Great Cookies: Secrets to Sensational Sweets [Hardcover]

These two books are of similar length, these two authors have both won awards for their books on baking, and, of course, both are devoted entirely to cookies. Both books have sizable bibliographies. Both books have general chapters on technique. The scope of Baggett's book is somewhat limited in that it is focusing on cookie recipes born or nurtured in America. For that reason and for her larger bibliography, I give a few points to Baggett at the outset.

Baggett's introductory chapter on technique is, I believe, a little gem. Walter gives a much larger chapter at the end of her book on ingredients, tools, and techniques, which has a much more academic air about it. To even things up and actually come off ahead of Baggett in the pedagogical arena, Walter has page long sidebars with pointers on making each different type of cookie.

The chapter headings are quite different in the two books. Both divide cookies by type. Baggett's classification is largely based on ingredients. Walter's classification is largely based on technique. If I owned neither, I would pick Walter's book for this reason alone.

Both authors give entertaining headnotes to each of their recipes. This feature is a wash. Baggett provides photographs for a small minority of her recipes. Walter provides a very effective, arty but informative picture for each and every cookie. A big plus here. Photographs in cookbooks do generally not sway me and many great ones have been with us for decades with no rotogravure at all. But, I think good pictures are a definite plus to cookie books. Score a big plus to Walter.

Walter gives an excellent thumbnail guide to each recipe by giving an 'at a glance' table of 'Pan', 'Pan Prep', 'Oven Temperature', 'Baking Time', and 'Difficulty' ranking of 1, 2, or 3. Another big score for Walter.

I compared the recipes for two cookies I know well, Snickerdoodles and Chocolate Chip cookies, in the two books and I found some interesting differences, especially in the Snickerdoodles recipes. Walter uses half butter and half vegetable shortening while Baggett uses all butter. Baggett includes corn syrup and Walter does not. Baggett includes nutmeg and Walter does not. Walter evens things up by providing a delightfully simple way to achieve uniform spheres of cookie dough to roll in the cinnamon and sugar. Aside from this rolling technique, I would tend to prefer Baggett's recipe to avoid the vegetable shortening and get the nutmeg. The chocolate chip recipes were less different. I am sure all four recipes give good results.

The prices are identical for roughly the same number of recipes.

I would not feel overly redundant if I owned both, as both are excellent books. But, if you are looking for a single good cookie book, get 'Great Cookies' by Carole Walter. Very Highly Recommended.