14 Retro Cookies Just Like Grandma Used To Make

These retro cookie recipes will bring you back to a simpler time, when shortening was aplenty and there were always cookies in the cookie jar. From classic chocolate chip cookies to 3-ingredient wonders, these favorites have stood the test of time for a reason.

Hershey's Peanut Butter Blossoms in a Plate and in the Background, More ona Cooling Rack — Simply Recipes / Aaron Hutcherson

Homemade cookies and childhood memories are inextricably linked, at least for me. Even all these years later, I can picture my grandma and myself standing at the kitchen table, flour everywhere, with cookie dough in the bowl as she shows me how to mix it with a wooden spoon. We were (well, still are) big fans of the back of the bag Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe; that was always our go-to.

Whether you're looking to revisit an old favorite or discover something new, gather your ingredients and take a little trip down memory lane with these 14 time-tested, beloved cookie recipes from our editors and contributors.

Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies

Side view of a stack of grandma's cookies. — Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

"My grandmother taught me how to measure, how to mix, and taught me a love of cooking, all through these homemade oatmeal cookies." —Elise Bauer, Founder

Thumbprint Cookies

"Instead of jam, you can also fill these cookies with lemon curd, marmalade, melted chocolate, or even some dulce de leche or other caramel filling." —Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

"When it comes to the peanut butter, feel free to use your favorite, either smooth and creamy or chunky. I even tested this recipe with an all-natural spread and the cookies turned out great—just be sure to mix the peanut butter thoroughly before adding it to the batter to get rid of any separation." —Aaron Hutcherson, Recipe Developer

5-Ingredient Pudding Mix Cookies

"Of all pudding mixes, butterscotch and lemon are the most bursting with artificial flavor, a quality that totally works in these super simple cookies." —Sara Bir, Contributor

Sand Tarts

Overhead view of a beige platter of sand tart cookies topped with a pecan halves resting on a green napkin — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

"So why the name? Sand tarts have a sandy texture, in a good way, like crumbly shortbread that breaks into buttery bits with each bite." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

Potato Chip Cookies

"The chips add a flaky, layered texture while bringing in just a touch of salt so the cookies are well-balanced and not too sweet. I love them as-is, but there’s plenty of room to spruce them up with other toppings such as sprinkles or a drizzle of melted chocolate." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

Old-Fashioned Hermit Cookies

"Hermit cookies are a classic Maine recipe, dating back to the late 1800s and handed down by families and in church and community cookbooks. They’re both chewy and cakey, dotted with dried fruit and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves." —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

3-Ingredient Sugar Cookies

"It is easy to see why this cookie recipe was passed down through generations. The ingredient list is short, easy to memorize, and hard to mess up. The cookies can be baked in any oven, including a dorm toaster oven. Plus, they are delicious enough to be worth becoming a family tradition." —Meghan Splawn, Recipe Developer

The Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Overhead view of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies cooling on a rack. — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

"My grandmother used to bake oatmeal raisin cookies with me from the time I was old enough to stand on a chair and hold a spoon. Making these cookies taught me how to measure, how scrape down the sides of a mixing bowl, and the purest pleasure of all—licking the bowl." —Elise Bauer, Founder

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

"f you are a fan of chocolate chip cookies, you generally fall into one of two camps: thin and crispy, or thick and chewy. This particular recipe is for the latter—thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies is what I grew up with and it remains my favorite cookie to this day." —Emma Christensen, General Manager

Date Skillet Cookie

"Don’t come looking for a giant cookie baked in a skillet here. These skillet cookies are little no-bake wonders that could almost qualify as confections. The recipe is both charmingly retro and uncannily timely in its use of minimal components in an unexpected way." —Sara Bir, Contributor

Benne Wafers

"Sesame seed cookies, or benne seed cookies as we call them in the South, are a classic South Carolina tradition. It is believed that enslaved Africans brought benne seeds to Colonial America sometime in the 17th century." —Steve-Anna Stephens, Recipe Developer

3-Ingredient Macaroons

Overhead view of a blue plate of eight macaroon cookies on a wooden table background — Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

"The ingredient list for macaroons is a short one—you only need sweetened coconut, granulated sugar, and egg whites. A pinch of salt and a splash of vanilla will make them even better but aren’t required." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

No-Bake M&M Cookies

"Every time my mom would make a batch of no-bake cookies growing up, I knew I was in for a treat. She kept it simple with a boiled mixture of butter, sugar, milk, and just a touch of cocoa powder. Once the peanut butter and oats were stirred in, I knew it was only a matter of time before I could grab one (or two)." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer