Drop Cookies

At the risk of sounding like a bad infomercial, are you ready to tackle any cookie recipe? That journey starts with mastering the art of the drop cookie. Drop cookies are one of the most common types of cookies and the simplest to make. As the name implies, you make drop cookies by dropping spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Some of the most popular cookie recipes, like chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, are drop cookies.

Here’s a traditional drop cookies recipe that covers all aspects of the technique. You’ll start by creaming the butter and sugar, then adding the eggs, vanilla extract and dry ingredients to make the basic cookie dough. We had fun with the inclusions, though, adopting an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink style with chocolate chips, pretzels, peanuts and raisins. Turn on your oven, grab your cookie scoop and let’s get started!

Ingredients for Drop Cookies

• Butter: Soften two sticks of butter to room temperature. I like to take the butter out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before starting the recipe (depending on the temperature in my kitchen). You can also soften butter quickly by cubing the sticks or shredding them.
• Sugars: Brown sugar and granulated sugar offer the perfect blend. Brown sugar keeps the cookies moist and imparts a caramel-molasses flavor, while granulated sugar slightly crisps the outsides of the cookies.
• Eggs: Take two eggs out of the fridge when you take out the butter. Baking with room-temperature eggs creates a well-structured, tender cookie. If you need to quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, submerge them in warm (not hot!) water for 10 minutes.
• Vanilla extract: It’s tempting to skip the vanilla extract, but I can always tell when it’s missing from recipes. This ingredient is small but mighty!
• All-purpose flour: The best type of flour for cookie recipes is all-purpose flour. Its mix of hard and soft wheat creates a sturdy yet chewy cookie.
• Baking powder: Baking powder helps the cookies puff up so they’re nice and tender.
• Inclusions: For an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink vibe, we include pretzels, peanuts, chocolate chunks and raisins in these drop cookies. Feel free to omit any to suit your taste. We have included other inclusion ideas below as well.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cookie dough

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Editor’s Tip: Take a moment to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after mixing all the wet ingredients together to ensure everything is incorporated. I always find that not everything is completely blended until I do this.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Step 2: Add the inclusions

With the mixer on the lowest speed or with a rubber spatula, stir in the pretzels, peanuts, chocolate chunks and raisins until evenly dispersed.

Step 3: Drop the cookies

Scoop the cookie dough by the tablespoonful and drop them 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets.

Editor’s Tip: Use a cookie scoop to portion perfect rounds, a tablespoon measurement for accurate sizing or two regular spoons if that’s all you have.

Step 4: Bake the cookies

Slide the trays into the oven and bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Let the cookies cool for two minutes on the trays to finish setting up, then move them to wire racks.

Recipe Variations

• Change the chocolate: Milk, dark or white chocolate chips can be added, or swap them for the semisweet chunks as desired. There are lots of other fun baking chips, too, like butterscotch, peanut butter, and even chopped candy bars or Andes Mints.
• Play with the inclusions: Feel free to switch up the pretzels, peanuts and raisins as desired. You could include broken potato chips, toffee, M&M’s, dried fruit, mini marshmallows, bacon, cheese, shredded coconut and other types of nuts as desired.
• Brown the butter: I love to brown butter for cookies. It’s a simple technique that drastically deepens the flavor. Once it’s browned, allow the butter to cool to room temperature, then re-solidify it in the fridge. Finally, bring it back to room temperature so it can cream with the sugars. Just make sure you add a few more tablespoons of butter to the pot when browning it, since a lot of water will evaporate and you won’t have as much butter as you’ll need for the recipe.

How to Store Drop Cookies

Store drop cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days or in the fridge for up to a week. If you notice the cookies are drying out a bit, stick a piece of sandwich bread inside—no, seriously! The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and soften the cookies.

Can you freeze drop cookies?

Yes, you can freeze drop cookies, whether they’re baked or unbaked. To freeze cookies that are baked, allow them to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container with pieces of parchment or waxed paper between each stack to prevent the cookies from sticking. Freeze for up to two months and thaw at room temperature whenever you’re ready to enjoy them.

To freeze cookie dough, drop the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer, uncovered, until the cookie dough balls are frozen, about one hour. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to two months. Whenever you’re ready to bake them, don’t thaw the cookies. Bake them from frozen, adding a few extra minutes of bake time as needed.

Can you make drop cookies ahead of time?

Yes, you can make drop cookies ahead of time. I like to chill the cookie dough for 24 to 48 hours before baking, allowing the flour to hydrate. This creates more tender, flavorful cookies. It’s a great make-ahead trick that also helps the cookies’ integrity. Win-win! You could also follow our storage instructions for baked cookies (bake them the day before) or freezing instructions if you want to make the drop cookies further in advance.

Drop Cookie Tips

What’s the difference between drop cookies and cutout cookies?

The main difference between drop and cutout cookies comes down to texture and shape. Drop cookies are typically pretty chewy and thick compared to crumbly cutout cookies. Cutout cookies also give you more control over the shape of your cookie, since you use a cookie cutter to make them.

Can you roll drop cookies?

No, you don’t need to roll out drop cookies—that’s what makes them so easy! Just “drop” the dough on a pan and bake.

What are some examples of drop cookies?

Examples of drop cookies include chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin, white chocolate macadamia nut, cowboy cookies, certain sugar cookies, monster cookies and M&M cookies. These are the most classic and familiar examples of drop cookies, but there are lots of drop cookie recipes out there. So long as all you do is scoop the cookie dough and drop it onto the baking sheet (no rolling or cutting!), it’s a drop cookie.