Cookies Galore!
Posted by Brilynn Ferguson on Paper Palate.
Do you really need a book devoted entirely to cookies? That was the question I was asking myself as I requested to review a copy of Martha Stewart’s newest book, Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share. After poring over the book for the past couple of weeks, I’ve learned that the answer is a resounding yes. Not only do I need a book devoted entirely to cookies, but I feel like I’ve been missing out on not having one until now. I’ve become obsessed with trying out a new cookie recipe each week and have so far baked my way through Iced Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies, Lemon-Poppy Seed Crisps, Banana Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Turtle Brownies.
The book is arranged into 7 chapters: Light and Delicate, Chunky and Nutty, Crisp and Crunchy, Soft and Chewy, Cakey and Tender, Rich and Dense, and Crumbly and Sandy. There is really a cookie for all types of cookie lovers. I tend to gravitate to some chapters more than others, but I’ve found cookies in all of them that I want to try (next up on my list are Dark Chocolate Cookies with Sour Cherries.)
For those of you who like pictures with your recipes, this book outdoes most by having a photo of every single cookie. In a format I haven’t seen before, but absolutely love, Martha Stewart’s Cookies has a photo index at the front of the book, showcasing all that the book has to offer. As if that weren’t enough, many of the recipes are accompanied by another cookie photo as well. This is a book to flip through when you’re looking for some inspiration or just to drool over the possibilities of what could soon be coming out of your oven.
In true Martha form, this book closes with a section on Tools and Techniques, (which tells you what tools you need and tips for making the different kinds of cookies) and also a section on Packaging and Giving (which shows you how to wrap up your creations for the perfect gift). It wouldn’t be a Martha book if everything wasn’t just perfect, and it certainly is.
So if you’re wondering whether or not you need a book devoted entirely to cookies, why not try making these Lemon-Poppy Seed Crisps? They’ll convince you to want to try them all.
Lemon-Poppy Seed Crisps
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp coarse salt
1 ½ cups sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 T poppy seeds plus more for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350F. Bring lemon juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over med heat; cook until reduced by half. Add ½ cup (1 stick) butter, and stir until melted.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put remaining ½ cup butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on med speed until creamy. Add egg and reserved lemon butter; mix until pale, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla and 2 tsp lemon zest. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture and poppy seeds.
Stir together remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp lemon zest in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1 ¼ inch balls; roll balls in lemon-sugar mixture. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press each with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar mixture until ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake until just browned around edges, 12 to 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
