I've been asked to make cookies for an event but the client wants a bunch of cheap cookies instead of the usual sugar cookies with royal icing that I do. I don't really want to do something like chocolate chip cookies because anybody can do drop cookies. Is there another option that's less fussy than a decorated sugar cookie but takes more skill than just a regular drop cookie?

How about a piped butter cookie as in an Italian cookie with sprinkles.  You can pipe the into many beautiful shapes. Much more elegant than a drop cookie.

Hmmm... Would that be the same recipe as a roll out cookie?

If you have a cookie gun it helps otherwise it can be hard on the hands.  Roll out dough is fairly bland because it's designed to accomodate the sweetness of the royal icing.  Better to find a recipe specific to this stand alone application.

^^^^I think they are referred to as spritz cookies. Fast work with a cookie gun.

Familiar peanut butter with the crossed forks imprint.... just add a drizzle of chocolate for "wow"

Thumbprint jam filled cookies

Meringues pipe easily, look nice with chocolate drizzles (or candy melts if a color is wanted) and/or sprinkles

refrigerator cookies can be easy and still look attractive and a little extra special.  Using a vanilla dough and a chocolate dough either rolled into a spiral or assembled to be a checkerboard when frozen and sliced.  Can be made and frozen in advance which is nice too.

  http://www.generalmillscf.com/content-pages/articles/2014/q2/checkerboard-icebox-cookies

http://muchpics.com/this-site-has-links-to-20-slice-n-bake-refrigerator-cookies-including-pinwheel-brown-sugar-icebox-lemon-ginger-almond-and-more/