Cover Image: The Cookie Bible

The Cookie Bible

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Member Reviews

The Cookie Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, is a cookbook sent from heaven! I love recipes with measurements by weight and volume. This leads to increased accuracy and success.

Beranbaum breaks the cookies into different categories - Rolled by Hand, Dropped or Piped, Shaped by Hand, etc. She even has a chapter on Holiday cookies. The writing is very clear and the steps are detailed. There's no way to fail.

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Thank you net galley for providing me this copy..I currently have over 3000 cookbooks that I’ve been collecting for the past 50 years and I keep telling myself that I don’t need anymore but Rose’s cookie bible will definitely be added to my library the minute it’s available.. Today was a shopping trip to get some ingredients for a big bake this weekend. First up will be the strudel cookies, then lemon lumpies followed by pecan freezer squares. I can’t wait to dig into both the book and then of course the finished products !
This comprehensive book should make all bakers happy,both beginners and more advanced bakers. Thank you Rose !

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The Cookie Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum is a must have cookie reference if you love baking cookies. I'm a big fan of her Bread Bible as well as her Cake Bible so I knew I would be in good hands with this book. The Baking Gems she has for perfecting your bakes are great, the pictures are mouthwatering and I can't wait to try some of the recipes!

She breaks the cookies into different categories - Rolled by Hand, Dropped or Piped, Shaped by Hand, etc. She even has a chapter on Holiday cookies. The writing is very clear and the steps are detailed. I can see that being a turnoff for people who are used to easy and fast recipes, but there is a mix of easier and more involved recipes.

I also enjoyed that she included measurements by weight and by volume, as well as oven temps in F and C. I was the envy of my friends when I mentioned that I was able to snag an advanced reader copy of this book, and I'm so excited to share some of these baked goods with them!

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Many thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the gorgeous new cookbook by Rose Levy Beranbaum - 5 stars! If you don't have a copy of The Cake Bible, you need to get one and this is the perfect companion book.

Filled with gorgeous pictures of cookies that sound to die for, along with lots of hints and suggestions, this is a book that will have you drooling. With recipes like Chocolate Studded Truffle Cookies and My Dream Chocolate Chip Cookie, how can you go wrong? I also love that both weights and measures were included in each ingredient list for those who like to be especially accurate and weigh their ingredients.

Highly recommended!

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Great Cookie Cookbook! Good general cookie baking tips at the beginning and throughout. This one has some classics, but does not spend the entire book on new versions of the recipes everyone has. Instead, there is a wide variety of cookies with a wide range of flavor profiles and methodology. Some recipies that were of particular interest to me: Freedom Treasure Cookies (a generic recipe for when you want to make chocolate chip type cookies with your own creative ingredients with clear tips about adjusting for moisture, etc and the proper ratios to achieve goodness); Cranberry sconettes (turning a scone recipe into a cookie for tea or coffee).

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A wonderful collection of cookie recipes. Easy to follow directions and as a non-American it was nice that the oven temperatures also were in Celsius. So no converting needed. I also really liked the baking gems paragraphs that were added to each recipe where you got extra tips and suggestions. This is a lovely edition to anyone’s cookbook collection.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

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I was so excited to receive a Galley of this book. because I have (and use) the Baking Bible by Beranbaum. She is an excellent cookbook author - one receives so much education by reading her books! You always come away with a few new tips and tricks you'd never learned before, even as a seasoned baker! The thing that was so impactful to me about this book in particular was just that I cannot imagine ever needing another cookie cookbook - it has everything you'd ever possibly want, with all of the education and explanation to have the recipes turn out perfectly every time no matter the skill and/or experience of the baker.

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Wow, this beautifully photographed collection of cookie recipes is top notch!!

As I am more of a “cook” than a “baker”, I loved all of the helpful baking basics that the author included. These hints include measuring ingredients correctly, oven temperatures, handling the dough and what the best kitchen staples to have on hand are. This book will be enjoyed much better in physical book form I think- I really want to mark pages and add notes in it. Ordering my physical copy soon- in order to use it for holiday baking.

Note though- this is so much more than just a holiday cookie book- there are so many recipes that should be enjoyed all throughout the year. This would make such a lovely birthday gift- the book the pictures are just gorgeous, Add a festive bow with a cute kitchen utensil or cookie cutter attached and you will be known as the best gift giver!

Definitely recommend this one- it is chock full of amazing recipes, photos and helpful tips.

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This really is the Cookie Bible! Page after page of cookies you didn't know existed. This cookbook needs to be a staple in every kitchen. I have marked so many of the recipes instantly for Christmas baking! Beautiful pictures and great discriptions.
Thank you Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review

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I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

This is the ultimate cookie book I have ever come across.
There is everything in here- cookies, candies, bars, holiday, pastry cookies you name it.
Different options already thought out.
It's really through and very well done.

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This is a book of very detailed cookie recipes. All types of cookies - rolled, dropped, plain, fancy... you name it, it's probably in here. Recipes from all around the world, too. Rose Levy Beranbaum describes all of the ingredients used, as well as the supplies. The pictures are beautiful.
Each recipe is really well laid out. Oven temp is first (great for those of us who sometimes forget to turn it on until the dough is ready!), followed by baking time. The ingredients are specified by both weight and measures so there is no need to convert. There is a brief outline followed by a step-by-step list.
My favourite part of each recipe is the paragraph (or two or three) labelled Baking Gems. This is where the author shares her helpful tips and suggestions, including possible substitutions.
In my opinion, this book is geared toward more serious bakers. Many of the recipes have ingredients that casual bakers wouldn't have on hand, and some recipes are very labour- and time- intensive.

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This anthology really is an assured and comprehensive guide to biscuit/cookie-making, with sections devoted to different types, ie dropped, rolled and cut, etc.

Unlike so many others, this author has thankfully bothered to ensure that her book has both metric and US measurements for ingredients, which fact alone gets a 5🌟review in my opinion.

If you are looking for ideas, you will definitely find something to your liking here and there are lots of variant options and thoughtful hints.

However, if you are looking for something quick because you have friends coming round or want a nice recipe to make with your kids, there are better, simple options out there.

These recipes sound delicious but they do not look fast and in some instances, it’s all a bit unrealistic for a home baker. For example, the recipe for chocolate Bourbon Balls looks delicious but I’m not sure I’d have the patience to follow her advice that “they richly deserve the homemade chocolate wafers”. Trust me, if I have gone through the process of making these wafers - including a minimum of 4 hours chilling before baking - I wouldn’t then be pulverising them to make something else!

I will definitely look out for her other books now.

With thanks for an arc of this book to NetGalley, the publisher, Mariner Books and Rose Levy Beranbaum.

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Absolutely delighted by this cookie bible! Everything is lovely, from the story of how it came to be, to the personal touches and tidbits on each recipe. I also appreciate the number of pictures accompanying so many of the recipes. They're beautiful choices, simplistic but alluring all the same. A very well done baking book, overall!

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There is no shortage of cookie recipes in The Cookie Bible. You will find something for any occasion or just because!

The first thing I noticed was the extensive Recipe List categorized into eight chapters: (1) Rolled by Hand, (2) Dropped or Piped, (3) Shaped by Hand, (4) Holiday Cookie Cutouts, (5) Bar and Cake Cookies, (6) Meringues and Candies, and (7) Extra Specials.

I tested two recipes myself - My Dream Chocolate Chip Cookies and the Pumpkin Pecan Cookies.

I was specifically looking for the taste, difficulty, directions format, and accessibility.

Pros:
- Let me tell you, the recipes are detailed. I loved how the weight of ingredients was included as a second measuring option next to the typical cups/spoons increments. It reduced cleaning for me using my food scale which is a major win. Also, measuring cups/spoons may not always be the same depending on the brand so I felt referring to the weight was the safest method of measuring.
- The subsections helped break down the recipe into smaller chunks. The 'Preheat the Oven' and 'Mise En Place' instructions did not go unnoticed and allowed me to maximize my time for prep. Other subsections included per recipe were 'Make the Dough,' 'Shape the Dough,' 'Bake the Cookies,' and 'Cool the Cookies.' This allowed me to never really lose my place.
- The 'Baking Gems' and 'Variations' subsections included with each recipe were the sprinkle on top. They're additional tips for things like freezing, recommended ingredient brands, texture alternatives, etc.
- Photos will have your mouth-watering, and the taste for both cookies was delightful!
- Recipes weren't limited to just cookies. Brownies, cheesecakes, and other delectable bites were also included.
- Most of the ingredients I already had on hand and the ones I didn't were easy to find in a major grocery store.

Cons:
- Not really a con, but the two recipes I tried were a bit time-intensive. Highly suggest setting aside an hour or two if it's your first time making any of the recipes. I'm sure the more familiar you are with the recipe's baking process, the less time spent overall.
- I could be shaping them wrong, but my dough for both cookies made less than the amount it said in the recipe.

Looking forward to trying more from this book!

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Are you looking for a cookbook with a ton of great recipes? Then this is the book for you! flip through this book to find a ton of great recipes to try and enjoy! This is a book that I will keep coming back to!

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Extensive, indeed.

This is an absolutely comprehensive cookie bible.
The lay out is great, I appreciate the dual measurements of metric and the American cup system.
Well thought out and laid out in an easy to read and use with detailed information presented clearly.
The steps are practical and the baking gems provide incite into years of baking knowledge.
More cookies options than I could ever bake or eat. That makes it great.

Recommend.

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Holy Crap! This is definitely a Cookie Bible!!!

I was ready to read a stodgy cookbook that provided little more than multiple recipes just listed one after the other. I figured because they would have to fit in so many cookies that there wouldn't be any pictures. (Something I think is key for a cookbook). But this cookbook provides beautiful pictures along with beautiful recipes. Of course there are the basics like Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies, but the author doesn't stop there. She gives multiple different recipes to make these recipe staples into unique ones. Even providing extra recipes to make your brownies more fudgy or cakey depending on what you like.

I feel like this book could be used by beginner's and expert bakers. She provides for all the recipes multiple ingrident amounts (weight vs volume) and different ways of mixing them (stand vs processor) which makes sure that anybody can use this cookbook. She also emphasizes mise en place something I sometimes forget to do in my kitchen, but I wish I would do it more often. This book is not only cookies though she also covers candies (Mushroom Meringues!) and basics such as making your own jams. This is definetely a book I want to buy but sadly must wait a year for it to publish and I'm certain it will be even better than!

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. I will publish my reviews on Goodreads and any retailer websites closer to the publication date.

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The Cookie Bible is like a big warm hug of a book, at your elbow with encouragement and explicit, scientific advice, step by step, to create the perfect cookies, a dizzying variety of delectable treats. Beranbaum’s baking “bibles” - cake, bread, pies and pastry- among her many other splendid cookbooks, really are the gold standard for aspiring and experienced bakers alike. As she explained in the introduction, it was time to gather together her favorites and new, innovative creations in a volume. I can’t imagine anyone not wanting this book after even a short perusal. The art direction is just stunning; the cookies themselves look luscious, beautiful. The layout is similarly clean and pleasing to the eye - the important information can easily be gleaned in a glance, so important when you are in the middle of a bake.

Not every cookbook is worth reading: I myself have a bad habit of brushing off introductions and heading straight for the recipes. It would be a terrible mistake to do that with this book because it is so rich in instruction and ideas, clearly written, which even an experienced baker might not be familiar with. You can trust the author: She knows. And she loves her subject. The pure joy of a good bake is what she offers you - that and a rich reading experience.

From the introduction to “Mom’s Snowball Kisses”:

“My mother’s last word to me was over the phone. It was just one word, and she sang it to me. It was love. For me, this recipe is love. It is very special because coconut macaroons are the only cookie my mother ever made. It is such an easy recipe to make that it’s worth using freshly grated coconut for the best flavor. But the cookies are still lovely when made with packaged coconut. They are ideal for Passover, as well as for anyone who does not eat flour or eggs.”

That’s a Rose Levy Barenbaum recipe for you, a lovely personal story combined with her sage counsel. Listen to Rose - and bake! Highly recommended.

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My one and only problem with this book is that I received it as an ARC (thanks, NetGalley), and now I am going to have to wait over a year to get a permanent copy in my hands. I'm going to be busy trying out cookie recipes before this disappears from my NetGalley shelf, and this will be the earliest by far I've ever placed an advanced order for a book.

The book contains hundreds of recipes. The usual favorites are here, sometimes with an interesting twist than I look forward to trying - like her "dream" chocolate chips that involve browned butter and corn syrup. There are many recipes from around the world. Most are accompanied by a full page picture. The sheer variety here is impressive. There are also chapters for fillings and candies/meringues. Each has a short introduction that describes the taste, texture, and provenance. Many offer variations for different flavors, shapes or textures. She mentions that she typically uses less sugar than others.

There is a good balance between recipes that use usual ingredients and those that use more uncommon ones. This is a bonus to me, as I often have some kind of ingredient left over from something else that I would be happy to use up in cookies (various nuts, small amounts of different flours like whole wheat, and tapioca starch come immediately to mind.) There is an appendix that indexes recipes by flourless and eggless, only egg whites, only egg yolks, flourless, and eggless. This will be a huge help to anyone with dietary restrictions or limited ingredients at hand. Or, for anyone that ever ends up with leftover egg whites or yolks from making meringue or custard, which is common enough.

The real value in this book, to me anyway, is that it is written the way I like to bake. First and foremost, ingredients are listed in an easy to read grid format, and measurements for almost all ingredients are given in both volume and weight. This is a HUGE bonus to me. I much prefer using my scale to measuring cups and spoons, not just for flour and sticky, gooey things that are hard to get out of a cup without losing some, but everything. I'd rather weigh it, but if you don't, you'll be fine, too. Liquid measurements are given in both imperial and metric. I like that because my little measuring beakers are marked in milliliters, and I love those little beakers for having liquid ingredients ready to go. If she calls for something like lemon zest, she'll tell you about how many lemons you need, how much it should weigh, and how many tablespoons that is. If she calls for three large egg whites, but you only have extra large eggs, she'll tell you how many grams or tablespoons of egg whites you need. Useful. I don't know why everyone doesn't do this, and I am always much more likely to pick a recipe that does. I'll end up scribbling it in later if it's not given anyway. This all makes shopping for ingredients easier, too, especially when most baking essentials are sold by weight.

The directions are clear and concise. Every recipe includes sections on mise en place, mixing, making dough, shaping, baking, cooling, and "Baking Gems" which are tips on ingredients, techniques, storage and/or variations. You'll have a good idea of the time commitment required and what can be done ahead of time.

There is a chapter on Cookie Baking rules which is full of useful information (e.g., how to adjust oven racks to bake two sheets at a time, baking at high altitude) There is also a chapter on ingredients, getting proper measurements, etc.

Rose Levy Beranbaum has long been a go-to of mine for bread, and I think she's done it again with cookies.

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I like my cookbooks to be more unique. This one however wasn't. Many pages of more and the same, and then it hit a sweet spot with a few that might be intriguing to try. I will give props to parts that are called Baking Gems, which are little advice and hacks to make stuff easier or just to have some general knowledge in baking. So maybe that was supposed to be the centerpiece of this book in my opinion. If I had to pick a favorite part it would be a section about meringue. Will try some recipes from it.
Overall, I would not have this in my kitchen, but maybe I would pick it as a gift for baking beginners.

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