The Daily Cookie

Christmas was an obvious time to start thinking of cookie recipes, but what about the other 364 days of the year? Austin baking blogger Anna Ginsberg has you covered in her first book, The Daily Cookie - 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life.

Ginsberg creatively organizes the recipes chronologically, with a corresponding cookie for a holiday or historical event that happened each and every day. Some days are classic, such as National Chocolate Chip Day (May 15), The Kentucky Derby (May 1) or Valentine’s Day (February 14th) while others are more creative like World Nutella Day (February 5), Middle Child Day (August 12) or Elvis’s Birthday (January 8).

Ginsberg, who won the 41st Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest and many other cooking contests, delights readers with her nearly daily recipes on her blog, Cookie Madness. Her recipes are always delicious, fun, and easy to follow. Those familiar with Ginsberg’s site are accustomed to unique sweets, and this book continues the trend. Everything from Fortune Cookies to Eggnog Sandwich Cookies to Cinco de Mayo Pepita Crunch Cookies is included to ensure the reader never gets bored. Each of the 365 recipes has a corresponding photo, a little history on the day, and baking tips that make the recipes appropriate for all skill levels.

Besides the delicious cookie ideas, The Daily Cookie has an introductory chapter with all the information, ingredient basics, and equipment needed for baking novices. In the back are metric conversions and an index organized by cookie type, pan size, batch size, and dietary needs, which is very useful. Whether you are looking for a gift for a baker or just some inspiration for your own kitchen, The Daily Cookie has it all.

The Daily Cookie

By Anna Ginsberg

Andrews McMeel Publishing, $24.99, 448pp