Simply Sensational Cookies [Hardcover]

Nancy Baggett (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 16, 2012

Sophisticated, contemporary cookie recipes from one of America's most respected baking experts

From bestselling cookbook author and award-winner Nancy Baggett comes Simply Sensational Cookies, a delicious collection of cookie recipes that covers both the classics that mom used to make and modern, innovative ideas for the adventurous baker. Whether you're a novice baker, an experienced cook, or a parent looking for new treats to try, this is the ideal cookbook for cookie-lovers, with more than 200 recipes ranging from fast and simple no-bake preparations to challenging projects for experienced bakers.

• Features more than 200 recipes, from traditional cookies like chocolate chip to sophisticated, savory cocktail nibbles
• Includes gorgeous and inspiring full-color photography throughout
• Nancy Baggett is also the author of Kneadlessly Simple and twelve other highly respected cookbooks

Whether you need quick treats for the kids to snack on or fancy fare for your next cocktail party, Simply Sensational Cookies offers a wide range of recipes that will satisfy your every craving.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sample Recipes from Simply Sensational Cookies

Bittersweet Chocolate Cracks
Click here for the recipe

Butter-Pecan Shortbread
Click here for the recipe

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Click here for the recipe

From the Inside Flap

In this age of sophisticated palates and adventurous eaters, a cookie should be more than just a cookie. We love mom's comforting, homestyle chocolate chip cookies, but also enjoy modern flare and upscale ingredients. We like straightforward, easy preparations but also go for big, bold tastes, complex flavor blends, and surprising textures. We want even simple, basic cookies like shortbreads and buttery rounds to bowl us over and make us say "wow." Award- winning author and cookie guru Nancy Baggett delivers everything we're looking for—and some extras we haven't thought of—in this trailblazing 200-plus recipe collection.

Whatever kind of cookie you crave, it's in Simply Sensational Cookies. From updated childhood favorites to contemporary classics to extra-quick, semi-scratch, and no-bake treats, you'll find dozens of irresistible choices. The book offers many fresh, enticing takes on drops, bars, biscotti, and such, plus a whole chapter of inventive, totally new savory and semisweet creations called cocktail and "crossover" cookies that spotlight both familiar and novel ingredients in innovative ways. Here and there, fresh herbs, unusual spices, freeze-dried berries, green tea, and even hot peppers and flowers like lavender and roses provide intriguing, unexpectedly gratifying results. Standout textures work in concert with aromas and flavors to pack extra pleasure into each little bite—snaps really snap, crisps crunch delightfully, and tender meltaways dissolve pleasantly on the tongue.

Because appearance and presentation play a huge part in the allure of many cookies, Simply Sensational Cookies devotes a big, visually stunning chapter to cookie decorating and artistry. Besides the expected traditional array of icings, buttercreams, and garnishes, you'll find dozens of creative, cutting-edge ways to add pizazz. A wealth of easy au naturel recipes for homemade decorating sugars, sprinkles, drizzles, and other finishing touches let you take clever advantage of intensely aromatic and naturally colorful citrus, berries, herbs, and edible flowers to deliver a powerful one-two punch of flavor and eye appeal. As a bonus, these naturally beautiful accents make it possible for those who wish to minimize the use of synthetic food dyes to do so and still produce dazzling looks.

Brightened with gorgeous full-color photography throughout and packed with handy tips, ingenious ideas, and tempting, carefully tested recipes from fast, fun, and kid-friendly to fancy and gourmet, this book is a joyful and inspiring celebration of all things wonderful in the cookie world. Simply Sensational Cookies is exactly that!

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 1 edition (October 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470278684
• ISBN-13: 978-0470278680
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #59 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking > Cookies

More About the Author

Nancy Baggett is one of America's most respected baking teachers. She is the author of the best-selling All-American Cookie Book, The International Cookie Cookbook, and The International Chocolate Cookbook, which was named the best dessert cookbook by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her work has appeared in Gourmet, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Ladies' Home Journal. She has demonstrated her recipes on many television shows, including Good Morning America and CBS This Morning.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cookie cookbook with all the bases covered--and then some! December 3, 2012

By I Do The Speed Limit TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

There are flour-less, egg-less, two ingredients, five ingredients, ten ingredients (just a few), one bowl, one spoon, drop cookies, shaped cookies, no-bake, frosted cookies, brownies and bars, filled cookies and much more. So, like I say in my title: This author has covered all the cookie bases. And she's covered all the basics, too; with plenty of helpful information, ideas and tips.

But when she gave us nine refrigerator slice and bake recipes she won my stamp of approval. And when one of those slice and bake recipes was all about lime, and another was all about butterscotch, and another all about spice, well, she immediately turned me into a cookie bakin' fool for an entire weekend! My Christmas cookie assortment has just been revitalized! And tubes of dough are lined up in my freezer, just waiting to provide a comforting aroma when a little ambiance is needed and a platter-full of tasty cookies--easily within an hour.

Someone is going to have to keep me away from the chapter of savory crackers and cookies. Offer me a choice between savory and sweet cookies and I'll choose savory every time. When I had to choose between Sweet & Salty Peanut Crisps, Herbed Chevre Nuggets, Chive & Onion Crackers, a cranberry and blue cheese cookie, Blue & Cheddar Cheese Wafers, Cajun Pepper Sticks, (and more)--I had a tough time deciding. We went with the Cajun Sticks and we were not disappointed.

I especially appreciate one little technique that the author uses at the top corner of each of the recipes: It is a small sign or tab that describes each recipe as "Easy", "Extra-Easy", "Fairly Easy". I found that little designation to be helpful and an eye-catcher; something to help me zone in on a particular recipe that suits my time frame and my frame-of-mind.

The author's writing style is personable and she works hard to teach and convey helpful information. It's really a great book! There are biscotti recipes, too. And it's just a coincidence that we've been meaning to broaden our baking experience and repertoire to include biscotti. (Maybe it was the new coffee machine...)

I like that for each recipe, information is provided regarding greasing the cookie sheet or using parchment paper; where either will work or only parchment will work. (I like that because I don't like to use parchment paper as a matter of course, when non-stick spray or greasing will do the trick.)

Within each recipe there are many variations; usually in the guise of a variety of toppings, fillings or shapes. Often the suggestions allow the baker to present a seemingly different cookie, (for instance, top a cheesecake bar with cookie crumbs or brush the surface with melted jelly; top a cookie with coarse crystal salt or no salt at all; ). There is also a "Master Butter Dough" that can make six different cookies from one big batch of dough.

I'm not much impressed with the chapter on semi-homemade cookies, but I'm sure there are plenty of time-strapped people that will come to rely on this chapter. And, actually, I think I may just try the cheesecake bars made with refrigerator case sugar cookie dough.

And I probably won't much use the chapters on decorating and "finishing touches", but that's just me. At the very least, they were interesting chapters to read as they were filled with some very nifty ideas.

There's a lot to like about this book: Easy-to-understand instructions; accurate ingredient lists; nice pictures that actually accurately match the recipes; plenty of recipes from which to choose; a lot of variety in flavors and textures; type-size is adequate, but you'll want to put your glasses on to read the "Tips" as they are printed in a light gray color.

The only thing I really didn't like at all was the color of the text in the Index. What were they thinking!?! Obviously, it appears they weren't thinking about readers with less-than-perfect eye sight--and that is a slight...to sight.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Cookies, Beautiful Pictures October 5, 2012

By Ruth Glick

Format:Kindle Edition

This is one of the best cookie books I've ever seen--a feast for the eye as well as the stomach. The pictures are stunning. The recipe directions are clear and precise. Two of my favorites from the book are the Glazed Double Ginger Molasses Cookies and the Raspberry Swirls with Raspberry Butter Cream. There are many more that look and sound great that I want to try.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous, Delicious and Useable October 23, 2012

By L. Williams

Format:Hardcover

This is a gorgeous addition to the Nancy Baggett library of wonderful cookbooks. The recipes are well constructed, easy to do and delicious. I especially like the last chapter on "Frostings, Fillings and Finishing Touches," including those using natural ingredients for color and flavor. What a great idea! You'll love this book, whether you make the recipes or simply enjoy leafing through it, reading the recipes and drooling over the pictures.