Skip the $5 Cookie Line: 15 Giant Bakery Style Cookies You Can Bake at Home for Pennies

Five dollars for one cookie? These are the same thick, soft, frosted bakery style cookies people line up for every week, and you can make a dozen at home for less than the price of two. The secret is not a fancy mixer or a special flour. It is big scoops of dough, a short rest in the fridge, and pulling the tray out while the middle still looks a little soft. Banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, pumpkin with cream cheese frosting, pink sugar cookies and more are all here, each with a full recipe. Grab your biggest baking sheet and let’s bake..

Bakery Style Banana Pudding Cookies With Vanilla Wafer Crumble

This is the bakery style flavor that made people stop scrolling. A soft vanilla cookie with mashed banana in the dough gets a swirl of banana pudding cream on top and a crunchy shower of crushed vanilla wafers. It tastes like the dish grandma brought to every potluck, only now you can hold it in one hand. Would you eat it warm or cold from the fridge?

You will need: For the cookies: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 ripe banana mashed, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons instant banana or vanilla pudding mix, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt. For the top: 1/2 cup cold milk, 2 tablespoons instant banana pudding mix, 1/2 cup whipped topping, 10 vanilla wafers crushed, a few banana slices.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg, banana and vanilla. 2. Stir in flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls, place 6 on a lined sheet and chill 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the middles look soft. 5. Whisk milk and pudding mix, let it set 5 minutes, then fold in the whipped topping. 6. Spread on the cooled cookies, add crushed wafers and a banana slice.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies, Bakery Style

Everything you love about strawberry shortcake, but in a big bakery style cookie. The dough is a buttery sugar cookie with chopped freeze dried strawberries folded in, so the pink color and berry flavor are real. A light cream cheese whip and a few fresh berries go on top just before serving. Kids call it the pink cookie. Grown ups call it dangerous. Which camp are you in?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup freeze dried strawberries crushed. Topping: 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup whipped topping, fresh strawberries.

How to make it: 1. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in the crushed strawberries. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls and chill 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 11 to 12 minutes. 5. Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar, fold in the whipped topping. 6. Pipe onto cooled cookies and top with sliced strawberries.

The Famous Pink Frosted Chilled Sugar Cookie

This is the one the cookie shops are known for: a thick, soft, bakery style almond sugar cookie with a cloud of pink frosting, served cold. The trick is sour cream in the dough, which keeps it tender for days, and a short bake so it never turns crisp. Chill the frosted cookies before serving and the frosting turns silky. Pink frosting or plain white with sprinkles?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Frosting: 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, a drop of pink food coloring, sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugar, then add egg, sour cream, vanilla and almond. 2. Mix in the dry ingredients. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls, flatten slightly and chill 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 9 to 10 minutes. They should look pale. 5. Beat the frosting until fluffy and tint it pink. 6. Frost the cooled cookies, add sprinkles and chill 1 hour.

Bakery Style Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting

Fall in one bite. These are soft, cakey pumpkin cookies with warm spices, topped with a thick layer of cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Blot the pumpkin puree with a paper towel first. It removes extra water so the cookies stay thick instead of spreading. A pinch of cinnamon on top makes them look like they came from a cookie shop case. For Halloween, pipe orange icing into little pumpkin faces instead. Would you add chopped pecans?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (blotted), 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and brown sugar, then add egg, pumpkin and vanilla. 2. Stir in flour, baking soda, spice and salt. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup mounds and chill 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 12 to 14 minutes. 5. Beat the frosting ingredients until smooth. 6. Frost the cooled cookies and dust with cinnamon.

Cookies and Cream Stuffed Cookie

A thick, bakery style vanilla cookie is wrapped around a hidden scoop of sweet cream filling, then topped with chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs. When you break it open, the soft white center spills out. The trick is freezing the filling in small balls first, so it holds its shape in the oven. Be honest: do you eat the top crumbs first?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 12 chocolate sandwich cookies chopped. Filling: 4 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 4 chocolate sandwich cookies crushed.

How to make it: 1. Mix the filling, roll into 8 small balls and freeze 30 minutes. 2. Cream butter and sugars, then add egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in the dry ingredients and the chopped cookies. 4. Flatten a 1/3 cup ball of dough, set a frozen filling ball in the middle and wrap the dough around it. 5. Press extra cookie crumbs on top. 6. Bake at 350F for 12 to 13 minutes and cool 10 minutes on the tray.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies With a Glaze Swirl

These look like a cinnamon roll and eat like a soft sugar cookie. You roll the dough flat, spread it with cinnamon butter, roll it up like a log and slice it into thick rounds. After baking, a simple vanilla glaze goes over the swirl while the cookies are still warm. They smell exactly like a bakery on a Saturday morning. Glaze or cream cheese icing?

You will need: 1 cup soft butter (divided), 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Beat 3/4 cup butter with sugar, egg and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking powder and salt. 2. Roll the dough into a 10 by 14 inch rectangle between parchment. 3. Mix 1/4 cup soft butter with brown sugar and cinnamon and spread it on. 4. Roll up tightly and chill 1 hour. 5. Slice into 1 inch rounds and bake at 350F for 11 to 13 minutes. 6. Whisk the glaze and drizzle over the warm cookies.

Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Cookie

Peanut butter lovers, this one is for you. A soft, chewy peanut butter cookie hides a whole peanut butter cup in the middle, and a drizzle of melted chocolate goes over the top. Freeze the candy cups before you wrap them so they stay gooey instead of melting away. Serve them slightly warm with a cold glass of milk. Would you add sea salt on top?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 8 regular peanut butter cups (frozen), 1/2 cup chocolate chips for drizzle.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter, peanut butter and both sugars, then add egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt. 3. Flatten a 1/3 cup ball of dough, press a frozen peanut butter cup inside and seal it. 4. Chill 20 minutes. 5. Bake at 350F for 11 to 12 minutes. 6. Melt the chocolate chips and drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Lemon Glaze Cookies That Taste Like Sunshine

Bright, soft and a little tangy, this bakery style favorite is the cookie for people who say they do not like sweets. Fresh lemon zest goes in the dough and the juice goes in a thin glaze that sets into a crackly shell. Rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers first wakes up the oils and gives you much more lemon flavor. Glazed or rolled in powdered sugar?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, zest of 2 lemons, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, extra zest.

How to make it: 1. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant. 2. Beat in the butter, then the egg, lemon juice and vanilla. 3. Stir in the dry ingredients. 4. Scoop 1/3 cup balls and chill 30 minutes. 5. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. 6. Whisk the glaze, spoon it over the cooled cookies and let it set 20 minutes.

Churro Cookies Rolled in Cinnamon Sugar

If you love the churros at the fair, you will love these. It is a thick snickerdoodle style cookie with a touch of cream of tartar for that soft, tangy bite, rolled twice in cinnamon sugar. Some bakers add a spoon of dulce de leche on top, which takes it over the edge. Have you ever had a churro dipped in chocolate?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/4 cup shortening, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Coating: 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Optional: dulce de leche.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter, shortening and sugar, then add egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls and roll them in cinnamon sugar, twice. 4. Chill 20 minutes. 5. Bake at 375F for 10 to 11 minutes. 6. Cool on the tray and add a small spoon of dulce de leche on top if you like.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cookies

Quick poll: A) warm and gooey, B) cooled and fudgy, C) straight from the freezer, or D) with a scoop of ice cream? These bakery style dark cocoa cookies have a frozen ball of chocolate ganache inside, so the center melts into a little river when you break one open warm. They are rich, so one really is enough. Maybe.

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup chocolate chips. Ganache: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup heavy cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the cream, pour it over the chips, stir smooth and chill until firm. Roll into 8 balls and freeze. 2. Cream butter and sugars, add egg and vanilla. 3. Mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and chips. 4. Wrap a 1/3 cup ball of dough around each ganache ball. 5. Bake at 350F for 11 to 12 minutes. 6. Rest 5 minutes and eat warm.

Bakery Style Red Velvet Cookies With Cream Cheese

Deep red, soft and cocoa kissed, red velvet cookies always disappear first at a party. These have white chocolate chips in the dough and a little swirl of cream cheese frosting on top, like a cupcake in cookie form. A small spoon of buttermilk powder or a splash of vinegar gives that classic tang. Valentine’s Day or every day?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon red food coloring, 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup white chocolate chips. Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugars, then add egg, milk, vinegar, vanilla and color. 2. Mix in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt, then the white chips. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls and chill 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 11 to 12 minutes. 5. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar. 6. Pipe a swirl on each cooled cookie.

Caramel Apple Cookies for Fall

Everything good about a county fair caramel apple, with no sticky stick. Small cubes of fresh apple are tossed in cinnamon and folded into a brown sugar dough with caramel bits. A drizzle of warm caramel sauce finishes them off. Use a firm apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp so the pieces stay tender, not mushy. Which apple do you always buy?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup peeled diced apple, 1/2 cup caramel bits, 1/4 cup caramel sauce for drizzle.

How to make it: 1. Toss the apple with a pinch of cinnamon and pat it dry. 2. Beat butter and sugars, then add egg and vanilla. 3. Mix in flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 4. Fold in the apple and caramel bits. 5. Scoop 1/3 cup mounds and bake at 350F for 13 to 14 minutes. 6. Warm the caramel sauce and drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Birthday Cake Cookies With Sprinkles

These taste like the frosting edge of a birthday cake, which is everybody’s favorite part. Dry vanilla cake mix and plenty of rainbow sprinkles go right into the dough, and a little vanilla frosting goes on top. They are the easiest bakery style treat to make, and the easiest way to make any ordinary Tuesday feel like a party. Who in your family would ask for these instead of cake?

You will need: 1 box (15 oz) vanilla cake mix, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 oz cream cheese, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles plus more for the top, 1/2 cup vanilla frosting.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth, then beat in egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in cake mix and flour until a soft dough forms. 3. Fold in the sprinkles. 4. Scoop 1/3 cup balls, press a few extra sprinkles on top and chill 30 minutes. 5. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. 6. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cooled cookies and add more sprinkles.

S’mores Cookies Without a Campfire

You do not need a campfire for this bakery style treat. A brown sugar cookie with crushed graham crackers in the dough gets chocolate chunks and a big toasted marshmallow on top. Press the marshmallow on in the last 3 minutes of baking, then give it a minute under the broiler for that golden, toasty top. Toasted golden or burnt to a crisp?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup chocolate chunks, 8 large marshmallows cut in half.

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugars, then add egg and vanilla. 2. Mix in flour, graham crumbs, baking soda and salt, then the chocolate. 3. Scoop 1/3 cup balls and chill 20 minutes. 4. Bake at 350F for 9 minutes. 5. Press a marshmallow half on each and bake 3 minutes more. 6. Broil 30 to 60 seconds, watching closely, until golden.

The Bakery Style Secret: Big Scoops, Cold Dough, Soft Middles

Want every bakery style recipe above to come out thick and soft? Follow three rules. Weigh or measure 1/3 cup dough balls, about 3 ounces each, so they bake evenly. Chill the dough at least 30 minutes so the butter firms up and the cookies do not spread. Then pull them out when the edges are set but the middle still looks a little underdone. They finish baking on the warm tray. For more classics, see our Christmas cookies that make the whole house smell like the holidays. Which rule do you always break?

You will need: Any cookie dough from this list, a 1/3 cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop, a kitchen scale (optional), parchment paper, a light colored baking sheet.

How to make it: 1. Scoop 1/3 cup portions (about 3 oz each) and roll them tall instead of flat. 2. Chill on the tray for 30 minutes or overnight. 3. Bake only 6 cookies per sheet at 350F. 4. Take them out at 10 to 13 minutes, when the edges are golden and the middles look soft. 5. Leave them on the hot tray 10 minutes. 6. Store in an airtight box for up to 3 days, or freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months.