Cornmeal Orange Cookies Recipe, Cookbook Review

The hubby gave me The Perfect Cookie as a Christmas present. Read on to learn all about this truly beautiful cookbook and check out what is now one of my favorite cookie recipes. I have made several cookies from this book and it is fast becoming a favorite.

Table of Contents

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About The Perfect Cookie:

Portable, fun to make, easy to gift, and open to countless flavor variations, cookies are everyone’s favorite sweet treat. America’s Test Kitchen has years of experience making the very best cookies; in The Perfect Cookie, the test kitchen has collected all of that knowledge in one place for the definitive guide to cookie baking. This comprehensive anthology includes kitchen-tested, never-fail recipes for cookie jar classics, in addition to recipes for rich and chewy brownies, fruit-and-crumble-topped bars, quick no-bake confections, holiday favorites, and even candies like fudge and truffles; they’re all included in this gorgeous package, with a full-page photo showing off every recipe. And, as only the test kitchen can, there are tips and tricks throughout the chapters, as well as an introductory section to get you started with insight on everything from what makes a cookie chewy versus crispy to what baking sheet you should buy so that your cookies bake evenly every time. The result? The perfect cookie.

About the Author:

America’s Test Kitchen is well-known for its top-rated television shows with more than 4 million weekly public television viewers, bestselling cookbooks, magazines, websites, and cooking school. The highly reputable and recognizable brands of America’s Test Kitchen, Cook’s Illustrated, and Cook’s Country are the work of over 60 passionate chefs based in Boston, Massachusetts, who put ingredients, cookware, equipment, and recipes through objective, rigorous testing to identify the very best. Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks!

My Opinion:

Drool.

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This is a beautiful cookbook. There are a lot of photos which I love and plenty of recipes. You will find all kinds of cookies and they have gone through the rigorous testing that the chefs of America’s Test Kitchen are known for. All types of cookies are here; drop, bar, cut outs, molded. It’s nothing complicated but what you will find are the 250 promised recipes that if you follow them will work for you when you use them.

That is the beauty of a cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen. The recipes have been tested and refined so that you don’t have to worry about whether they will work or not. They are not super fancy but they are GOOD.

The directions are clearly written and easy to follow. There is a section at the back with gluten free recipes. I’ve been looking through it for a couple of days now and I’ve found several recipes that I can’t wait to try.

Rating:

Cornmeal Orange Cookies

Makes 48

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
16 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS grated orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk together the cornmeal and all purpose flour in a medium bowl and set aside
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attached cream together the butter, zest, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
Add the egg yolk, until well mixed.
Then add the egg and mix well until well blended.
Add the vanilla and beat until well combined.
Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture.
On low speed mix together just until combined.
Remove the dough to a lightly floured counter, divide into fourths, form each fourth into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
When ready to roll out the dough preheat the oven to 375°
Prepare baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners
Remove one disc at a time and roll out to about 1/8″ thick

Cut into rounds (I used a 2″ cutter) and remove to a prepared baking sheet placing the cookies about 2″ apart.
Repeat with the remaining discs
Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes then rotate the pans and bake for another 7 minutes until the cookies are just done.

Remove to a wire rack to fully cool.

How Were They?

I have found a new favorite cookie. I am not kidding. These are so delicious. They are not too sweet, delightfully buttery and have a wonderful orange flavor. The cornmeal adds a heavenly crunch to what would have otherwise been a basic shortbread cookie.

I will also note that I would call these adult cookies rather than kid’s cookies because they are not overly sweet. I will not comment as to how many I have “taste tested.” Ah-hem.