Cookies & Bars

Cookies are one of those things that seem simple until you’ve made a batch that spread into one giant flat disk or came out of the oven like hockey pucks. Turns out there’s a lot of science packed into a small cookie. Butter temperature, flour ratio, resting time all have a huge impact on the final results, and once you understand it, you’ll never have a bad batch again.

This collection runs the full range from crispy to chewy, simple to impressive. My Salted Bourbon Caramel Shortbread Cookies are the ones I bring to every holiday gathering and never come home with leftovers. My Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries are exactly what they sound like — and better than any bakery version I’ve ever tried. And if you need a no-bake situation, my Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls come together in ten minutes and disappear just as fast.