the house smell amazing and the snack table hard to resist. Bake a batch to share or keep them all to yourself, either way, the extra day just got sweeter.

A red plate filled with round, brown cookies, partially covered by a red, green, and white striped cloth.
Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

A plate of spiral-patterned chocolate and vanilla cookies is shown on a white doily, with a striped cloth and a red cup in the background.
Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies roll buttery vanilla and rich chocolate dough into a pretty, bakery-style swirl. They bake up with crisp edges, soft centers, and that classic flavor everyone loves. Set out a plate and they’ll make the long weekend even sweeter.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Four peanut butter cookies on a white doily-patterned plate, with a pink cloth in the background on a wooden surface.
Peanut Butter Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

If peanut butter is your weakness, these cookies always deliver. Soft, chewy, and made with simple pantry staples, they prove simple beats overloaded every time. With that cozy, throwback charm Grandma perfected, they’re perfect for after-school treats or late-night snacks.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies

Monster Cookies

A hand holding a large oatmeal cookie with colorful candy-coated chocolate pieces against a light, plaid background.
Monster Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Say hello to Monster Cookies loaded with hearty oats, creamy peanut butter, gooey chocolate, and colorful mini M&Ms in every bite. They come out of the oven thick and oversized, just like your favorite bakery version. The edges turn lightly crisp while the centers stay soft and perfectly chewy.
Get the Recipe: Monster Cookies

Rocky Road Cookies

A close-up of a chocolate cookie topped with marshmallows, chopped nuts, and drizzled with chocolate. Background includes other cookies and scattered marshmallows.
Rocky Road Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Rocky Road Cookies never stick around for long, packed with melty marshmallows, crunchy walnuts, and lots of chocolate. They’re a little messy in the best way and way too easy to keep grabbing. Set them out at movie night or a potluck and expect requests for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Rocky Road Cookies

Neapolitan Cookies

Rectangular cookies with red, white, and brown stripes are stacked on a white plate, with a striped cloth and a glass of milk in the background.
Neapolitan Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These Neapolitan cookies come out lightly crisp with that old-school bakery vibe we all love. Every bite is packed with cherries, chocolate, and walnuts for the perfect sweet-and-crunchy combo. They’re the kind of treat that makes a long weekend even sweeter.
Get the Recipe: Neapolitan Cookies

Raspeberry Linzer Cookies

Two round sandwich cookies with star-shaped cutouts revealing jam, on a red plate next to a red mug. More cookies are on a tray in the background.
Raspeberry Linzer Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Raspberry Linzer Cookies keep things classic with a soft almond-lemon dough and a swipe of raspberry jam in the middle. The little cutout and powdered sugar on top make them look nice without a lot of effort. They’re a good reminder that simple cookies beat overloaded ones every time.
Get the Recipe: Raspeberry Linzer Cookies

Quick Oatmeal Cookies

A plate of homemade oatmeal cookies sits on a light surface, with a small bowl of uncooked oats in the upper left corner.
Quick Oatmeal Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Need something sweet? Bake up a batch of Grandma’s oatmeal cookies and you’ll be so glad you did. They mix up quickly and bake into soft, hearty bites with that old-fashioned flavor everyone loves. Don’t be surprised if a couple disappear straight from the cooling rack.
Get the Recipe: Quick Oatmeal Cookies

Toffee Cookies

Two pieces of chocolate nut bars topped with chopped nuts on a white plate, with a bowl of chocolate chips and white flowers in the background.
Toffee Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Got a craving for something rich and buttery? These toffee cookies deliver with crisp, caramel-gold edges and soft, chewy centers. One batch never lasts long, because that sweet toffee flavor keeps everyone reaching for just one more.
Get the Recipe: Toffee Cookies

Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

A red plate filled with round, brown cookies, partially covered by a red, green, and white striped cloth.
Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These gingersnaps bake up with crisp edges, soft and chewy centers, and plenty of warm spice in every bite. Molasses, ginger, and cinnamon come together for that classic homemade flavor everyone loves. Roll the dough in sugar, bake until the tops crackle, and watch them disappear as they make the long weekend even sweeter.
Get the Recipe: Old-Fashioned Gingersnaps

Butterscotch Chip Chocolate Cookies

A close-up of a chocolate cookie studded with butterscotch chips and small pieces of nuts on a white textured surface.
Butterscotch Chip Chocolate Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These butterscotch chip chocolate cookies are soft, rich, and full of sweet butterscotch flavor. Straight from my best friend’s mom’s recipe box, they’re the kind of cookie that feels familiar in the best way. It’s proof that simple cookies are the best, especially when an easy cookie gets this many rave reviews.
Get the Recipe: Butterscotch Chip Chocolate Cookies

Church Window Cookies

A hand with orange nail polish holds a piece of chocolate-covered treat filled with colorful marshmallows.
Church Window Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Church Window Cookies are always a hit. Melted chocolate coats bright mini marshmallows before being sliced into beautiful, stained-glass-style rounds. There’s no baking involved, just stir, shape, chill, and set them out before they vanish fast.
Get the Recipe: Church Window Cookies

Homemade Vanilla Wafers

A white plate with round, golden-brown cookies sits on a wooden surface next to a bowl of cookies and a blue-and-white striped cloth.
Homemade Vanilla Wafers. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These homemade vanilla wafers bake up buttery and lightly crisp, with that simple sweetness that keeps you reaching for another. They’re the kind of treat that’s easy to snack on straight from the jar. One bite brings back that familiar, nostalgic flavor you probably grew up loving.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Vanilla Wafers

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Close-up of thumbprint cookies topped with chopped nuts and filled with red jam, arranged on a red surface.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These old-fashioned jam thumbprint cookies bake up tender and rich with a buttery, nutty flavor in every bite. Each one gets a spoonful of sweet jam tucked right into the center for a bright little burst of flavor. They’re simple, nostalgic, and always one of the first cookies to disappear.
Get the Recipe: Jam Thumbprint Cookies