My family loves cookies. I make them almost every week, but with grocery prices, I can’t quite make the cookies I used to due to all the ingredients needed.
This is why I decided to try to make cookies with just three ingredients. I didn’t think it was possible since there are so many things that cookies need to form and taste good, but I was wrong.
Three-ingredient cookies are easy to make, cheap, and taste delicious. My kids are pretty picky, but they seem to love all the cookies I’ve been making. Below are 10 of my favorite 3-ingredient cookie recipes that I want to share with you.
Top 3-Ingredient Cookie Recipes
#1. Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
I love all types of cake mix cookies, especially lemon ones. These lemon mix cookies are unbelievably easy to make and they’re so yummy. I like to make these for my kids as an after-school snack.
All you need to make lemon cake mix cookies are cake mix, a tub of cool whip, and an egg.
Mix everything in a bowl, plop spoonfuls on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. The end result is soft, chewy cookies that can be made in 15 minutes from start to finish.
Want to try some lemon cake cookies? Click here
#2. Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe I was already familiar with and had tried it before. 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies are one of those recipes that I always have ingredients for. They’re soft and you can really taste the peanut butter in them.
For peanut butter cookies, you’ll need peanut butter, sugar, and one egg. Cream everything together until it forms a cookie dough-like consistency and then scoop them onto a cookie sheet with a cookie scooper.
Bake them for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees and sprinkle with sugar when they come out. Do not overbake these! They’ll burn and won’t be chewy.
For the peanut butter cookie recipe, click here.
#3. Shortbread Cookie
Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites. I don’t generally like to roll out cookies, but the end result is amazing, so I deal with it. Shortbread cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings or eating with a nice cup of tea while wrapped up in a cozy blanket next to a warm fire.
For shortbread cookies, all you need is butter, powdered sugar, and flour. If you have vanilla extract or almond extract, you can use one of those as well for a little extra flavor.
Cream the butter and sugar then add the flour. Form dough into a ball and roll it to ¼” thick on a flour-dusted surface. Cut into rounds and bake for 16-18 minutes or until they’re pale golden brown.
For the recipe, click here.
#4. Powder Puff Chocolate Kiss Cookies
I’m always looking for an easy cookie recipe that allows me to make large batches at once.
I’m not the type of person who likes to spend hours baking one type of cookie. These cookies are similar to Russian tea cakes or snowball cookies, but they have chocolate inside. The best part is that you don’t have to make the dough!
To make these delicious powder puff chocolate kiss cookies, you need a store-bought pie crust, chocolate kisses, and confectioner’s sugar.
Slice 16 sections into 2-inch squares. Put a kiss into each square and seal it until the kiss is fully contained. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, but start watching them at 13. Let them cool for 15 minutes. That’s it!
Click here for some chocolatey goodness.
#5. Coconut Macaroons
There’s nothing my kids love more than a chewy coconut macaroon. They’re always asking for them and they seem to be so expensive at the store, which is why I turn to my 3-ingredients macaroon recipe.
It tastes just like store-bought coconut macaroons and they’re super easy to make.
3-ingredient macaroons require just egg whites, unsweetened shredded coconut, and powdered sugar. Whisk the egg whites and powdered sugar until foamy and add in the shredded coconut.
Stir gently with a spatula and try to make a ball with your hand. If it doesn’t hold together, it’s too dry and you’ll need another egg white.
If it’s too sticky, you’ll need just a little more coconut. Scoop the macaroons with a cookie scooper onto parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes. Allow cooling for 10 minutes.
I love how simple these delicious treats are. If you want to try them, click here.
#6. Graham Cracker Cookies
Graham crackers aren’t something you’d expect to make a cookie with. However, these cookies are to die for.
They’re chocolatey, chewy, and so easy to make. You can get two dozen cookies out of just 2 sleeves of graham crackers. How can you go wrong with that? My kids love to bake these on their own. They’re that easy!
All you need is graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs, mix them with the other ingredients, and drop them by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until they spread and look shiny. They will set as they cool.
I’m a huge fan of these cookies. If you want to become a fan too, click here.
#7. Butter Cookies
Butter cookies are a simple dessert and one that I recently discovered. They’re melt-in-your-mouth treats that only require three ingredients. They’re the best for when I have late-night cravings and need to satisfy my sweet tooth.
The best part is that you can decorate these cookies with whatever you find in the back of your pantry or fridge. Personally, I like to put a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup on mine when it first comes out of the oven.
To make these delectable cookies, all you need is butter, sugar, and flour. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until it turns white.
Add the sugar and beat for five minutes until smooth and creamy. Slowly work the flour in with a spatula. Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes.
That’s all there is to butter cookies. To try them out, click here for the recipe.
#8. Breakfast Cookies
Who lets their kids have cookies for breakfast? I do! However, they’re not your run-of-the-mill cookies. These are delicious breakfast cookies. Usually, quick and easy breakfast solutions include sugar-filled cereals, oatmeal, and pop-tarts, but not these bad boys.
For breakfast cookies, all you need is rolled oats, mashed bananas, and chocolate chips. You can even substitute those chocolate chips for sugar-free chocolate chips to ease up on the sugar for breakfast.
Mix everything together and bake for 12 minutes. The best part about these cookies is that you can freeze them for up to six months in an airtight container.
If you want to make these cookies and check out all the extras you can include in them, click here for the recipe.
#9. Nutella Cookies
One of my younger children absolutely loves Nutella. They’ll eat Nutella on just about anything they can get their hands on. They’re the best when served hot and with a cold glass of milk.
My favorite thing about these delicious treats is that they only make small batches, which keeps my kids from eating too many of them.
Nutella cookies involve just three ingredients which include Nutella, egg, and flour. I like to use a spatula as opposed to a spoon to mix everything.
It seems to incorporate the flour into the mixture better than a spoon. Plop them on a cookie sheet with spoonfuls and cook at 350 for 6-8 minutes. Pull them out and push them down with a fork while they’re still warm.
Ready to try some Nutella cookies? Click here.
#10. Red Velvet Cookies
Last up is one of my favorites; red velvet cookies. These moist, delectable cookies are perfect for any occasion.
I make them when I’m craving something sweet. I’m quite amazed that this recipe only requires three ingredients. Their taste resembles something that would require 10+ ingredients and days to prepare.
Red velvet cookies require a little vegetable oil, white chocolate chips (optional), red velvet cake mix, and 2 eggs.
Mix everything together and drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes and take them out when they begin to brown. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes and they’re ready to enjoy.
Click here for this amazing red velvet cookie recipe.
Final Thoughts
All of the cookies on this list are fantastic and easy to make. My family loves each and every one of these.
They’re all ready to make in 15 minutes or less and require under 20 minutes to bake. They’re quick, easy, and so delicious. I hope that you enjoy these recipes are much as my family does.
