How Cookies Are Classified: Every Type Explained

Do you know which categories the cookies we enjoy with coffee and other drinks fall into? If you're looking for the answer, read on.

Cookies can be classified in two ways: by method of shaping and by ingredients.

1. Classification by Shaping Method

By shaping method, there are six types:

Bar cookies (cookie bars)

"Bar" refers to a rectangular piece. Bar cookies are baked in a tray with sides until cooked, then cut into bars or other shapes as suitable. There are two kinds:

1. Bars: made from soft dough pressed into the tray to the thickness the recipe specifies (some recipes include a filling). Once baked, they may be crisp or soft.
2. Brownies: made from a batter in various flavours, soft like cake. They are more popular than the first kind.

Rolled or cut-out cookies

Made from stiff dough rolled thin or thick as specified, then cut into shapes with a knife or a cookie cutter. The cut pieces are lifted onto a cookie sheet, a flat tray without sides.

Drop cookies

Made from a stiff batter, a thick mixture spooned onto a cookie sheet. It must hold its shape well and not run or spread so much that it loses its shape during baking.

Moulded cookies (ball cookies)

Made from stiff dough shaped by hand into sticks, crescents or balls, which may be pressed in the centre with a thumb or flattened with a fork or the bottom of a glass.

Pressed cookies

Made from dough mixed just enough to come together loosely. It is loaded into a cookie press or "gun" and pressed out into shapes onto a baking tray. The shape changes according to the pattern of the disc.

Sliced, refrigerator or icebox cookies

Made from a stiff batter with a higher fat content than other types. Because the mixture softens easily, it must be chilled in the fridge or on ice to firm up (usually rolled into a log and chilled). Once firm, it is sliced with a knife and arranged on a baking tray. Thin slices bake into crisp cookies, while thicker slices give softer cookies.

2. Classification by Ingredients

By ingredients, there are two types:

Butter cookies

These use the same ingredients and mixing method as cake but with less liquid, so the dough can be dropped, piped or cut and still hold its shape. Butter cookies come in three kinds:

1. Soft butter cookies: high in moisture, with plenty of egg to give structure. They are soft once baked; to keep them soft, store them with a slice of bread in the cookie jar.
2. Hard butter cookies: contain less water than soft cookies. When baked, the water evaporates, leaving the cookies dry and crisp.
3. Short (crumbly) butter cookies: high in fat, so they bake up crisp and crumbly. The fat that gives cookies the best flavour is butter.

Egg cookies

These use more egg to give the cookies structure and trap air for rising. They are mixed like foam cakes and come in three kinds:

1. Sponge cookies: made like sponge cake but with more flour. The mixture is piped or dropped onto a tray and bakes crisp yet soft.
2. Macaroons: made from ground almonds mixed with sugar and egg whites, and may be flavoured with coffee, chocolate, nuts, fruit and more. Macaroons originated in Italy during the Renaissance. The mixture is dropped onto a tray in rounds or other shapes.
3. Meringue shells: made by whipping egg whites with sugar until stable, then folding in other ingredients as briefly as possible to keep as many air bubbles as possible. They are piped or dropped onto a tray and baked at a low temperature to dry and harden without colouring, or with minimal colour. Many modern cookie recipes in this group are called macaroons.

Cookies by Shape

The cookies we commonly see can also be grouped by the shapes they're made in:

1. Drop cookies: spooned or piped into shapes and topped with cherries or raisins, such as milk cookies, butter cookies, dried shrimp cookies and cashew nut cookies.
2. Rolled cookies: made from a firm mixture rolled into sheets with patterns or rolled into logs. They must be chilled until firm, then sliced, placed on a greased tray and baked, such as fancy cookies and fruit cookies.
3. Pressed cookies: made from a very thick, firm dough rolled into a sheet, cut with a cutter, placed on a greased tray and baked, such as Singapore cookies and toffee-topped cookies.
4. Highly nutritious cookies: with added wholesome ingredients such as grains, oats, cornflakes, dried fruit or other fruit that is good for the body.