Product Description

For this trailblazing collection of America's favorite cookies, Nancy Baggett crisscrossed the nation, visiting small-town bakeries, chic urban cookie boutiques, rural inns, bed-and-breakfasts, farmers' markets, and the homes of locally renowned cooks. She combed through community cookbooks and searched out long-lost heirloom recipes, sure-handedly reworking every recipe in her own kitchen.
THE ALL-AMERICAN COOKIE BOOK celebrates regional gems from every corner of the country: Pennsylvania Dutch Soft Sugar Cookies, New York Black and Whites, New Mexican Biscochitos, Key Lime Frosties from Florida, and Mocha Espresso Wafers from Seattle. A sophisticated hazelnut chocolate sandwich cookie that was the closely guarded secret of an Oregon hostess is here, and so is a delightfully crisp (and easy to roll out) old-fashioned gingerbread cookie recreated from a handwritten 1880 notebook.
Homespun classics abound: Chocolate Whoopie Pies, Caramel Apple Crumb Bars, Chocolate Chunk Brownies, and Caramel-Frosted Brown Sugar Drops. The collection also features devastatingly delicious contemporary creations like Chewy Chocolate Chunk Monster Cookies and Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons. For children and adults alike, one of the most exciting chapters will be the lavishly illustrated "Cookie Decorating and Crafts," which includes everything from simple projects like Christmas cookies and Chocolate Gingerbread Bears to an elaborate gingerbread house. As Nancy Baggett tells the story of America's heritage, she slips in fascinating bits of history, showing the evolution of our homegrown baking traditions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #66925 in Books
• Published on: 2001-11-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Nancy Baggett went on a culinary journey in search of the best American cookies. Amazed by the remarkable repertoire of American bakers, Baggett spent several years researching and baked nearly 30,000 cookies for The All-American Cookie Book. Every American cookie you can think of is here--more than 150 of them--from luscious Black Bottom Mini Brownie Cups and chewy Chocolate Thumbprint Crackles to Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies and crisp, spicy Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies. More-unusual regional favorites include Savannah Chocolate Chewies, Chocolate Whoopie Pies from Pennsylvania, and Floridian Ambrosia Cookies made with coconut and pineapple. Avid bakers will appreciate the bits of cookie lore and history in this brilliant collection. Baggett also gives interesting insight into how American cookies evolved, and how different ingredients and techniques were introduced. Mouthwatering photographs tempt and delectable descriptions convince you to try nutty, fruity, chocolaty concoctions, every one of them made in America. --Leora Y. Bloom

From Publishers Weekly
Baggett (International Cookie Cookbook) has spent the last few years searching this country for great cookie recipes, and enthusiasm over the results (such as Fudge Brownies Supreme) characterizes every page of Baggett's wonderful new cookie compendium. Her first chapter covers the basics, though other useful how-to's emerge throughout the book, such as shaping cookie dough in a loaf pan for Cranberry-Cherry Icebox Ribbons. The next nine chapters, mostly divided into flavors (chocolate, fruit, spices, etc.), reveal America's wide-ranging cookie bounty, from Vermont's Maple Sugar cut-outs and Kentucky's Bourbon Fruitcake Cookies to Coffee-Pecan Crunch Bars from Texas and Hazelnut-Chocolate Chip Cookies from Oregon. Enlivened by quotes from old cookbooks, each straightforward recipe tells the story of its heritage, whether it's a simple Mrs. Porter's Improved Jumbles from the 1800s or a contemporary "Chubby" weighing in with one pound of chocolate. (Oct.)Forecast: As a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, these cookies will reach the hands of many an American.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-The author's search took her from treasured family recipes to rare book rooms all over the United States. After a brief introduction about the American cookie, Baggett explains "How to make great cookies every single time." Experienced bakers as well as novices can benefit from this section. Estimating that she baked about 30,000 cookies while researching this book, the author states that every recipe has been tested at least three times. She offers clear, easy-to-follow directions for every step, followed by eight chapters divided by the kind of treat: cookies and shortbreads, chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies, nut and peanut cookies, etc. The mouthwatering color photographs add the finishing touch. The last chapter covers cookie decorating and crafts. Dispersed among the recipes is trivia, information about changes in techniques and ingredients, instructions on how to store and freeze, and even quotes from vintage cookbooks. Most of the ingredients are readily available. This is a great book for students in home economics and culinary classes as well as experienced and novice bakers.
Carol Clark, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Love this cookbook!
I love this cookbook! I checked it out of my local library and it was great.

The Not-Neiman Marcus Cookies are divine. People will be begging for your recipe.

I also like that the author gives a little history to some of the cookies and recipes.

Every recipe is excellent!
I wait to write reviews of products until I have actually tried them. Let me highly recommend this book. I own a ridiculous amount of cookbooks and 90% of them are cookie books. This book produces excellent cookies everytime! Whenever I try a new recipe, I follow it to the letter the first time. After that, I take liberties with ingredients that I prefer. Not only does this book not need that, but your modifications (if you choose to do them)will come out excellent as well!

My husband gets excited over every finished product that has come out of this book and declares each new recipe his favorite to the point that he asks that we take that recipe to our next potluck! He has a new appreciation for homemade caramel from the Caramel Swirl Blondies. My candy thermometer never reached 240* per the recipe directions, but that is where experience kicks in. I made a judgment call and I was right about my caramel's consistency.

The Congo Bars had a new friend begging that I teach his wife the recipe. He ate 6 in one sitting! I admit that these recipes may intimidate a beginning baker, but I believe that is how you reach the next level. Even if you consider yourself a beginner, this book will have all of your family and friends declaring you the official baker! I omitted the nuts and I as I usually do when I omit a variable ingredient, I replaced the nuts with an equal amount of chocolate chips. The result is a layered bar that begs for a glass of cold milk...

Sorry about that, I had to go eat one of my own cookies!

The Ultimate Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers really are first rate. This hearty cookie, when you eat two and add a glass of milk, can replace lunch! The coconut is listed as optional. I don't feel it needs it at all. If you do decide to use it, I recommend toasting it first.

Good baking starts with a good recipe, your ability to follow directions and quality ingredients. Well, I'm on my way to make New York Black & Whites, so if you'll excuse me, my audience awaits! I am their official baker, you know...

A great book
I really love this book. The recipes are straightforward and easy to follow--even the more complicated ones. I've only tried a handful of receipes so far, but they've all turned out terrific. Try the chocolate sandwich cookies with the fudge filling!

My only complaint is that there aren't enough photographs of the cookies!