Homemade cookies don’t always have to start with measuring flour, sugar, and baking powder. This collection of semi-homemade cookie recipes uses convenient shortcuts like cake mix, refrigerated cookie dough, cookie mix, brownie mix, and other store-bought ingredients to turn them into cookies that feel anything but ordinary.

A simple starting point leaves plenty of room for creativity. Add chocolate, candy, nuts, flavored extracts, fillings, frosting, sprinkles, or seasonal decorations to create cookies for holidays, parties, bake sales, dessert tables, or an easy everyday treat. Some recipes completely transform the original mix or dough, while others use a few clever additions to give a familiar favorite a whole new personality.

With lots of recipes to explore, there’s plenty of inspiration when you want the fun of homemade cookies without making every component from scratch. Start with a shortcut, add your own creative touch, and let the finished cookies take all the credit.