American Cookie: The Snaps, Drops, Jumbles, Tea Cakes, Bars & Brownies That We Have Loved for Generations

Byrn (American Cake; The Cake Mix Doctor series) explores the origin and significance of several dozen cookie recipes in her latest culinary survey of American foodways. The introduction sets the stage, outlining the basic ingredients and supplies required for the recipes. Sidebars offer baking suggestions and historical notes, and each recipe is introduced with a brief anecdote about its origins. Byrn outlines the characteristics of the "war cookie," often made with rationed ingredients and requiring little in the way of shaping or decoration, as well as the hallmarks of the more ornate fried, candied, and whipped cookies served in times of abundance. Straightforward and clear recipes are grouped into six chapters based on their method of preparation, accompanied by copious photographs and suggestions for simple substitutions or variations. Snickerdoodles, ladyfingers, and the original chocolate chip cookie recipe are represented here, but so are more unusual treats with whimsical names such as Webster cakes, wild persimmon cookies, and Lady Bird Johnson's peanut brittle.