When the weather heats up, turn to these 25 summer cookie recipes that highlight some of the best seasonal flavors. Whether you crave something fruity like strawberry and cream cookies, citrusy like coconut lime cookies, or chocolatey like s’mores chocolate chip cookies—this list has you covered. Cookies are especially easy to stack, transport, and share, making them the perfect treat for all your summer adventures!
Favorite Summer Cookie Recipes
Let’s talk cookies.
Between the recipes on my website and those in my cookbook Sally’s Cookie Addiction, I’ve amassed quite a collection of trusted cookie recipes. Obviously they’re the star treat during the holidays (SO many Christmas cookies!), but what about in the summer months?
I often turn to cookies during the summer because they’re relatively easy to prepare and bake, perfect for stacking and transporting, and provide an opportunity for fun seasonal flavors. Plus, children, who may be in need of an activity, love to help make them!
Coconut lime cookies and strawberry biscuit cookies are two favorites. Or try these very lemon crinkle cookies—don’t they look like little rays of sunshine? And no summer is complete without a batch of cookie ice cream sandwiches!
If you have young bakers at home, these mini animal cracker cookies are one of my go-to kid-friendly baking recipes. Kids love dunking the cinnamon-spiced cookies in icing and topping with sprinkles!
My team and I collected 25 of our favorite summer cookie recipes and listed them below. These are our top favorites (out of every single cookie recipe I’ve ever published…) and each recipe is perfect for sharing at summer cookouts, 4th of July festivities, graduation parties, on a picnic blanket, around a campfire, or poolside.
Success Tip: Traveling with Summer Cookies
Transporting dozens of cookies without ruining them can be tricky, but my solution is layering them (after cooling) in a handy cupcake carrier. The cupcake trays are removable. And if you’re bringing along sheet cakes or bars, bake and transport them in a 9×13-inch pan with a lid, which could also work for cookies.
For more summer baking inspiration, here’s my entire collection of summer recipes.
25 Summer Cookie Recipes
S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies
Theses’mores chocolate chip cookiescombine my recipe for soft chocolate chip cookies with toasted marshmallows, melted chocolate, and graham cracker crumbs. This is a fun and easy way to dress up an ordinary chocolate chip cookie!
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Strawberry Biscuit Cookies
These strawberry biscuit cookies are made from real strawberries without the crutch of artificial flavor. Adapted from my biscuits and strawberry shortcake recipes, each buttery cookie is tender and flaky in the centers, packed with juicy strawberries, and topped with a sprinkle of crunchy sugar and sweet icing.
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Very Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Just like their chocolate cousins, these lemon crinkle cookies are soft-baked, coated in confectioners’ sugar, and practically melt in your mouth. Lemon lovers will appreciate that the zingy flavor comes from real fresh lemon, not extract.
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are the most popular cookies on my site, and they’re guaranteed to be the most popular treat at any summer gathering, too. Melted butter, more brown sugar than white sugar, and an extra egg yolk promise the absolute chewiest chocolate chip cookie.
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Strawberry & Cream Cookies
Soft-baked with crisp edges, loaded with chewy freeze-dried strawberries and creamy white chocolate, these strawberries & cream cookies deliver a summery-sweet taste any time of year!
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Blueberry Muffin Cookies
Packed with blueberries and a hint of lemon, these cake-like cookies taste like muffin tops and are so easy to make. Top with sparkling sugar and lemon glaze for a truly unforgettable cookie!
Glazed Coconut Lime Cookies
These are my soft and incredibly flavorful coconut lime cookies. They’re topped with a sweet and tangy lime glaze that sets, which makes them perfect for stacking, storing, and transporting to all your summer events.
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Toasted S’more Chocolate Chip Cookies
This toasty take on my favorite chewy chocolate chip cookies includes extra chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows. The cookies are easy to make and you don’t need a mixer for the cookie dough—or a campfire to enjoy everything we love about summer s’mores!
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Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Make your own cookie ice cream sandwiches at home using my quick no-chill cookie recipe and your favorite ice cream. Dip the edges in even more mini chocolate chips for a classic look, or in rainbow sprinkles for a colorful variation.
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Lemon Coconut Drop Shortbread Cookies
These easy lemon coconut drop shortbread cookies are buttery and light with a tender, yet crumbly shortbread texture. Top with lemon glaze plus a garnish of coconut or sprinkles to make a beautiful two-bite, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
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Soft-Baked M&M Cookies
One of the first recipes published on my site—and still a favorite for good reason! These rainbow M&M cookies are soft-baked style with extra chewy edges and tons of mini M&Ms packed in each bite. A classic cookie that flies off the plate any time I share them.
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Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
A great way to use some of summer’s bountiful vegetable, these zucchini oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are extra soft with chewy centers and crisp edges. Loaded with chocolate chips, each cookie is flavored with brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon. Tasters will never know there are veggies hiding inside!
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Watermelon Sugar Cookies
These watermelon sugar cookies are made from a buttery sugar cookie dough (watermelon extract optional) and are topped with pink, white, and green royal icing. Mini chocolate chips masquerade as the watermelon seeds, but sprinkles could work too!
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Lemon Ginger Cookies
SO much flavor packed into these bright cookies! My lemon ginger cookies are made with crystallized ginger, a little ground ginger and allspice, plus plenty of lemon zest. Citrus and spice make a balanced yet refreshing duo.
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Cookies & Cream Cookies
Two cookies in one, what could be better? Using a combination of butter and cream cheese, these cookies are extra soft and uniquely creamy-tasting. They’re packed with chunks of Oreos and sweet white chocolate chips, promising lots of flavor and texture in each bite.
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Drop Sugar Cookies With Sprinkles
These are soft, chewy, sprinkle-loaded drop sugar cookies made from only 8 ingredients. No rolling pin or cookie cutters required!
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Fireworks Celebration Cookies
Fireworks displays and summertime go hand-in-hand! I created these fun fireworks cookies using my base sugar cookie and royal icing recipes. I add a little lemon extract and zest for flavor, and you can use a range of icing colors and sparkly sprinkles. They’re pretty easy to decorate, too!
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Mini Animal Cracker Cookies
Turn my simple 8-ingredient best sugar cookie recipe into homemade mini animal cracker cookies! These kid-friendly cookies are flavored with cinnamon and topped with icing and rainbow sprinkles.
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Soft Cakey Sugar Cookies
These soft cake-like sugar cookies are topped with a swoop of sweet buttercream and showered in sprinkles. Sour cream is the secret ingredient to this simple and delicious drop sugar cookie recipe.
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Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies
Featuring golden crisp edges, sweet soft centers, flecks of coconut, chunks of big buttery macadamia nuts, and a white chocolate drizzle, these coconut macadamia nut cookies are always a popular choice in the summer months.
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Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Super soft, moist, and cake-like lemon ricotta cookies are topped with a tangy yet sweet lemon glaze. The glaze eventually sets, making these cookies easy to store and transport to your summer BBQs and pool parties.
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Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
A bit of cream cheese takes regular sugar cookies to the next level. These cookies are uniquely soft, tender, and chewy with the most incredible flavor. Enjoy them plain or topped with a swirl of buttercream frosting and sprinkles.
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Strawberry Coconut Macaroons
These strawberry coconut macaroons are moist and chewy on the inside and slightly crisp around the edges. Add a little something extra (and pink!) with fresh seasonal strawberries.
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Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies
This is the cookie recipe that inspired my first cookbook, and I still enjoy making and sharing them at summer gatherings each year. They’re like a cross between soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and sprinkle-filled confetti cake. You can’t help but smile when you eat one!
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And 1 More Summer Cookie Recipe: Sand Dollar Cookies
If you’re heading to the beach this summer (or want to bring the beach to you), whip up a batch of these cinnamon sugar sand dollar cookies. They have a slight tang like snickerdoodles, thanks to the cream of tartar. Little ones love rolling the cookies in the cinnamon-sugar topping and pressing the sliced almonds on top. Such a fun little cookie!
Summer Cookies Recipes
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 1 review
- Author: Sally
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 28-30 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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Description
Sweet cinnamon sugar cookies topped with sliced almonds to make adorable beachy sand dollars! These summery cookies only require about 30 minutes from start to finish, and there’s no cookie dough chilling required.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour ()
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cup (267g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon groundcinnamon
- 1/2 cup (45g) sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (always recommended for cookies). Set aside.
- Make the cookies:Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. The dough will be thick.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1 heaping Tablespoon (30–35g) of cookie dough each. I recommend this cookie scoop.
- For the topping: Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Roll the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar topping. Arrange cookie dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Gently press 5 sliced almonds onto the tops of each dough ball, as pictured above. The almonds may not stick because of the cinnamon sugar, so stick the pointy ends into the cookie dough balls to help them adhere. Again, see the photo above if you need a visual.
- Bake cookies for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges appear set. The cookies will be very puffy and soft.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies slightly deflate as they cool.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a few options here! First, you can prepare the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure that you let it come to room temperature before rolling and baking the cookies. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls in a freezer-friendly container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing the dough balls without the cinnamon-sugar topping. When you are ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer, let sit for 30 minutes, preheat the oven, then roll into topping and add the almonds. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is required for this recipe, and there isn’t an equal substitution that will provide the same results.
- Extra Egg Yolk: To bring this dough together so it isn’t quite as crumbly, use 1 large egg, plus 1 extra-large egg yolk.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
