Notes about Recipes in this book

• The essential chewy chocolate chip cookie

  • twoyolks on January 13, 2014

    The chocolate chip cookies were okay but weren't great. Some of the cookies spread normally, some didn't spread as much as to be expected, and some appeared to have melted. They were all baked in the same batch.

  • Rebeccajwj on April 15, 2022

    This cookie came out beautifully for me. I did refrigerate the dough for a couple of hours. The semi sweet chocolate chips and the other ingredients make a very dark rich flavor. My husband who loves dark chocolate is crazy for this cookie. You must take them out of the oven early according to the recipe and they will fall apart if you are not very gentle until they cool. I let them set up on a baking pan for a few minutes and then moved them straight to a cooling rack. I freeze the dough as well and that way I can just make two or three for a lunch.

• Classic crunchy chocolate chip cookies

  • Foodiewife on July 12, 2017

    I was a little hesitant about the cider vinegar. Whatever...it worked! I used Butter Flavored Crisco. The cookies were crispy and deliciousl

• Chocolate-peppermint snaps

  • twoyolks on December 22, 2015

    These cookies have a good balance between the chocolate and the mint. They're very Christmasy in flavor.

• The essential chewy sugar cookie

  • twoyolks on May 23, 2016

    This is a great, almost addictive sugar cookie. They're too soft when they first come out of the oven but they firm up as they cool for the perfect texture. If I had any complaint, they're almost too sweet.

• King Arthur's special roll-out sugar cookies

  • twoyolks on December 26, 2018

    The cookies taste fine and are easy to roll out.

• Vanilla dreams

  • Lindacakes on June 11, 2011

    Excellent cookies with a superb texture (baking amonia). Everyone loves these.

  • twoyolks on December 27, 2017

    These are a great sugar cookie. The texture is really crispy and they taste great.

  • Bwolfe2 on March 23, 2022

    These are yummy cookies. I didn’t use bakers ammonia but used the baking powder instead. I rolled them in Demerara sugar which wound up being crunchy once baked.

• Light-as-air sugar cookies

  • Bwolfe2 on April 25, 2022

    I make a batch of cookies each week and share with neighbors. One of my neighbors ranks his favs. This one ranked tops so far. I have to agree. This is an easy to make, perfect combination of crispy and light. It follows a summer meal perfectly for that little hint of something sweet. My other neighbor rated them, “great with morning tea.”

  • redbird on March 03, 2026

    We really enjoyed the texture of these cookies; however, we felt it was bland. I used 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract but the flavor was still too subtle. Think I will try them again but substitute lemon zest and a few drops of lemon oil for the almond extract.

• The essential chewy oatmeal cookie

  • AngelNewsi on May 25, 2017

    Exactly what I want in a chewy oatmeal cookie. I definitely recommend using parchment paper to bake on though - the cookies are a little soft when they first come out of the oven.

  • Rebeccajwj on April 15, 2022

    So good it hurts. My husband and kids are crazy for this cookie. It’s actually a little dry in the batter and very chewy. They come out better in the oven but I have made them in the air fryer in a pinch. My husband loves to take them in his work lunch. Be very gentle with them because you take them out underdone and they will fall apart. They firm up and finish cooking on their own because it’s such a heavy ingredient recipe. I followed the recipe exactly. I did refrigerate them before I ever baked them. I have been freezing the dough as well.

  • breakthroughc on February 15, 2024

    Everyone loved these oatmeal cookies. I used vegan butter and they turned out. My dough was very soft and I chilled it before baking. I agree with the other reviewers that you need to let them cool on the baking pans and can’t remove them until the are cooled and set. Also watch them closely as they go from done to burnt very quickly. I used my medium cookies scoop and got 36 cookies.

• The essential crisp oatmeal cookie

  • redbird on November 20, 2025

    Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. The texture was just too crisp for our tastes. I'll stick to the chewy oatmeal cookie from the same book.

• Soft molasses cookies

  • taste24 on September 21, 2020

    These were absolutely outstanding.. the best molasses cookies I've ever had. So soft (and they stay soft!) and packed with flavor. This will be my only molasses cookie recipe from now on..

  • benitamehta on April 29, 2025

    Fantastic molasses cookies! They stayed soft and fresh for a full week. I know because I mailed them to a friend as part of a care package and she loved them! I did make them a touch bigger so I got about 25 cookies rather than over 40. Mildly spiced but still noticeable.

• On-the-fence molasses cookies

  • thetinkhams on September 27, 2019

    Made these on Wednesday & by Friday night, there’s only 2 left with only 2 of us in the house. So good! They started off super soft, went crispy as they cooled, and then settled down to this fantastic happy medium - neither entirely crispy nor entirely chewy but not not either one either. Near the end of the batch, we discovered that putting a scoop of lemon bar ice cream between a pair of them was fantastic! Note: when making these, the dough needs to rest in the fridge for an hour, so don’t start them at 9PM on a work night like I did unless you’re a night owl!

• The essential peanut butter cookie

  • twoyolks on June 28, 2016

    The cookies are not too sweet but they lack a strong peanut butter flavor.

• Peanut butter chews

  • taste24 on September 29, 2020

    These are delicious, easy, and very soft. Everybody loved them

• The essential shortbread

  • jenmacgregor18 on December 30, 2019

    Very good. I made a plain batch and an orange vanilla poppyseed, using KAF's Fiori di Sicilia flavoring.

• Butter-pecan shortbread

  • Wojtanowski on October 09, 2018

    really nice cookie - roll dough into a log and refrigerate until firm - slice about 1/4 inch and bake - light brown - it crisps up nicely....sandwich with chocolate ganache - delish

• Brickle 'bread

  • redbird on March 24, 2026

    Very tasty and rich. Cookies were very soft when cutting and crumbled a bit.

• Butter-pecan biscotti

  • Aggie92 on January 17, 2019

    I love these biscotti. I use the Italian-style recipe with no butter and substitute butterscotch flavoring for the butter rum flavoring. Can also substitute toffee bits for the butterscotch chips.

  • Knead2Quilt on May 14, 2025

    I have made these several times and they are so good and easy to make. I use the Italian recipe that has no butter. Yummy!

• Maple-walnut biscotti

  • stef on August 19, 2024

    Lovely carmel flavour from the maple syrup. I used pecans instead. They cut beautifully. Will go on my biscotti list.

• On-the-fence brownies

  • Bloominanglophile on July 05, 2013

    I brought these to a 4th of July potluck. They aren't the fanciest of brownies, but this is a good recipe to please a variety of people. I did leave out the nuts so my daughter (who wears braces) could eat them. They would add a nice crunch to the chewy texture, though. I also didn't modify the recipe for our higher altitude (6500 ft.) as far as ingredients--just had to bake them a bit longer, and they turned out just fine.

• Decorator's dream cookies

  • twoyolks on December 13, 2016

    These are nice sugar cookies. They crisp up nicely and have a nice flavor. If they're a little too thin or too small, they tend to get a little too brown.

• Ruth Wakefield's chocolate chip cookie bars

  • SACarlson on October 17, 2016

    These are super-soft. Great if you like very chewy chocolate chip cookies.

  • taste24 on October 05, 2020

    These were excellent and EASY - no stand mixer. I made them in a 9x13 and baked for 30 minutes and they were perfect. Nice and chewy with plenty of chocolate chips!

• The very best hermit bars ever

  • ashallen on July 20, 2021

    Recipe available online at https://archive.vcstar.com/lifestyle/you-wont-want-to-hide-these-hermits-ep-368214561-348769961.html/

• Classic apricot squares

  • Icecream2 on December 16, 2023

    Used apricot jam. Excellent flavor and texture

  • redbird on January 07, 2026

    Very rich. Definitely a repeat.

• Summer berry crumble bars

  • Wanahca on September 04, 2016

    Bake in a 9x9 pan for a thicker bar. Glaze makes cookie a little too sweet. Add both cinnamon and cardamom. Frozen berries work great.

• Strawberry-rhubarb dreams

  • swiand on May 24, 2026

    This was a winner both from the enjoyment of eating and getting two teenagers to work with me in the kitchen to make it. Really dreamy!

• Toffee crunchers

  • Bessp on May 29, 2023

    Actually on page 232

• Brown sugar crinkles

  • redbird on May 08, 2026

    Lovely flavor and texture. A definite repeat!

• Lemon-zucchini drops

  • hmckimmey on July 01, 2025

    skipped the frosting, sweet enough without! was quite delicious

• Cardamom-almond cookies

  • redbird on May 03, 2026

    Perfectly fine cookies but we didn't find them to be that remarkable. Doubtful if I will repeat this recipe.

• Chocolate snaps

  • TBipp on August 18, 2022

    This is probably my favorite chocolate cookie. Very deep chocolate. I use the slice and bake method for convenience of baking a few at a time. Can be baked soft or crispy. I add a sprinkle of turbinado if I want crunch. Other times I’ve added a bittersweet chocolate wafer or two halfway through the baking. I usually bake these in my toaster oven.

• Belgian sugar waffles

  • benitamehta on April 29, 2025

    Basically liege waffles. Not sure why they're called cookies here. I made them as directed in my stovetop heart iron. It makes 5 at a time and I got 15 so maybe they're using a thinner iron. Using pearl sugar is key! Definitely adds a nice crunch. Plus be sure to let rest for a few minutes before eating. They get crispy on the outside as they rest on a cooling rack. Tried one immediately and it was fine but after resting, the texture was perfect. I did find them a bit dry on the inside, though. But traditional liege waffles are meant to be that way, I think.