What do you think?
Rate this book
Fabulous Modern Cookies: Lessons in Better Baking for Next-Generation Treats
"Delicious and dazzling...for cookie fanatics, this one is sure to be a hit!" - Publisher's Weekly, starred review
Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin bring fresh perspective and heaps of creativity to everything they bake. Now reinventing America’s most traditional handheld dessert—the cookie—they offer 100 reliable and exciting recipes that are sure to impress. From Pumpkin Snickercrinkles to Black-Bottom Lemon Squares, and Coffee Bean Crunchers to Bronze Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, these are next-level cookies.
Combining their passion for serious baking with their professional backgrounds as accomplished scientists, Taylor and Arguin apply new methods and modern ingredient pairings to develop novel base recipes with innovative techniques. In these pages, they share what they’ve learned in lively tips and tricks for every recipe and style of cookie. Complete with mouthwatering photos, options to make ahead, decorate, or infinitely adapt, these outside-the-box recipes are the very definition of fabulous.
Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin bring fresh perspective and heaps of creativity to everything they bake. Now reinventing America’s most traditional handheld dessert—the cookie—they offer 100 reliable and exciting recipes that are sure to impress. From Pumpkin Snickercrinkles to Black-Bottom Lemon Squares, and Coffee Bean Crunchers to Bronze Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, these are next-level cookies.
Combining their passion for serious baking with their professional backgrounds as accomplished scientists, Taylor and Arguin apply new methods and modern ingredient pairings to develop novel base recipes with innovative techniques. In these pages, they share what they’ve learned in lively tips and tricks for every recipe and style of cookie. Complete with mouthwatering photos, options to make ahead, decorate, or infinitely adapt, these outside-the-box recipes are the very definition of fabulous.
360 pages, Paperback
Published April 12, 2022
35 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 14, 2022
Right off the bat, you must know that just like their previous “The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert,” this is NOT a simple baking book with goodies you can dash off for a bake sale.
Taylor and Arguin specialize in innovation, both in flavor pairing and technique. Consider the very first recipe in the book, a brownie recipe that calls for Swiss meringue. Uh huh, kid you not. And the Peanut Satay Crunchers that call for red curry paste. But the mesmerizing Grapefruit and Pistachio Stained Glass Slices look like exactly that, and the Birthday Cake Rugelach is just fun. And what’s this, a recipe that calls for Cheetos??! The Savory Cookies chapter is worth exploring, I’d think it’d be especially inspiring if you were a private chef or caterer or someone who throws tea parties often.
If you have the skill and wherewithal, your success with these recipes is guaranteed. The authors give measurements in volume and weights, and their instructions are impeccable. The photos are too, but sadly, not every recipe has one. In a book of this complexity however, I feel there should be.
Taylor and Arguin specialize in innovation, both in flavor pairing and technique. Consider the very first recipe in the book, a brownie recipe that calls for Swiss meringue. Uh huh, kid you not. And the Peanut Satay Crunchers that call for red curry paste. But the mesmerizing Grapefruit and Pistachio Stained Glass Slices look like exactly that, and the Birthday Cake Rugelach is just fun. And what’s this, a recipe that calls for Cheetos??! The Savory Cookies chapter is worth exploring, I’d think it’d be especially inspiring if you were a private chef or caterer or someone who throws tea parties often.
If you have the skill and wherewithal, your success with these recipes is guaranteed. The authors give measurements in volume and weights, and their instructions are impeccable. The photos are too, but sadly, not every recipe has one. In a book of this complexity however, I feel there should be.
August 5, 2022
What Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin say in the introduction to their latest book, Fabulous Modern Cookies -- To us, cookies are the most approachable of all desserts. (9) -- is absolutely true! Of all the desserts, cookies are the most approachable. Thinking back to when I was little, one of the first things that I baked with my mom were cookies, and this is the case with my own daughter. It's about having fun and enjoying the results. I remember that when Katie and I made animal crackers, hers weren't that great looking, however, I can attest to the fact that even the misshapen cookies taste delicious! This brings me to another crucial point that Taylor and Arguin make in the introduction: "Cookies are for making friends."(9) One of the reasons my friends and neighbours love me is, that when I bake, I make sure to pack a bakery box or paper bag full of treats and drop them off (my holiday cookie boxes are legendary). Cookies are great because you can make dozens in one go, so there's plenty to go around.
Taylor and Arguin are exacting when it comes to recipe writing. The ingredients of each recipe are given in both volume and weight amounts and, there are times they even give the weight each portion of dough should be when you scoop your dough. I normally weigh my dough and divide by the yield so that my cookies are uniform and bake properly and I notice when the authors give the weight of each dough portion (12g/using a #100 scoop), it works out exactly. So, when I made the Next-Gen Peanut Butter Cookies, the recipe made precisely 4 1/2 dozen cookies. This goes to show how well-tested their recipes are and, I appreciate this kind of accuracy as it only makes the result that much better!
The recipes are organized into 8 chapters: 1) Bar Cookies, 2) Drop Cookies, 3) Rolled Cookies, 4) Slice-and-Bake Cookies, 5) Filled, Stuffed, and Sandwiched Cookies, 6) Piped, Shaped, Molded, and No-Bake Cookies, 7) Savory Cookies, and 8) Fillings and Other Additional Recipes. At the beginning of the book, they take the time to explain ingredients (there's even a small section talking about gluten-free cookie baking/recipe conversions) and essential equipment, as well as outlining why weighing ingredients is important, how to experiment with flavour and texture and, finally, what happens as a cookie is made (how each step contributes to the overall bake). I found the information extremely helpful in demystifying the process -- it also means that anyone can bake a spectacular cookie! One of the most helpful pages in the book is page 86, where they show five different configurations for dough placement on 18 x 13" baking sheets. I often have trouble judging how many cookies can fit on a pan before they end up merging together in a blob as they bake, so the picture examples were great! There's something deeply satisfying when you have a neatly arranged sheet of cookies.
Brown butter as an ingredient in baking is very popular (mainly because it imparts so much flavour into the dough) and, in their recipe for Bronze Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Taylor and Arguin manage to add even more flavour to brown butter by using one ingredient (I'll let you find out when you get the book). When I baked this recipe, my husband (and resident chocolate chip cookie connoisseur) told me that these were the best cookies he's ever had! Browning butter is an extra step but as the results prove, completely worth the extra effort!
My favourite cookies from the book are the Jam-on-Toast Thumbprints. Meant to be reminiscent of jammy, buttery toast, these thumbprint cookies, made with some whole wheat flour, coated in toasted panko crumbs with a generous dollop of marmalade in the centre, really have put this breakfast staple into cookie form! The texture that the panko bread crumbs add is wonderful and really compliments the jammy centre. This recipe is customizable too -- if you're not a marmalade fan, then any jam would taste great here.
One day last week, I baked up the Bright Lemon Mads for my daughter to enjoy as an afterschool treat. The freshly squeezed lemon juice adds such a bright flavour and, my daughter really appreciates the cakey texture of the madeleines. I liked that I could prepare the batter the day before (it sits overnight in the fridge), so that I could have them fresh and ready for when we got home. She enjoyed these so much that I'll make the Dark Lemon version next time (it uses brown sugar and brown butter in the recipe).
Taylor and Arguin really focus on flavour and texture in their recipes and, I found that they took the time to develop different versions of classic recipes. Take the oatmeal cookie (Crispy Chocolate Five-Spice Oatmeal Cookies) for example -- they add cocoa powder and five-spice powder to the dough to add flavour. After the cookies had baked, I also added a liberal drizzle of melted chocolate to each cookie. Then there are their Next-Gen Peanut Butter Cookies where they add toasted sesame oil to the dough to amplify the peanut butter flavour. Toasted sesame oil has a very pronounced taste and I wondered if it might be too much. But it's as they say in their recipe notes: toasted sesame oil brings out the peanut flavour in the same way coffee enhances chocolate flavour when used together. Totally made for each other (and very delicious when paired in baking)!
As they tell us at the end of the introduction: "Our goal is to entice and teach fellow cookie lovers and bakers of all stripes to make delicious, foolproof cookies and introduce new flavors that bakers can use to share with friends, wow at parties, and create new memories with their families"(11) and, after baking from Fabulous Modern Cookies, this is exactly what they have done. They have used their imaginations and talents to give home bakers well-tested and extremely delicious cookies! I've baked some new family favs from this book.
Please note -- a version of this review is posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.com
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Countryman Press for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Taylor and Arguin are exacting when it comes to recipe writing. The ingredients of each recipe are given in both volume and weight amounts and, there are times they even give the weight each portion of dough should be when you scoop your dough. I normally weigh my dough and divide by the yield so that my cookies are uniform and bake properly and I notice when the authors give the weight of each dough portion (12g/using a #100 scoop), it works out exactly. So, when I made the Next-Gen Peanut Butter Cookies, the recipe made precisely 4 1/2 dozen cookies. This goes to show how well-tested their recipes are and, I appreciate this kind of accuracy as it only makes the result that much better!
The recipes are organized into 8 chapters: 1) Bar Cookies, 2) Drop Cookies, 3) Rolled Cookies, 4) Slice-and-Bake Cookies, 5) Filled, Stuffed, and Sandwiched Cookies, 6) Piped, Shaped, Molded, and No-Bake Cookies, 7) Savory Cookies, and 8) Fillings and Other Additional Recipes. At the beginning of the book, they take the time to explain ingredients (there's even a small section talking about gluten-free cookie baking/recipe conversions) and essential equipment, as well as outlining why weighing ingredients is important, how to experiment with flavour and texture and, finally, what happens as a cookie is made (how each step contributes to the overall bake). I found the information extremely helpful in demystifying the process -- it also means that anyone can bake a spectacular cookie! One of the most helpful pages in the book is page 86, where they show five different configurations for dough placement on 18 x 13" baking sheets. I often have trouble judging how many cookies can fit on a pan before they end up merging together in a blob as they bake, so the picture examples were great! There's something deeply satisfying when you have a neatly arranged sheet of cookies.
Brown butter as an ingredient in baking is very popular (mainly because it imparts so much flavour into the dough) and, in their recipe for Bronze Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Taylor and Arguin manage to add even more flavour to brown butter by using one ingredient (I'll let you find out when you get the book). When I baked this recipe, my husband (and resident chocolate chip cookie connoisseur) told me that these were the best cookies he's ever had! Browning butter is an extra step but as the results prove, completely worth the extra effort!
My favourite cookies from the book are the Jam-on-Toast Thumbprints. Meant to be reminiscent of jammy, buttery toast, these thumbprint cookies, made with some whole wheat flour, coated in toasted panko crumbs with a generous dollop of marmalade in the centre, really have put this breakfast staple into cookie form! The texture that the panko bread crumbs add is wonderful and really compliments the jammy centre. This recipe is customizable too -- if you're not a marmalade fan, then any jam would taste great here.
One day last week, I baked up the Bright Lemon Mads for my daughter to enjoy as an afterschool treat. The freshly squeezed lemon juice adds such a bright flavour and, my daughter really appreciates the cakey texture of the madeleines. I liked that I could prepare the batter the day before (it sits overnight in the fridge), so that I could have them fresh and ready for when we got home. She enjoyed these so much that I'll make the Dark Lemon version next time (it uses brown sugar and brown butter in the recipe).
Taylor and Arguin really focus on flavour and texture in their recipes and, I found that they took the time to develop different versions of classic recipes. Take the oatmeal cookie (Crispy Chocolate Five-Spice Oatmeal Cookies) for example -- they add cocoa powder and five-spice powder to the dough to add flavour. After the cookies had baked, I also added a liberal drizzle of melted chocolate to each cookie. Then there are their Next-Gen Peanut Butter Cookies where they add toasted sesame oil to the dough to amplify the peanut butter flavour. Toasted sesame oil has a very pronounced taste and I wondered if it might be too much. But it's as they say in their recipe notes: toasted sesame oil brings out the peanut flavour in the same way coffee enhances chocolate flavour when used together. Totally made for each other (and very delicious when paired in baking)!
As they tell us at the end of the introduction: "Our goal is to entice and teach fellow cookie lovers and bakers of all stripes to make delicious, foolproof cookies and introduce new flavors that bakers can use to share with friends, wow at parties, and create new memories with their families"(11) and, after baking from Fabulous Modern Cookies, this is exactly what they have done. They have used their imaginations and talents to give home bakers well-tested and extremely delicious cookies! I've baked some new family favs from this book.
Please note -- a version of this review is posted to www.shipshapeeatworthy.com
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Countryman Press for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
December 1, 2022
Didn't make anything from it this time because I was looking for something specific that's not in here. Will revisit it at another time -- probably in print because there are lots of tables and Kindle seems to hate tables in cookbooks -- because it does have some tasty-looking cookie recipes in it.
August 30, 2022
Not recommended for people with nut allergies. Many, maybe most of the recipes involve nuts or peanuts.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by this book and I attribute it to the dearth of photographs. I expect to see photos of every recipe. In this case you’d see a photo every two or three recipes. And sometimes you’d see the same cookies featured multiple times, but never identified so it was hard to determine which recipe the cookie went with. It was very odd. We eat first with our eyes, right? But the fact that there’s just weren’t that many photos of enticing cookies left me uninspired and disappointed. Which is a pretty epic fail when it comes to a cookie cookbook.
Overall, I was underwhelmed by this book and I attribute it to the dearth of photographs. I expect to see photos of every recipe. In this case you’d see a photo every two or three recipes. And sometimes you’d see the same cookies featured multiple times, but never identified so it was hard to determine which recipe the cookie went with. It was very odd. We eat first with our eyes, right? But the fact that there’s just weren’t that many photos of enticing cookies left me uninspired and disappointed. Which is a pretty epic fail when it comes to a cookie cookbook.
July 21, 2023
Another excellent book of treats from this pair of innovative bakers. A mouth-watering array of bars, drop cookies, slice-and-bake cookies, filled, stuffed and sandwich cookies, piped, shaped, molded and no-bake cookies, as well as savoy cookies, a whole chapter on fillings and other additions. The photography is crisp with colorful layouts that illustrate what the goals are for each recipe. Recipes are well-documented, as is the introductory lists, suggestions and appendix full of resources. For fans of the authors’ The New Pie (2019), and Sarah Kieffer, Christina Tosi, and Edd Kimber.
August 8, 2022
I'm into cookies, they are usually fairly easy to make, and provide a sweet delicacy that you can meter pretty well, eat 1 or a dozen. You know, scalable. This book has some great recipes that enlarge my knowledge about ways to make and bake cookies. And there are a lot of cookie books out there, so the competition is fierce. I certainly recommend reading this one. Well organized and presented, with lots of new tastes.
November 20, 2022
I love it when cookbooks do something creative and daring but with purpose. I'm really curious to try the cookies based on peanut satay sauce that include red curry paste, and the raspberry lemon cookies that include a whole boiled lemon.
Lots of great tips on storing cookies, changing flours, variations, details on ingredients, etc. The headnotes are written with a great sense of humor.
Will update if/when I cook anything from this cookbook and how it turned out.
Lots of great tips on storing cookies, changing flours, variations, details on ingredients, etc. The headnotes are written with a great sense of humor.
Will update if/when I cook anything from this cookbook and how it turned out.
June 25, 2022
A 300-page cookie cookbook is a feat, and so I have to give credit where it’s due.
BUT
This is not a cookbook for beginning bakers or for those who are looking for a stir’n’plop cookie dough recipe (aka me).
BUT
This is not a cookbook for beginning bakers or for those who are looking for a stir’n’plop cookie dough recipe (aka me).
August 6, 2022
Some interesting sounds flavors. Good tips.
August 16, 2022
Great-looking recipes, lots of good general tips and advice, and plenty of fun stories about the authors' cookie history.
December 21, 2022
A lot of interesting sounding recipes. I don’t bake a lot of cookies (too fiddly!) but there are definitely some here I’d like to try.
February 22, 2023
Some fun ideas and the pictures/narrative are great. We've tried a few so far.
Want to read
June 7, 2023I was browsing through this at the library and there so many yummy cookies I want to try. So, onto the amazon wish list it goes!!
December 3, 2023
Not enough pictures, in my opinion. Sorry! So many sound and look good but I didn’t find any that I thought were actually realistic for me to make.
February 25, 2024
Far too much text for a cookie cookbook. There should be way more photos. Recipes I tried were great.
December 29, 2022
Very interesting and unique recipes, I liked how they showed the process of making brown butter. The cookies also taste good.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews