Cookbook Review of Dorie's Cookies by Dorie Greenspan

Now that we live in an actual house, I get super excited when it is mail day. I'm pretty sure I get even more enthusiastic when it just so happens that I am home when the packages arrive. With that being said, I was super excited to receive a copy of Dorie's Cookies from Raincoast Books a few weeks after moving.

Dorie Greenspan has written a number of cookbooks over the years and Dorie's Cookies is her latest book which focuses just on cookies! In fact, there are more than 160 recipes in this cookbook and the size and thickness of the book is impressive. In the first section, Dorie includes a guide on cookie techniques, ingredients and gear followed by brownies, bars, high tea cookies, bake sale cookies, squares and of course, holiday cookies. There are so many recipes in this cookbook, you might not even know where to start! When that happens to me, I grab a stack of sticky tabs and go through the entire cookbook tagging whatever recipe catches my eye. Certainly, like in the case of Dorie's cookies there are so many mouthwatering recipes that it is hard to not tab the entire cookbook!

My tabbed copy of Dorie's Cookies

In this cookbook, Dorie uses a number of different techniques with her cookie dough including rolling the dough into logs, and then cutting them like the World Peace Cookies, dredging the rolled through icing sugar like the Snowy-topped Brownie Cookies, rolling the cookie dough flat and then cutting it into neat shapes after baking or simply baking them in a muffin tray to get equal sized and beautifully shaped cookies. I made a few of the recipes from the cookbook so I could test them out for myself. 

What caught our attention with the Double-Buckwheat Double-Chocolate Cookies (below) was the use of buckwheat groats to add crunch to the cookies. It was slightly tricker to roll out this cookie dough, as this particular dough is a bit drier due to the addition of the buckwheat. Then, a mixture of maldon salt and coarse sugar is sprinkled on top.


Right after the Double-Buckwheat Double-Chocolate cookies are baked, they are cut into whatever shape you desire. I cut these ones in a diagonal pattern to match the picture in the cookbook. I did find these particular cookies slightly on the drier side; mostly because the buckwheat in the recipe absorbs so much moisture. They would be a perfect match with tea or coffee.


The dramatic picture of the cookies with a cracked surface in the Snowy-Topped Brownie Drops looked amazing. I've always seen these types of cracked cookies in snicker-doodles and wanted to make them. Rolling each ball of cookie dough lightly in icing sugar gave them a very Christmas-y feel to them. They also crack wonderfully due to the ratio of melted chocolate to butter and eggs.

Then, one day I had a craving for chocolate chip cookies. So, I turned to "My Newest Chocolate Chip Cookies" and followed that recipe. I had to skip the spices (coriander and nutmeg) as I didn't have those spices in my pantry on the day I had this craving. Still, they turned out great and sufficiently met my craving for chocolate chip cookies. It also goes without saying that these chocolate chip cookies were perfect with milk. 

Lastly, I made the World Peace Cookies - which is the cookie that is featured on the front of Dorie's Cookies. These cookies are a roll and cut style cookie so each cookie ends up being the exact same size. For the World Peace Cookies (pictured below), I made them gluten free using a cup-for-cup gluten free flour from Costco. The cookies still held up nicely and weren't too crumbly or dry. They also had a nice satisfactory crunch and bits of chocolate chunks in each bite.

World Peace Cookies - Visit her website for this recipe. 

I am certain that you will find a few recipes from Dorie's Coookies to make in your own kitchen. There are classics and new cookie recipes that you will enjoy and challenge you. There are some recipes that require a bit more planning and preparation. The instructions in each recipe provide plenty of guidance so you almost feel as if she is guiding and teaching you every step of the way. She even describes what the cookies should look and feel like when they come out of the oven. This is great as ovens are all so different; hence why you can't just follow the baking times. If you want to get a sneak peak into one of the recipes, Dorie Greenspan has the recipe for her World Peace Cookies up on her website. 

Now the fun part! Raincoast Books has been gracious enough to offer a copy of Dorie's Cookies to one of my Canadian readers! Enter to win the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Remember to complete the mandatory entry to be entered into the giveaway; otherwise your entries may be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This giveaway is open to residents of Canada. You must have a Canadian mailing address. The winner will be required to answer the following skill testing question: (5x7) + (10x3) - 40 =___. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. We hereby release Instagram of any liability. The Winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. Entrants must provide a valid email address where they can be reached. The Winner must respond to the email announcing their win within 48 hours, or another winner will be chosen. No purchase of any product is required. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send us an email!