The Cookie Bible

American cake legend and reverse-creaming pioneer Beranbaum (The Cake Bible; The Baking Bible) brings her signature precision and charm to this, the latest in her series of Bible-like baking tomes. As with previous works, this collection goes above and beyond in approaching its titular subject. Following a brief introduction to the “Golden Rules” for baking cookies successfully, readers are treated to over 150 nostalgically unfussy cookie recipes (Lemon Lumpies, Gingerbread Folks, Barcelona Brownies), organized into practical categories such as rolled by hand and dropped or piped. As with all Beranbaum recipes, both ingredients and instructions are unapologetically exact, yet the cookies still come off as friendly to novice bakers thanks to easy weight-to-volume translations, heart-marked “Baking Gems,” and unpretentious variation ideas offered throughout. Similar to the baker’s previous cookbooks, step-by-step photographs of complicated techniques, such as folding dough, will help instill confidence in new and experienced bakers. The appendix allows home bakers to browse by various dietary restrictions, such as eggless or flourless recipes.