What Exactly Is A Drop Cookie?

Cookies are a great dessert because they are easy to make and there are many wonderful cookie recipes out there, from super easy to more complex. They often bake quickly and are less messy to transport than cupcakes, so if you find yourself in need of a last-minute dessert, you can whip some up in no time. Cookies are also great because you can make large batches with very little effort — cookie recipes go a long way!

There are many types of cookies, too. Slice-and-bake cookies are fairly simple ones to figure out. They are usually the ones you get in the cold sections of a store, rolled into a cylinder shape and stuffed into plastic. You cut them into smaller rounds and place the rounds on a baking sheet. Thee are great for decorating with sprinkles, icing, and more, and they are one of the easiest cookies to make because you can buy the dough and simply bake it.

If you are more into homemade cookies, though, there are many types to try, such as cut out cookies and drop cookies. Cut out cookies are made from dough that has been rolled out and then cut out into shapes using cookie cutters. These are a great way to get themed desserts for your next party, and they can be made in almost any flavor, like sugar cookies and snickerdoodles, and any design you want. 

Drop cookies are probably the most common type of cookies out there. Martha Stewart has a few different ways that you can make drop cookies, including filling them with jam, and the Food Network has a chocolate version of them. According to The Kitchn, drop cookies are small balls of dough that are "dropped" onto the baking sheet, usually by hand or by using an ice cream scoop or a spoon. Drop cookies can also be made in a variety of flavors, and since they aren't being cut, they can have a lot of ingredients mixed into them, like chocolate chips or nuts.

If you like the idea of drop cookies, you might also want to try your hand at rolled cookies, which are just a different version of drop cookies. These cookies are made by rolling cookie dough between your hands, then rolling them in granulated or powdered sugar before you bake them. Land-O-Lakes calls these types of drop cookies "snowball cookies" and there are a number of very good recipes for them like peppermint snowball cookies. True rolled cookies are made from stiff dough that is rolled out with a rolling pin, then cut with cookie cutters, like cut-out cookies (per Cookie Elf).

Whether you choose cut-out cookies that look professionally decorated to fit the theme of your next party, or you want to try your hand at making classic chocolate chip drop cookies or Emeril Lagasse's blueberry drop cookies, knowing the difference between cookie types can help you create the perfect cookie for your needs.