Cookies Are Magic

February 17, 2020
“My philosophy is that cookies are fun—pure, simple fun,” writes the late Heatter (Queen of Cake) in her indispensable collection of cookie recipes. Heatter, who died in 2019, affirms that she tested each of the recipes “over and over,” and this is clearly reflected in her thorough, easy-to-follow, instructions (“If the foil does not peel away easily, the cookies have not baked long enough,” she writes for her praline wafers). The mostly classic recipes range from drop cookies and bar cookies, such as chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese brownies, to icebox cookies and rolled cookies, such as pinwheels and rugelach. Additional sections include hand-formed cookies like chocolate pepper pretzels, as well as savory baked goods such as corn melba crackers. Readers will appreciate fun facts about some of the recipes (she writes that the blind date cookies “originated over 100 years ago... in Milwaukee”) as well as storage tips (“I freeze almost all cookies in plastic freezer boxes”). Unfortunately, the book contains no photographs of the cookies, but the whimsical illustrations by Alice Oehr are a nice addition. Bakers of all levels will find plenty to enjoy in Heatter’s thorough volume.

April 1, 2020

In this collection, readers are treated to an enticing collection of Heatter's best-loved cookie recipes. Packaged in the same whimsically illustrated style as Chocolate Is Forever, this title highlights a range of cookie styles including drop, bar, icebox, rolled, and hand formed. Heatter delights in sharing "secret" chef recipes as well as traditional American favorites such as Joe Froggers, snickerdoodles, and sugar cookies. Heatter promises readers that each recipe will turn out perfectly if her instructions are followed precisely, an exacting demand that will reassure some home bakers but may intimidate those who are less confident in their skills. The cookie illustrations accompanying each recipe are more decorative than descriptive, and some readers will miss the array of detailed photographs typical of modern cookbooks. VERDICT This collection of Heatter's greatest cookie hits is best for confident bakers seeking classic recipes and exacting techniques. Although there is some overlap with the recipes in Happiness Is Baking and Chocolate Is Forever, there is enough new material here to justify its separate purchase, especially in libraries where Heatter and/or cookie recipes are popular.--Kelsy Peterson, Forest Hill Coll., Melbourne, Australia

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