The All-American Cookie Book

by Nancy Baggett

For this trailblazing collection of America’s favorite cookies, Nancy Baggett crisscrossed the nation, visiting small-town bakeries, chic urban cookie boutiques, rural inns, bed-and-breakfasts, farmers’ markets, and the homes of locally renowned cooks. She combed through community cookbooks and searched out long-lost heirloom recipes, sure-handedly reworking every recipe in her own kitchen.
THE ALL-AMERICAN COOKIE BOOK celebrates regional gems from every corner of the country: Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies, New York Black and Whites, New Mexican Biscochitos, Key Lime Frosties from Florida, and Mocha Espresso Wafers from Seattle. A sophisticated hazelnut chocolate sandwich cookie that was the closely guarded secret of an Oregon hostess is here, and so is a delightfully crisp (and easy to roll out) old-fashioned gingerbread cookie recreated from a handwritten 1880 notebook.
Homespun classics abound: Chocolate Whoopie Pies, Caramel Apple Crumb Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, and Caramel-Frosted Brown Sugar Drops. The collection also features devastatingly delicious contemporary creations like Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies and Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons. For children and adults alike, one of the most exciting chapters will be the lavishly illustrated “Cookie Decorating and Crafts,” which includes everything from simple projects like Christmas cookies and Chocolate Gingerbread Bears to an elaborate gingerbread house. As Nancy Baggett tells the story of America’s heritage, she slips in fascinating bits of history, showing the evolution of our homegrown baking traditions.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference

395 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2001

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got hold of a copy of this book while searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, and it really didn't disappoint!

The book is split into 10 chapters -
1)how to make great cookies every time,
2)sugar cookies and shortbreads,
3)chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies,
4)chocolate and mocha cookies,
5)blondies, brownies and other bar cookies,
6)fruit, pumpkin and carrot cookies,
7)nut and peanut cookies,
8)oat, coconut and sesame seed cookies,
9)ginger, spice and molasses cookies, and
10)cookie decorating and crafts.

Each recipe has an introduction with information on the history of the cookie, and pointers as to how it is supposed to look and taste to give you an idea of whether you want to make it or not. It also tells you what certain ingredients do for the cookies and whether or not you can make substitutes.

My favourite recipe in the book has to be Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies, which are quite simply the best chocolate chip cookies ever! Brown around the edges and chewy in the middle with loads of chocolate chips. Everytime I make these I get loads of compliments and they never hang around very long either! Absolutely delicious!

Other Recipes are as follows:

Sugar cookies and shortbreads:
snickerdoodles
sugar cookies
pennsylvania dutch soft sugar cookies
New York black and whites
vanilla sugar cookies
maple sugar cookies
anise sugar cookies
caramel frosted brown sugar drops
butterscotch crunch cookies
cornmeal sables
jumbles
lemon jumbles
Shortbread Cookies
Carolina Stamped Shortbread
Vanilla Shortbread domes
Marguerites
Apricot Sandwich Tea Cakes
Jam Jewels

chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies:
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies
Not Neiman Marcus's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Toffee-Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
OregonHazelnut-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip IceboxCookies
Banana-Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
White Chocolate-Macadamia Nut Cookies
Chocolate-Espresso White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Death-By-Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pecan Fudgies
Peppermint Road Chocolate Chipsters
Cocoa-Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate-Peanut-Raisin Chunkies
ChocolateChubbies
Double-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Tutti-Frutti ChocolateFruitcake Drops

Plus loads more - just too many to list them all!


P.S. - Just a little help with the American bits! One stick of butter is 113gm, and one cup of butter is 226gm. All-purpose flour is plain flour. Light corn syrup is golden syrup.
In the Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies recipe, the cream of tartar and baking soda can be substituted with 4tsp of baking powder if that is what you have at home.
Otherwise please be warned that the amounts for the ingredients are given in American 'cups', so ideally you will need a set of measuring cups and spoons for this recipe book, or you will have to look up the conversions online.

Hope this helps. Enjoy!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this fat book up at a used bookstore for $4, and it was the best $4 I've ever spent.

Over the period of a couple of months, I tried a good dozen of the cookie recipes on my delighted co-workers, who went utterly bananas. Sugar cookies, chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, macaroons, New York black and whites... we munched and crunched through a delightful array. While some of the ingredients I did not initially have (light corn syrup and vegetable shortening, for instance), many of the recipes called for similar ingredients, so once I had them I could make such a variety of cookies that my boss complained about me ruining his diet.

Let me state this: I am not a good cook, and a worse baker. However, even I can't mess up these recipes. They are simple, easy to understand, and easier to bake. Even the chocolate-dipped macaroons, which involved whipping egg whites (which I had never attempted before), was easy as pie. If you want delicious, addicting cookies that are easy to make and impress everyone who tries them, I'd pick up this book.

I can't wait to eat more!

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my top cookie cookbooks--I especially like the cherry ribbon cookies, which are a pain to make but are melt in your mouth delicious to eat. If you are making cookie platters as dessert options, this is an excellent cookbook, and lots of these cookies freeze beautifully

[Hannah Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've made half a dozen recipes from this book, and each one has been a hit! The recipes are easy to follow and easy to tweak. I don't have a mixer, and I've been able to easily handmix everything to satisfaction. It's a great way for the casual cook to get amazing cookies.

Try the Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. I replaced the kirsch with Chambord/vanilla mix, and it was heavenly.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of great recipes combined with history of the recipes.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well organized and well written. I especially liked the many variations of molasses and even a sorghum cookie recipe. Worth reading.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet friend let me borrow this book and I found three recipes that were a hit with my entire extended family! I loved the stories the author includes with many recipes.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found that this book had way to many repeat recipes for me. My biggest complaint is that the recipe titles are in a hard to read shade of yellow on a white page.

[Kimberli · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, so good on this one! Trying the Rugelach next!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts...

[Diane Wachter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nancy Baggett, HB-B @ 2001, 12/01. A cookie cookbook...not too impressive!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good pictures, unique cookies and interesting commentary!