34 Different Types Of Sandwich Cookies, Explained

There's a certain time of the year that is unofficially cookie season, the holiday season is when even the most amateur baker hears the siren's call of the oven. You don't want to be the person bringing the paper plate of slice-and-bake cookies from a tube. Make this cookie season your year to blow everyone away with the greatest of all cookie formats: sandwich cookies! 

We've compiled a list of 34 different varieties of sandwiched goodies for you to choose from. Some of these cookies are tried-and-true historical favorites, and some of them might be new to you. Many cultures have styles of sandwich cookie to break out for special occasions, while other cookies are common lunch-box staples. Whether it's jam, buttercream or chocolate hugged between two biscuits, you'll be sure to find a new favorite to make you a stand-out at the holiday cookie swap!

When it comes to sandwich cookies, Oreos are the OG of snacks. Whether you wait with eager anticipation for their latest flavor drop, or you are faithful to the original, it's pretty much an undisputed fact that Oreos are the kings of sandwich cookies. Oreos have been a staple in American pantries since 1912, but you may be surprised to learn that Hydrox cookies, which look suspiciously identical to Oreos, actually came first. According to ThoughtCo, Hydrox cookies, made by Sunshine Baking Co., had already been on the market for four years before Oreos hit the scene and soon became the belle of the biscuit ball. Talk about cookie controversy! It's actually pretty easy to make Oreo copycats at home, if you want to twist and dunk without a trip to the store.

While we're on the subject of popular lunch box staples, we would be remiss if we skipped over oatmeal cream pies. Creamy, marshmallow-y filling peeking out from between two soft oatmeal cookies, this treat is more decadent than oatmeal has any right to be! The greatest thing about making homemade oatmeal cream pies is how customizable they are when they're DIY! Throw some butterscotch chips or raisins into the cookie batter! Add cinnamon or strawberry extract to the filling! Dress them up or just enjoy them in their natural state, there really is no wrong way to enjoy them.

S'mores are probably the first recipe that kids know by heart: graham cracker + toasted marshmallow + squares of chocolate = ooey, gooey, sticky, smiling goodness. S'mores are so fun and popular, they have even started to make an appearance at weddings (per Roses and Rings) as an addition to the traditional wedding cake. S'more are another sandwich cookie that allows you to be endlessly creative with their creation. Unique s'mores ingredients can vary from peanut butter to the sort of chocolate you're adding. It's almost as though s'mores are a state of mind, rather than a single, definable, cookie.

If you're not from The U.K., Ireland, Australia, or Canada, you might not be familiar with Wagon Wheel biscuits. Like a s'more, they are chocolatey, graham-y, and marshmallow-y. Some varieties even include a dollop of jam in the middle as well. According to Burton's Biscuits, the UK Manufacturer of Wagon Wheels, 125 million Wagon Wheels are consumed in the U.K. every year! With the average biscuit being 2.95 inches in diameter (per Practically Edible), laid end to end, that number of Wagon Wheels would stretch from Maine to Washington state and back again!

The opening day of Girl Scout Cookie sales should be a national holiday (at least in our opinion). Everyone has their own favorite, whether it's Thin Mints or Samoas, but it's really hard to go wrong with a box of Do-Si-Dos, the salty-sweet peanut butter sandwich of the lot. According to Little Brownie Bakers, the company behind Girl Scout cookies, Do-Si-Dos were one of the original treats sold starting in 1974. If you find yourself unable to wait for Pam in accounting's niece to start her fundraising sales, you can make Do-Si-Dos yourself, so you can enjoy them all year long.

You might be most familiar with tahini as a savory food, found in dishes like hummus and baba ghanoush, but the intense toasty, nuttiness of sesame paste works magic in cookies. The dark chocolate ganache filling compliments the sesame, bringing a more worldly flavor than your standard peanut or hazelnut addition. With toasted sesame seeds dusted over the top, these tahini sandwich cookies will certainly make you the stand-out at the dessert table.

Sweet, luxurious dulce de leche, so velvety and golden. Truly, this caramel ambrosia is Latin America's gift to the world, and you shouldn't be shy about using it in their baking! Alfajores are one of the most popular types of cookies throughout Latin America; two buttery biscuits hugging a healthy dollop of dulce de leche. There are myriad variations on the recipe: chocolate dipped, coconut dusted, nut studded. But, the foundation is always the same: rich shortbread and dulce de leche. Make your own dulce de leche (aka liquid gold) and put your own spin on homemade alfajores.

Mint is a powerful flavor that needs to be paired with a strong partner. That's why chocolate and mint cookies are a match made in heaven. Chocolate cookies with a creamy mint filling are a gorgeous combination that harkens to the holidays. Decorate your cookies with crushed candy canes for holiday pizazz, or, if you make them in the spring or summer months, candy some mint leaves for a cool, sparkling garnish. 

Florentine cookies are delicate, lacy, crispy cookies made from finely chopped nuts and dried fruit. Once baked, they have a crunchy, toffee-ladened flavor. Traditionally, the undersides are dipped in chocolate. But their crispy, crunchy texture makes them the perfect for pairing with a creamy filling! Eggnog, a traditional holiday drink loaded with baking spices, compliments the dried fruit and caramelized sugar in the cookies. Santa would definitely love to see a plate of these Florentine sandwich cookies waiting for him.

Cookies and milk are a classic pairing, but what if you went one step further? What about soft-baked chocolate chip cookies and a creamy scoop of ice cream? You just doubled your dessert in one handy sandwich! Of course, you don't have to limit yourself to just vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookies, let your creativity run wild with any unique cookie/ice cream combination you can imagine. The best thing is that you can prep a bunch of these treats ahead of time, wrap them tightly, then store them in your freezer for whenever you might crave a sweet treat.

These fun, oval-shaped jammie gems have a name that's quite a mouthful: lusikkaleivät. Also known as teaspoon cookies, they're formed using a teaspoon to scoop the brown butter dough onto a baking sheet. Once they're golden, you can fill them with any jam or preserve that tickles your fancy, though the traditional Finnish choice is cloudberry. Once the cookies are stuffed, dust with powered sugar for added elegance and you have yourself a true taste of Scandinavian baking.

Is there anything more elegant that a plate of French macarons? With the airiness of meringue fortified by almond flour, and a decadent filling, it's no wonder that macarons have stolen the hearts of bakeries everywhere. According to the BBC, the original recipe for macarons was most likely brought to Italy by Arab traders, then carried on to France by Italian bakers, and it originally consisted of a single cookie. Not until 1930, the BBC continues, did the French baker Pierre Desfontaines fill two of the cookies with ganache and bring us the "Paris" macaron we all recognize. Macaroons are as much at home on a fancy tea-table or on a paper napkin with a glass of milk. Perfecting them is no small task, but once you've mastered the French macaron, you might find it to be your go-to sandwich cookie.

Salty and sweet together in one cookie, or in this case, cracker, sandwich. The iconic Ritz cracker as we know it was introduced to America during the Great Depression when, according to Snack History, "Americans yearned for something fancy and exquisite." Though they are sold as a savory cracker, Ritz are no strangers to the dessert game. Culinary Lore says that during the Dustbowl era and into World War II when apples were scarce, Ritz crackers became the integral ingredient to mock apple pie. Ritz crackers are rich and buttery and stand up well to a healthy coating of tempered chocolate. 

No baking required for this easy recipe! Just make peanut butter and Ritz sandwiches, pop them in the fridge to set, then dunk them into melted chocolate. Ta-da! Add chopped peanuts to the outside or your choice of other decoration for flair.

Neither quite cookie nor fully cake, whoopie pies exist in a liminal space between desserts. The origin of whoopie pies is claimed by three separate states: Maine, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. And while their birthright is disputed, their composition is not. The cookies should be pillowy, and the marshmallow filling should be thick and abundant. And they definitely deserve their own place on the list. You can have a whoopie pie for every season! The traditional chocolate and vanilla for winter, carrot cake and cream cheese whoopie pies for spring, lemon cake and strawberry cream for summer, and of course, pumpkin spice for autumn!

Tiramisu is one of those desserts that immediately sounds fancy, especially when you look at the components: espresso-dipped lady finger biscuits, sweetened mascarpone cheese filling, dusted with cocoa. Tiramisu is typically served as a layered trifle dessert, but what's stopping you from making it a snackable single-serving option? 

French lace cookies are so immediately appealing with their golden, web-like structure. Though they are also known as Florentines, and Honest Cooking states that their French moniker is actually more appropriate since these biscuits more than likely originated in France as a tribute to Italian-born queen Catherine de' Medici. A thick, dark chocolate ganache typically coats the bottom of these crispy cookies, which just naturally invites a second cookie to the sandwich party. A zest of orange in the cookie batter makes for a burst of citrus to cut through the sweetness. These cookies spread a lot during the baking process, meaning that your sandwiches will be impressively large while still retaining their crisp lightness.

Peanut butter and jelly is probably the most quintessential sandwich. It requires no culinary know-how to make and it harkens back to childhood lunches. So why not capture that nostalgia in a sandwich cookie? Peanut butter cookies are easy to make, and then it's as simple as choosing your jam to put between them! Are you a strawberry jam or a grape jelly fan? You could even get fancy and make your own jam for the filling, though straight-from-the-jar Smuckers works just as well!

Linzer cookies are actually a scaled down version of a dessert called a linzertorte, which comes from Austria (per Eat2Explore). The original tart consists of an almond-meal crust, filled with cooked fruit, then topped with lattice work so the colorful filling shines through. These sandwich cookies embrace their origin by also having an almond base. A window of any design, also called an eye, is carved into the top cookie so that the jam will peek out, much like the original dessert's lattice work (per Food Reference). There are even savory linzer cookies if you're feeling adventurous!

Can a cannoli be considered a sandwich cookie? It might suffer the same identity crisis as a burrito or a deli wrap, but they're too delicious to go unmentioned. Crunchy, fried shells are piped full of sweetened whipped ricotta cheese. Their suggestive shape isn't coincidental, according to the BBC, and harkens back to ancient traditions of celebrating both godly and mortal eroticism in baking. The ends are then dipped in chopped pistachio nuts, chocolate chips, or other fun garnish. They are staples of Italian bakeries where you can often buy them by the dozen to share (or not)! 

Empire cookies hail from Scotland, which is famous for its buttery, decadent shortbread. Shortbread cookies hug a dollop of jam, then the tops are coated with a simple icing before being crowned with a sliver of bright, sweet candied cherry. The Old Foodie speculates that the name of these biscuits was actually a patriotic rebranding of what was known as a German biscuit during European wartime. These cookie are traditionally reserved for the holidays in their native Scotland, but feel free to enjoy them all year round! Simple and elegant, it's hard not to feel regal while eating empire cookies. 

Move over, Fig Newtons, there's a new figgy biscuit in town! Cuccidati are Italian fig-stuffed cookies that often grace tables around the holiday season. Figs are an ideal fruit for a sandwich cookie, as they become naturally chewy and jammy when they're cooked. The history of the cuccidati tells a story as old as Italian cuisine, itself, according to the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, from the Greeks introducing grapes to Sicily, to the Arab trade routes bringing up the figs and dates from the Middle East. These cookies also benefit from a splash of holiday spirits (typically Marsala wine), nuts, and spices in the filling before they're iced with a simple sugar glaze and topped with festive nonpareils.

These nutty tartlets are called dziriat. World Food Guide states that they're incredibly labor-intensive, which is why they're saved for only the most special of occasions, such as weddings in their homeland of Algeria. The filling is made out of zested lemon and chopped almonds nested into a crisp pastry. Once they come out of the oven, they are immediately drizzled in a syrup made out of honey and orange flower water. A romantic celebration in pastry form.

Waffles aren't just for breakfast, especially not in the Netherlands, the birthplace of the stroopwafel. Stroopwafels are thin pastries made on a special waffle iron, then sandwiched together with a layer of caramel. According to Dutch culinary history, stroopwafels were originally made with bakery scraps and sold cheaply, earning them the nickname "poor cakes" (per Gouda Original).  Often eaten with coffee or tea, these sweet snacks are often placed like a lid on the steaming mug to warm up and soften the caramel filling.

Possibly the most adorable sandwich cookies are the Croatian breskvices. Shaped and colored to resemble miniature peaches, they boast a filling of apricot jam, rum, and finely chopped walnuts. According to Tour Dalmatia, they are doused in peach brandy and rolled in sugar to finish off the gems.  They're most often served at weddings and holidays since they're so labor intensive to make, but the end result, glittering with that dusting of granulated sugar crystals, is a stunner every time.

If you haven't tried these maple creme sandwich cookies, you are seriously missing out! Buttery leaf-shaped cookies with a middle of creme flavored with genuine maple syrup, these treats take maple seriously. It's no wonder they've become an Aldi's obsession. If you find them at your local store, you'll want to grab a couple boxes of them because these goodies can be hard to find and tend to be seasonal, just like the leaves on a maple tree.

What exactly is red velvet? A striking red cake with a mild chocolate flavor covered in snow white cream cheese frosting. According to Sunflower Baking Company, it's believed that red velvet cake came about in the Victorian era when cocoa started being added to cakes. The acidity of the cocoa reacted with the flour and the buttermilk found in most cake recipes, creating a reddish hue. So, it only makes sense to turn it into a red velvet cookie and whip up a fluffy batch of cream cheese filling to peek out the edges. 

Latifeh means "soft" in Farsi, according to the Persian Mama, and this treat certainly lives up to its name. This dessert makes use of the Middle Eastern staples of pistachios and rose, blending into a romantic and airy delicacy, which is most often enjoyed during Nowruz, or Persian New Year. Pistachios originated in the area previously known as Asia Minor (via Heart of the Desert), which now comprises modern day Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, and is why they play such a starring role in so many desserts from that region. Heart of the Desert also includes the fact that pistachios are one of only two nuts referenced by name in the Old Testament.

Bright, citrusy lemon is a stand-out flavor. The sour-sweetness of the lemon is perfectly tempered by a creamy filling. Make lemon cookies filled with sweet cream cheese frosting for your next summer picnic. They're equally delightful with a cup of tea. If you want to boost the lemon flavor of these cookies, zest the citrus rind directly into the sugar that you're going to be using, then massage the mixture together, which helps the oils from the lemon seep into the sugar. This will ensure a heightened citrus flavor in anything you bake!

The Huffington Post traces the origin of spritz cookies back to Germany, where they're called spritzgebäck, or "squirt cookies," due to how they're created. See, spritz cookies are super fun to make because, unlike other cookies that get their shape from cookie cutters, these cookies are made using a cookie press. The bakery press pushes buttery cookie dough through die-cut plates so that they come out in intricate designs that hold their shape through the baking process. Rose spritz cookies look like gorgeous flowers and the dough can be any flavor of your choosing, as can the filling! 

Gingersnap cookies certainly earn their name with their strong, biting flavor that comes from a mixture of spices and molasses. July 1 is National Gingersnap Day, despite these classic cookies often making their appearance around the winter months. Because the ginger and molasses is such a strong flavor in the cookies, when making them into sandwiches, it's best to opt for a softer filling flavor, like vanilla, to temper the heat of the spices.

It seems to start sooner and sooner every year: pumpkin spice season. The mélange of spices find their way into everything from coffee to breakfast cereal to Oreos. Whether you're a fan of the spice or couldn't care less, it's hard to resist a soft-baked pumpkin cookie with a cinnamon cream cheese filling. Pumpkin has a natural sweetness all its own, so the filling can strike a nice balance without being too cloying.

There's always been a buzz around matcha, the beautiful, velvety powdered green tea. According to the New York Times, matcha may have several health benefits, including high amounts of antioxidants, which may help the body's cells fight damage from potentially harmful molecules. Health benefits aside, the flavor alone is enough of a reason to make it into a smooth matcha buttercream filling and sandwich it between two cookies.

It's hard to take yourself too seriously while saying the word "snickerdoodle." Where did that word even come from? According to Martha Stewart, it might have been the evolution of an original German name for a cinnamon cookie that has always been popular amongst the Amish population of Pennsylvania — or it could be just a goofy word that New Englanders made up. Wherever the name came from, it's a traditional American cookie that makes a great host to a simple buttercream frosting for a fun sandwich cookie.

Mocha is the love-child of hot chocolate and espresso. The components of the drink are simple: espresso, hot milk, cocoa, and sugar. Whether it be dark, milk, or white chocolate used, mocha strikes that perfect balance between two strong flavors. Bakers often add coffee to their chocolate desserts to heighten the flavor. A dark chocolate cookie with a coffee creme would perfectly replicate this popular drink, and make a fantastic companion to your latte.