Cookbook Review: The Cookiepedia...Mixing, Baking, and Reinventing the Classics

"Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."  -- Robert Fulghum

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A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Quirk Books and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a new cookbook...one that is devoted entirely to COOKIES!  Heck YES, was my answer!  I know all things MKA are supposed to be healthy and WW friendly, but sometimes...just sometimes, you NEED to treat yourself to the real deal!

The Cookiepedia: Mixing, Baking and Reinventing the Classics by Stacy Adimando is a fantastic resource for all things cookie!  Stacy is a recipe developer and food writer living in Brooklyn.  She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education and she is currently deputy lifestyle editor for Every Day with Rachael Ray.  This cookbook is chalk full of wonderful recipes for some classic cookies as well as some rather unusual twists on your favorite treats!    Imagine a perfect recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies, twisted into a Chocolate Chip Cookie with Peanut Brittle and Sea Salt or how about a wonderful basic Peanut Butter Cookie recipe that is worthy of a blue ribbon, turned into mouth-watering Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies!  All of your favorite classic cookie recipes are there along with several variations on them to spice things up a bit!  Then there are the very unusual cookies..such as Salt-and-Pepper Cookies and Green Tea Cookies.  ( I have yet to try either on of these..but they are on the "must make" list!) Over 50 cookie recipes in all! 

The cookies are categorized by their character in the table of contents:  Buttery, Chocolaty, Fancy, Fruity, Spicy, and Nutty and Seedy.  Each section begins with a lovely pictorial spread of each finished cookie in that category.   The recipes are well-written and easy to read and follow.  The binding is designed to allow the book to lay flat when open to a page....LOVE this feature!  Each recipe comes with a helpful hint from Stacy on the margin for that particular recipe and a "NOTES" section to make your own notations as you bake! 

When I finally had a chance to test the cookbook out, I didn't know which cookie I wanted to make first! I started with the basic Chocolate Chip Cookie (pg 43).  I was extremely pleased with how this cookie turned out!  Let me tell you, I have made dozens and dozens of chocolate chip cookies in my lifetime and  this recipe is one of the BEST!  Even after a day or so, they remained nice and soft!  ( and believe me, it was amazing they lasted that long!)  Pictures of this cookie?  Sorry...I forgot.  But rest assured, there is one in the book! 

The next cookie recipe I tested was Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (pg 97).

Not being a fan of raisins, I opted to use some chopped up dried apricots and sliced almonds in my cookies instead....and I was more than thrilled with the results!

Hands down, this was probably the best basic oatmeal cookie I have ever made!  Chewy and soft and really, really delicious!  ( for recipe, see below!)

The last cookie recipe I tested out was the Frosted Maple Pecan Cookies ( pg 27).  Again, I was NOT disappointed!  Wonderful soft cookies with a nice frosting which received two thumbs up from my peanut gallery...

Wondering how to get your hands on this wonderful cookbook?  Follow this link HERE to the publishers website for more info on where it is available!   And while you are waiting for your copy to arrive...here is the wonderful Oatmeal ( Apricot-Almond) Cookie recipe for you to try!

Oatmeal Apricot-Almond Cookies

adapted from The Cookiepedia: Mixing, Baking, and Reinventing the Classics

Printable Recipe

Yield:  Approx 24 - 25 cookies   Serving size - 1 cookie   Points Plus per serving - 3 points+

Calories - 100.6,  Total Fat - 4.8g,   Carb. - 15.7g,   Protein - 1.6g,  Fiber - 0.9g

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup brown sugar ( packed )

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp. almond extract ( optional ) 

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cps old-fashioned rolled oats or quick cooking oats

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment or non-stick foil. 

2.  In large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar on medium speed of mixer for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy!  Add in egg, vanilla and almond extract ( if using) and mix until combined.  

3.  In med bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and whisk together to blend.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture with mixer running on low until just combined.  Stir in the oats, apricots, and almonds.  

4.  Drop by TBS ( I used my cookie scoop ) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12 - 14 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking.  Let cool and enjoy! 

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Thank you to Quirk Publishing for sending me this book to review!  (*I received this book for free and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely mine)  I will be using this book as a great reference for cookie recipes in the future!  It's a wonderful addition to my collection! I really like the lay-flat binding and the helpful hints on each recipe...plus the pictures are a MUST for me!

Are you in love with cookbooks like me?  What feature in a cookbook is most important to you?