Over the years, I have posted more than 350 cookie recipes on Baking Bites. Based on that number alone, you can probably guess that I am a big cookie fan. I imagine that I must like cookies about as much as Dorie Greenspan, author of many wonderful cookbooks including Dorie’s Cookies, her most recent volume.
The book is substantial, clocking in at around 500 pages. Every cookie recipe is accompanied by a photo that shows the finished product in all its glory. Not all cookie books are as jam-packed with colorful photos and I find that it really makes a difference in how much I want to try the various recipes, as there are times when cookie recipes can be difficult to tell apart just from the list of ingredients. Seeing the array of cookies as you flip the pages will make you realize how different all these treats are, and tempt you to pick out a few and start baking right away.
The book is divided into chapters, following in introduction that covers cookie techniques, ingredients and baking equipment, and it covers everything from everyday drop cookies and elaborate holiday cookies to brownies and biscotti. There is something for everyone and every baking mood.  Every recipe is clearly written, with detailed instructions that carefully walk you through the process of making the cookies from start to finish. Many of the recipes have suggestions for variations, as well as for storing the cookies to keep them fresh until they’ve all been eaten. The Vanilla Macadamia Nut Snacklettes that I posted last week are a variation on one of the cookies in this book. It’s a volume well worth picking up and adding to your collection and it makes a fantastic gift for any and every cookie-lover.
What do you think?