1001 Cookie Recipes: The Ultimate A-To-Z Collection of Bars, Drops, Crescents, Snaps, Squares, Biscuits, and Everything That Crumbles 
asked by advisor on November 23, 2006 1:19 AM
The complete resource for cookie lovers, with recipes for every occasion, from Almond Shortbread and Apple-Coconut Dreams to Oatmeal Crisps and Zwieback with Almonds. 1001 full-color photographs! Each and every cookie is illustrated in full color right alongside the recipe.
Reviews
0%
0%
I was surprised at some of the reviews on this book, I have had good result with it so I can't say anything bad about it. :)
This book has so many recipes it is insane (in a good way though). It is a great reference and a wonderful book to pull out when you just want to try something new. I am always looking for something new and interesting to try and boy does this book have it. On many occasions this book has saved me when I needed a last min cookie idea for office parties or my daughters classroom parties. Over all I give it 4 Stars, the book covers everything under the sun and all the recipes I have tried out have come out good.
This book has so many recipes it is insane (in a good way though). It is a great reference and a wonderful book to pull out when you just want to try something new. I am always looking for something new and interesting to try and boy does this book have it. On many occasions this book has saved me when I needed a last min cookie idea for office parties or my daughters classroom parties. Over all I give it 4 Stars, the book covers everything under the sun and all the recipes I have tried out have come out good.
reviewed by sumbuddy on November 25, 2006 12:07 AM
0%
0%
It is very useful to have so many cookie recipes in one book at the same time. Even a very good baking book will have, at most a couple of dozen cookies. On the other hand, the results were rather variable and not totally reliable (one person, one oven, one typewriter, what did you expect?). The experienced baker will have a treasure trove of recipes that require a little fine tuning, while the neophyte will probably be met with more than a few disappointments.
The best part of this book is that each recipe has a picture of the cookie.
The bad part is everything else. The biggest problem is the flour measurement: it only lists cups, but does not list an equivalent weight, nor the method of flour measurement (spoon and sweep, scoop and sweep, etc.). The way flour is measured can mean the difference between a perfect cookie and a hockey puck.
The results were variable: cookies that spread too much, cookies that were dry and crumbly, bar cookies that were either over or under baked, instructions where it is not always clear when something is properly baked, etc.
The biggest problem is also its strongest point: all cookies are arranged alphabetically on the first word of the cookie name. This can be a big problem for, say shortbread. If you look under shortbread, you will find nothing. However it can be found under butterscotch, ginger, peanut butter, almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, nut, American, and scotch. Buried at the back of the book where you will never find it, is a cross reference list of all recipes organized by cookie type (bar, drop, formed, nonedible, refrigerator, and rolled). It is here that you will have to do research to find the cookie that you want.
Important note for experienced cookie bakers: this a very handy reference book to keep on your bookshelf. Regardless of what type cookie you want, you will probably find it here. Just keep in mind that the recipes have not been vetted, and you should do a couple of trial runs in order to correct the recipes. If you are a professional doing a catering job that requires you to put out a platter of at least 2 dozen types of cookies, I can think of no better resource than this one.
The best part of this book is that each recipe has a picture of the cookie.
The bad part is everything else. The biggest problem is the flour measurement: it only lists cups, but does not list an equivalent weight, nor the method of flour measurement (spoon and sweep, scoop and sweep, etc.). The way flour is measured can mean the difference between a perfect cookie and a hockey puck.
The results were variable: cookies that spread too much, cookies that were dry and crumbly, bar cookies that were either over or under baked, instructions where it is not always clear when something is properly baked, etc.
The biggest problem is also its strongest point: all cookies are arranged alphabetically on the first word of the cookie name. This can be a big problem for, say shortbread. If you look under shortbread, you will find nothing. However it can be found under butterscotch, ginger, peanut butter, almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, nut, American, and scotch. Buried at the back of the book where you will never find it, is a cross reference list of all recipes organized by cookie type (bar, drop, formed, nonedible, refrigerator, and rolled). It is here that you will have to do research to find the cookie that you want.
Important note for experienced cookie bakers: this a very handy reference book to keep on your bookshelf. Regardless of what type cookie you want, you will probably find it here. Just keep in mind that the recipes have not been vetted, and you should do a couple of trial runs in order to correct the recipes. If you are a professional doing a catering job that requires you to put out a platter of at least 2 dozen types of cookies, I can think of no better resource than this one.
reviewed by smiling on November 27, 2006 7:54 AM
0%
0%
I make the Sugar Cookies I with the Buttercream Icing (minus the raw egg yolk) and the Gazelle Horns every Xmas with great results. Also, this is a very good cookie book for people with dietary restrictions such as dairy, eggs, and nuts. I have never seen such a huge variety of cookie recipes that do not contain these ingredients! From reading the other reviews, I agree that some of the recipes are redundant and there is not enough description. Also, I am suspicious of any cookie recipe that uses vegetable shortening instead of real butter, which there are many.
reviewed by osx on November 28, 2006 11:16 AM
0%
0%
This guy is obsessed with vegetable shortening. Talk about bland cookies. Not to mention "1001" is a total lie. Anyone notice the 'repeat' recipes with cleverly (yeah right) disguised new names? Snickerdoodles, Nibbles and Cinnamon Balls are EXACTLY the SAME recipes... just in a different ORDER in printing. So are the Mexican Wedding Cakes (what a clever name for the IDENTICAL second version: in Spanish!). Funny that the author talks about his father on his deathbed confessing his 'secret' ingredient in the 'best' chocolate chip cookies. you guessed it: SHORTENING!
Whatever happened to butter...
Whatever happened to butter...
reviewed by alec on November 28, 2006 7:38 PM
0%
0%
Not thrilled - many of the recipes feature shortening, which tends to give them a rather icky texture & taste. They also often seem very doughy and come out underdone.
reviewed by vladi on November 29, 2006 6:40 PM