19 March 2016

Weekend Cooking: The Cookies & Cups Cookbook by Shelly Jaronsky

Weekend Cooking hosted by www.BethFishReads.comWeekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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Review: The Cookies & Cups Cookbook by Shelly JaronskyI discovered popular food blogger Shelly Jaronsky's site Cookies & Cups when poking around looking for recipes for my electric pressure cooker (a post about that in a few weeks). Although I liked her savory recipes just fine, my attention was drawn to her beautiful baked goods. Then I happened to notice her first cookbook was coming out this spring, so I went off to investigate.

The Cookies & Cups Cookbook is a dessert lover's dream and is true to Jaronsky's motto: Always Eat Dessert First (don't you love that?). This cookbook is a little bit different in that the beginning chapters are all about the sweet treats, which are the unabashed stars. Tucked into the back of the book is where you'll find the family-friendly dinner recipes, just to round things out.

Although my review copy is a black-and-white PDF, I can tell from Jaronsky's site and by the cover that the final book is going to be gorgeous. Pretty much every recipe is accompanied by an eye-catching photograph that makes you want to head straight for the kitchen. The color scheme appears to be a yummy chocolate brown and vanilla white. Perfect for a baking book.

Don't miss the introductory material. I connected with Jaronsky's fun, light, chatty style. I also liked that she is an approachable, unapologetic baker: she does things her way because she gets the results she loves. Her recipes are very straightforward and almost all of them use everyday ingredients, except maybe the chocolate. Jaronsky likes good-quality chocolate and is happy to let us know the brands she bakes with.

The recipes range from classic (such as snickerdoodles) to fancy (salted caramel apple butter bars) and include cookies, bars, cakes, and pies. You'll also find breakfast treats (cinnamon swirl bread and scones) and snacks (brown butter soft pretzel nuggets). As I mentioned, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook also contains some dinner dishes, including pastas, soups, and sandwiches.

Jaronsky's recipes are as down to earth as she is: easy directions and few (if any) complicated techniques. Throughout The Cookies & Cups Cookbook you'll find tips and tricks, recipes for homemade staples (like taco seasoning and buttermilk), and fun-to-read recipe introductions.

I recommend Shelly Jaronsky's The Cookies & Cups Cookbook to anyone who is looking for a nice collection of reliable everyday desserts. I was not bowled over by the savory recipes, but let's face it: It's not that jalapeno popper pizza or Thai burgers don't sound good, it's just that the iced lemon cookies, upside down cakes, and toffee-speckled banana bread are the real stars here.

Take a look at following video to meet Jaronsky and get a feel for her personality, while she makes her favorite chocolate chip cookies. You can find the recipe by clicking the link.


Published by Simon & Schuster / Gallery Books, April 2016
ISBN-13: 9781501102516
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)


14 comments:

Mae Travels 3/19/16, 7:11 AM  

When I read a review like this, I often wonder how the new book compares to old standbys? I'd love your opinion on how the selection and recipe usefulness here compare to some favorite you already have. My go-to cookie and from-scratch cake book is still The Joy of Cooking (which I now use as an app) but there are many other standard ones like Maida Heatter's books etc. What was yours?

best ... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

bermudaonion 3/19/16, 9:08 AM  

That looks fabulous - cookies are such a great dessert.

Tea 3/19/16, 11:21 AM  

I really like Chocolate Chip cookies. Yum. I'll bet the newly published book is going to have colorful photographs.

Molly 3/19/16, 11:39 AM  

Since returning to my Molly's Muffins standbys, I am more interested in baking now than I have been in years. This book sounds like a great way to fuel that passion :)

nishitak 3/19/16, 11:47 AM  

Whole-heartedly on board with the always eat dessert first motto :)

Claudia 3/19/16, 12:16 PM  

I don't bake desserts so much any more, mostly bread and pizza, but just going by her video, the book promises to be deliciously tempting.

Deb in Hawaii 3/19/16, 12:48 PM  

From the cover and the video alone it looks look like a gorgeous and very tempting book and just the title of 'salted caramel apple butter bars' definitely makes me want those. ;-) I can see how it would be hard to focus on the savory dishes for sure. Great review!

BooksPlease 3/19/16, 1:57 PM  

I'm always tempted by books like this. I haven't linked up here for ages,but my post today is also about baking cakes etc.

Laurie C 3/19/16, 3:25 PM  

I am jealous of her mixer! And the way she cooked wearing that black top and never once wiped her hands on it or got flour all over it!

Vicki 3/19/16, 4:42 PM  

I used to love baking cookies, especially Chocolate Chip, but haven't in a really long time. This post makes me want to get in the kitchen and start baking some.

rhapsodyinbooks 3/19/16, 6:26 PM  

You had me at cinnamon swirl bread....

Couscous & Consciousness 3/20/16, 5:39 AM  

She sounds like a woman after my own heart - whenever I dine out, I always look at the dessert menu first, then I decide what I will have for dinner!!

I haven't joined in here for a while, but I've brought you a nice fresh salad with an autumnal vibe.

Jackie McGuinness 3/20/16, 10:36 AM  

My favourite sweets are for breakfast.

(Diane) bookchickdi 3/20/16, 4:39 PM  

Oh my goodness, all of these sound too good. There goes my diet!

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