The Cookies & Cups Cookbook: 125+ sweet & savory recipes reminding you to Always Eat Dessert First

by Shelly Jaronsky

Wildly popular Cookies & Cups blogger Shelly Jaronsky’s eagerly anticipated cookbook features all-new, mouth-watering, delectable sweet treats 100% guaranteed to make you want to eat dessert first.

Shelly Jaronsky has a problem. She’s an addict. Of the buttercream variety.

“Chronicling my life in sugar” has been Shelly’s motto since the inception of her insanely frequented dessert blog, Cookies & Cups. With recipes ranging from the deliciously decadent (her S’mores Fudge Bars will make you seriously reconsider everything you thought you knew about baked goods) to the deceptively simple (her Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie will become an instant staple in your baking repertoire), The Cookies & Cups Cookbook truly has something for everyone, from the cooking novice to the seasoned chef.

Now you can bring Shelly’s signature style into your own kitchen with more than 125 no-fail recipes, including some reader-approved favorites and a special bonus section dedicated to the quick and savory side of cooking. Authored in the witty, intimate style of the blog that draws more than three million monthly page views and a social following of more than seven hundred thousand fans, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook is the go-to source for all things flavorful, accessible, and irresistibly tasty.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2016

Reviews

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drool worthy photos and organized for ease of use the Cookies & Cups Cookbook offers comfort food recipes, to die for sweets, frosting and more.

Part one delivers desserts from bars to party snacks for friends and families. Spice up your pound cake with one of the thirteen frosting recipes including pretzel frosting! The cookbook has sixteen cake recipes with beautiful pictures that had me drooling. I was tempted to lick the page. How do Caramel Salted Cupcakes sound or perhaps a Banana Blonde-Bottomed Cheesecake is more your speed.

The second part is all about dinner. It features sections on pizza and pasta, salads and sandwiches and a whole section on family favorites. Within the second half you will find breadcrumb pasta, a fabulous mac and cheese and sandwiches that will delight the palate. I have already made a few recipes and found the ingredients could easily be found at my local grocer. The directions are simple, clear and concise. There is a Bacon and Pea pasta recipe that was absolutely delicious. Nom-Nom.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[KathyAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great cookbook! I made several recipes out of this that were big hits with the family. Very easy and simple recipes.

[Haley S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my cookies! I love this cook book! Obviously, I haven't tried every recipes in the book, but the ones I have have turned out amazing! I love this cook book!

[Katrina Marie]

This review was originally posted on Bookish Things & More Review
This is such a fun cookbook.  The images are amazing, and some of the recipes I've tried have been delicious.  I liked going through and looking at the yummy pictures while working on my meal plan.  The recipes are very easy to follow, and most can be made pretty quickly.


Flourless Chocolate Cookies

While my kiddos didn't care for this recipe, the folks at work did.  They were eaten not long after I put them in the kitchen.  I thought they had a very rich taste.

Confetti White Chocolate Bars
These were ridiculously easy to make. I didn't get a picture because Wee One dug in as soon as she could.  She really liked them.


Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Baked Potato
This recipe takes a bit longer.  But that's only because of making sure not to scorch the cheese sauce.  The Hubs wasn't sure about the whole in a potato thing, but it was still really good.  The perfect mixture of everything.




Grilled Pesto Shrimp
I'm not gonna lie.  Looking at the mixture marinating the shrimp, it didn't look appetizing at all.  But once the shrimp hit the grill they smelled delicious.  The end result wasn't bad either.  Boy Child devoured 4 skewers before saying he was full.




Overall the recipes I tried were fabulous. I can't wait to try a few more, especially the scones.


 

[Emily]

Lots of recipes we’d like to try. They are simply and clearly written and there are finished pictures for each recipe.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cookies & Cups Cookbook is a delicious collection of over 125 sweet and savory recipes. This cookbook is divided in two sections – desserts and dinner. As a fan of sweets I loved how the desserts are first in the cookbook. The recipes have a different range of difficulty so readers will find many delicious choices to match their cooking expertise. My family are chocoholics so we selected to try The Fudgiest Brownies recipe. Not only was it because of the chocolate but because our mouth watered from the picture.

I confess that I am a lazy cook. I avoid recipes that have too many ingredients or complicated steps. So as soon as I read the recipe I knew I found one that had a good chance for success. And I was right! Each step of the recipe was clear for me to follow; even the amount of time to cook was exact. The recipe and I was a perfect match! And when my family tried the finish product they were speechless. Minutes passed before anyone told me what they thought. They were too preoccupied with eating the brownies. This was so easy to make and tasted so delicious. I will never buy a boxed brownie mix again!

I received this book as a member of the XOXperts, XOXO After Dark’s official street team, in exchange for an honest review. Visit XOXOAfterDark.com for the best in romance, urban fantasy and women’s fiction.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is drool-worthy. I absolutely must own a copy! The bulk of the book focuses on dessert recipes which look amazing. The last quarter of the book has dinner, salad, and side recipes which also look fantastic. I haven't had a chance to try any as I was severely overdue in returning the book to the library (oops!) but most of the ingredients are every day items in your pantry and it's all very user-friendly.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pictures. The recipes are traditional with a twist and I think very doable for the average baker. No over-the-top stuff here that looks and is complicated.

[BRNTerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

THINGS I'VE MADE

COOKIES AND CREAM COOKIES



I made half the recipe and got 28 cookies. I omitted the chopped Oreo's and white chocolate chips. I added chopped lightly toasted slivered almonds and 1/4c. mini semisweet chocolate chips. My dough balls didn't spread much at all during baking and were very thick. When they came out of the oven I flattened them with the back of a measuring cup. I flattened the rest of the dough balls before baking. These are bland-tasting, not sweet enough, and I'd never make them again. Dense too.

EPIC CHOCOLATE PUDDING PIE



This pie couldn't have been easier to make. You bring ingredients to a boil on the stove, pour into prebaked pie shell and refrigerate for hours. I used a store-bought Keebler® shortbread pie crust and thawed frozen whipped topping instead of homemade whipped cream (I don't like it). I made half the recipe. The pie is a little bitter and not quite sweet enough. I think it would still be bitter with less chocolate so next time I make it I'm going to use bittersweet chocolate in place of unsweetened to see if that helps.



CRISPY CHEWY OATMEAL COOKIES



These turned out great but needed a little more salt. I used unsalted butter when the recipe called for salted so I needed to add a little more salt than the recipe called for. I did but not enough. I omitted the coconut and white chocolate chips and added mini semisweet chocolate chips and finely chopped lightly toasted pecans. I'd definitely make these again. I made half and got 24 cookies. My first batch, pictured, were overbaked by about one minute and they got harder as they sat in a sealed container.

TACO PASTA



This was pretty good and required just one deep skillet to cook the pasta in then the meat mixture. It uses ground beef, taco mix, chili powder, cumin, corn, crushed tomatoes, salsa, shredded cheese.

I made half the recipe but used even less pasta than called for. I used about 1 1/2 c. dry (5oz) instead of 8oz. I omitted the black beans. The salsa almost ruined this as the flavors didn't mesh with the other seasonings. I'll definitely make this again, minus the salsa

TEXAS SHEET CAKE



I made half of this chocolate cake in a 9"x1.5" round pan*. The cake is made with equal parts butter and shortening, melted. It uses a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder. It's dense and very good. I added extra salt because I used unsalted butter, not salted like the recipe states. I made my own vanilla frosting for this, not the chocolate one in the recipe.

*An 8"x2" round or square pan holds the same amount.

CATAGORIES: So You Think You Can Bake?, Eat Cake For Breakfast, Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Cake, Frosting, Pie, Party Snacks, Pizza and Pasta, Salads and Sammies, Family Favorites.

MY THOUGHTS: I'm pretty disappointed in this book. I've made five things and there are only about six more I'd actually make and there's no telling how they'd turn out.

Of the things I've made only two were what I'd call really great, the sheet cake and oatmeal cookies. The great thing about the oatmeal cookies is that you can add whatever you want to the batter if you'd like, like chocolate chips, chopped dried fruit or nuts.

There's an attractive color photo for each and every recipe, which is very nice, and I love the cover. There's maybe eight recipes that have silly childish sprinkles or cereal decorating the top or stirred into the batter, which is very unappealing to me as an adult.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve made many recipes from the this cookbook and the vast majority were delicious. Her blog is a go to site for me when looking for a good recipe.

I do have two warnings:
1. The author has a husband and 4 kids, so the main dish recipes are huge. I was eating Taco Pasta for a week.
2. Lower the sugar amount in the cake recipes. My friends know I’m a sugar fiend, so if it’s too sweet for me, wow.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite food bloggers took the plunge and wrote a cookbook. It took me a few years to read it, but I’m glad I did. Not just a rehash if her online recipes! New and interesting takes on some favorites, mixed in classics, and brand new mouth watering eats. Topped with her charming personality in the descriptions, this is a can’t miss for any dessert lover.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't bake a lot of sweet recipes, but I found a few that I am excited to try. I have followed Shelly's blog for several years and really enjoy it.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good cook book on deserts and tried several recipes with kids giving me the thumbs up! Also made Shelly's homemade frosting...excellent! She lives in NJ!!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the recipes in this book! Everything I tried was really good and the recipes are fairly simple to follow. If you don't like brown sugar though, you may be out of luck!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tons of chocolate recipes for those of us that can't get enough. Book is divided into chapters for cookies, pan goods, cakes, basics, etc. I really love this recipe book.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the author's attitude and straight forwardness. Some very nice recipes, with a couple chapters that go beyond cookies and cups.

[Michael Burden · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hands down the story

[S. Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites.

[Brandi Hodges]

The Cookies & Cups Cookbook: 125+ sweet & savory recipes reminding you to Always Eat Dessert First

Shelly Jaronsky

I love to bake. It’s one of my favorite things to do. Not just because you get to create something that people will enjoy - but because it is what I do when I’m stressed out to get myself to feel better. An hour (or 5) later you can look at your trays of perfectly baked (ok, some of them are always burned because of my failure to remember to use a timer) cookies, cakes, muffins or other sugar filled goodies. When “The Cookies and Cups Cookbook” by Shelly Jaronsky arrived on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago I was so excited. I mean, there was a little jumping up and down…or at least bouncing.

As a person who is a big fan of cookbooks - this is my method: I look through the book several times before picking something I want to try. I look at the pictures first, then the pictures and the recipes that are alongside them. I decided to try two of the recipes - for things I have never made before.

I made the “Supersoft Coconut-Lime Cake” on pages 132-133. This cake was a really fun thing to make for me because it was unlike anything I had made before. This cake is made from scratch and uses both fresh lime juice and zest to give it the super potent lime flavor. The “supersoft” description stems from the use of coconut milk in the cake and a lime flavored simple syrup that is poured over the cake once it comes out of the oven and is topped with a coconut buttercream icing.

I took this sugary concoction to work to share with my co-workers and while the general consensus is that it was very tasty - there was too much lime. Next time I make this cake I will likely cut the amount of lime by at least half. Other than the punch of sour, this cake was very good and a fun recipe to make and share.

I also made the “Flourless Chocolate Cookies with Flaked Sea Salt” that can be found on pages 70-71 in this newly released cookbook! I’ve never made anything that was flourless or gluten free. I recently made a new friend who has a gluten allergy and when i was making my initial pass through the book, I thought of her and that I should learn to make something that she could potentially eat. This was so strange for me! A recipe that doesn’t call for flour OR butter?! I almost didn’t know what to do with myself! The combination of dry ingredients goes into your mixing bowl first and the only wet ingredients you have for the entire recipe are egg whites. Honestly, I was skeptical. No butter? It had to be a misprint! I always make a recipe like the recipe tells me to the first time, and as mentioned above for the previous recipe, will make changes as I see fit for my own baking needs.

I mixed up the ingredients as the recipe called for. I scooped out my sticky piles of chocolate batter, i baked and then sprinkled with sea salt. Still skeptical, I took the pretty cookies to my office the next day and, having not tried one of these alien cookies myself, offered them to my co-workers and sat back to see what would happen. They were met with positive reviews. Once they were compared to “tiny little brownies” I had to try one and I was not disappointed! These flourless cookies were super easy to make - a mere 6 ingredients - and were amazing! The sea salt on top gives them just the right amount of salty combined with the sweetness of the cookie. They do truly taste like a flattened brownie. This is a recipe that needs no “Brandi tinkering” to get it the way I like it.

Author Shelly Jaronsky shared one of the recipes with XOXO After Dark. Here’s the link to her recipe for “French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese": http://xoxoafterdark.com/2016/04/21/g...

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

 

If you've ever stumbled upon my Pinterest page (stumble away HERE ), you'll see I have an overactive sweet tooth.  Anything and everything with a pretty picture, covered in chocolate is pinned in my "Sweets - YUM" board.  So I was super excited to get a recipe book full of Pinterest worthy recipes - all printed out and ready to be made!

 



Besides the awesome pictures, the best part of this recipe book is that most all of these recipes can be made from ingredients you already have on your shelves.  You want some brownies tonight?  No problem.  I'm sure you have some chocolate chips laying around in the cupboard just waiting to be used.

 

 



In my opinion, the worth of any good cookbook is if they can nail a basic recipe.  Chocolate chip cookies, buttercream frosting, or brownies - you've got to get those right!  And coincidentally, Ms. Jaronsky put her basic recipes up front in the beginning of her cookbook.  Smart...

So I know brownies and chocolate chip cookies.  But since I was majorly jones'ing for chocolate (blame the 21-day Fix diet I've been on), I made "The Fudgiest Brownies".  And this wasn't a measly 8x8 pan recipe, this was the 13x9 family sized recipe.  This is looking promising...

I will suggest that you take a bit of time reading "My Rules (or Lack Thereof) in the Kitchen".  Ms. Jaronsky highlights how she cooks and bakes in her kitchen.  One of her slightly different ingredients is that she uses kosher salt instead of regular table salt.  She explains why.

 



 

I'm not sure if it was because my kosher salt was older or what, but my hubs and I kept tasting salt in our brownies when we ate the final product.  I'm not sure I'd follow that bit of advice again when I go to make another recipe.  I would just back down the salt measurement, depending on if I used salted or unsalted butter.  Another thing I might have done "wrong" is that I melted the chocolate chips in the microwave.  Most recipes nowadays will tell you it's perfectly fine to melt chocolate in the microwave, as long as it's done carefully.  So me and by Batter Bowl got to work (doesn't everyone have a Pampered Chef tool or three?).

Finally, I would use ALL semisweet chocolate chips because I am from the school that brownies should never be milk chocolate.  The darker the better I say.

My next attempt will be the chocolate chip cookies.  I am the consummate connoisseur of chocolate chip cookies.  I have a signature recipe, too.  We'll see if Ms. Jaronsky's is up to snuff... I predict sooner rather than later ;)



 Review appears on

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

French Toast Recipe :
Do a normal French Toast whatever but substitute the milk with melted ice cream.

How could I not love this book?

[Jae Mod · Rating 5 out of 5]

** PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER **

To say I have absolutely no talent when it comes to cooking is an under statement .. DESSERTS .. just forget it .. When I got this cookbook I thought it would be hopeless. Flipping through the colorful and mouth watering pages I realized just how much I wanted to attempt to make each and every one of the delicious options shown.

I went for it ! and boy let me tell you I DID IT ! Thanks to the easy to follow instructions provided , the process was painless, fun and the end result ... DELICIOUS ! Below are my own pictures .. I urge you all to get this book it's a must for all foodies ;)

I made the Coconut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies and the Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies.


SYNOPSIS :

Wildly popular Cookies & Cups blogger Shelly Jaronsky’s eagerly anticipated cookbook features all-new, mouth-watering, delectable sweet treats 100% guaranteed to make you want to eat dessert first.

Shelly Jaronsky has a problem. She’s an addict. Of the buttercream variety.

“Chronicling my life in sugar” has been Shelly’s motto since the inception of her insanely frequented dessert blog, Cookies & Cups. With recipes ranging from the deliciously decadent (her S’mores Fudge Bars will make you seriously reconsider everything you thought you knew about baked goods) to the deceptively simple (her Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie will become an instant staple in your baking repertoire), The Cookies & Cups Cookbook truly has something for everyone, from the cooking novice to the seasoned chef.

Now you can bring Shelly’s signature style into your own kitchen with more than 125 no-fail recipes, including some reader-approved favorites and a special bonus section dedicated to the quick and savory side of cooking. Authored in the witty, intimate style of the blog that draws more than three million monthly page views and a social following of more than seven hundred thousand fans, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook is the go-to source for all things flavorful, accessible, and irresistibly tasty.

BUY LINKS :

Buy the Book - Kindle

Buy the Book - Paperback

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cookies and Cups by Shelly Jaronsky is a 2016 Gallery Books publication. I was provided a copy of this book as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.

Shelly Joronsky has given us a cool cookbook based on her wildly popular blog, "Cookies & Cups.

While a large portion of this cookbook is dedicated to sweets, there are a few savory recipes included as well.

I tried out the Texas Sheet Cake in a jar recipe and loved it! This recipe basically consists of creating layers of moist chocolate cake, rich chocolate icing and pecans in a mason jar. The jar can be decorated and makes a nice gift idea as well.

This cookbook is loaded with rich and creamy cakes, cookies, and pastries, and party snacks with color illustrations and pictures.

I had never heard of many of these recipes and can't wait to try more of them. Any of these scrumptious sweets are bound to make an impression on your family and friends, and you will have something to share that is a nice change of pace.

Overall this unique recipe collection gets 4 stars

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out from the library, but I definitely need to buy my own copy. Shelly includes so many mouth-watering recipes for cookies, brownies and bars, pie, cake, breakfast, frosting, party snacks, and dinner. I love the re-organization of the recipe order--instead of being banished to the end of the book, desserts are front and center! I always page to the end of cookbooks, anyway, so this approach is a welcome change.

I've already made Confetti White Chocolate Bars and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swirl Bread--both definite winners. Other recipes high on my list to taste test include Marbled Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies, Kitchen Sink Blondies, and Epic Chocolate Pudding Pie (I’m already planning to make this for Thanksgiving 2016). Shelly includes helpful tips and also has a gorgeous full-page photo for each recipe.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks published in recent memory, and as an obsessive baker I can tell it will be a go-to cookbook for me.

[Theresa Jehlik · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written by Shelly Jaronsky who also writes a popular dessert blog, Cookies & Cups. Her style is light and breezy with frequent glimpses of her personal life. She explains her dessert first philosophy and illustrates it with family stories such as her 93-year-old grandfather who mixed SlimFast with ice cream during her summer visits. Her kitchen rules also enlighten the reader with her tools, methods, and preferred ingredients (salted butter, anyone?). The recipes are lavishly illustrated and use commonly available ingredients. Although some of the savory recipes sounded odd to me, they were all described as hits with her family members. A great book for the baker in your life.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just got this wonderful cookbook. I am not familiar with Shelly Jaronsky's blog, but feel like I quickly got to know her through reading her unprentious and easy to follow cook book. She has great tips in her foreword/introduction and spaced throughout the book. As someone who loves to bake and make desserts and owns MANY cookbooks, this one looks like a keeper. Looking forward to making it well used!

[Kyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for your less confident baker (as it sometimes leans on store-bought crusts and ingredients that I wouldn't normally have around) and it is definitely a totally indulgent cookbook - nothing wrong with that. I kinda wish they hadn't put the savory items in the back - it takes away from the very over the top (dare I say...Midwestern?) tone of the book. If you have to bake for lots of bake sales, this book would be perfect.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read it already but with cookies nearby!

I would have given it another half star if I could, but the real meals at the latter half of the book just threw me off and felt out of place.

My favourite and next to make Pumpkin Crumb Cake.

Must read and purchase. Perfect hostess or housewarming gift.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

immediately bought it

I think there are only a handful of recipes I won’t try simply because I don’t like bananas or blueberries.


3 years later:: I had to buy another copy I used my used copy so much that the pages fell out

[Phaedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for decadent treats? This is the book for you.