Cookies Are Magic: Classic Cookies, Brownies, Bars, and More

“My philosophy is that cookies are fun—pure, simple fun,” writes the late Heatter (Queen of Cake) in her indispensable collection of cookie recipes. Heatter, who died in 2019, affirms that she tested each of the recipes “over and over,” and this is clearly reflected in her thorough, easy-to-follow, instructions (“If the foil does not peel away easily, the cookies have not baked long enough,” she writes for her praline wafers). The mostly classic recipes range from drop cookies and bar cookies, such as chocolate chip cookies and cream cheese brownies, to icebox cookies and rolled cookies, such as pinwheels and rugelach. Additional sections include hand-formed cookies like chocolate pepper pretzels, as well as savory baked goods such as corn melba crackers. Readers will appreciate fun facts about some of the recipes (she writes that the blind date cookies “originated over 100 years ago... in Milwaukee”) as well as storage tips (“I freeze almost all cookies in plastic freezer boxes”). Unfortunately, the book contains no photographs of the cookies, but the whimsical illustrations by Alice Oehr are a nice addition. Bakers of all levels will find plenty to enjoy in Heatter’s thorough volume. (Apr.)