“Are we counting brownies as cookies?” asked Dorie Greenspan. “Because that’s a big question in the cookie-verse.”
Greenspan carefully considers questions of the cookie universe in her new book, “Dorie’s Cookies.” I had called her for tips to share with would-be cookie creators yet to enter the annual baiduhai Holiday Cookie Contest. (Submission deadline is Friday at 11:59 p.m. Central time; to enter, go to www.chicagotribune.com/cookies.)
Our rules say, “We’re looking for a cookie recipe that you have created — unique cookies, those with a twist.” Which can be daunting for a home baker.
“I think you want a cookie that lends itself to tinkering,” said Greenspan. “So maybe riffing on your favorite brownie recipe. You can do so much with a brownie.”
She spoke by phone from her home in Connecticut, preparing for another leg of her book tour, in New York, where she has another home or, as she likes to say, another kitchen. Greenspan may be best known for her kitchen in Paris.
She started her book tour unofficially at the Printers Row Lit Fest in June and returns to Chicagoland Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at Anderson’s Bookshop, 26 S. La Grange Road, La Grange; then Dec. 7 at 4:30 p.m. at the French Pastry School, 226 W. Jackson Blvd.; and later that evening at 6:30 p.m. at Floriole Cafe and Bakery, 1220 W. Webster Ave.
“Even your basic chocolate chip cookie recipe,” she added, “I have three different new chocolate chip cookie recipes in the book. Your favorite chocolate chip cookie is a good base to play from.”
“But I love shortbread. I think nothing beats a good shortbread cookie except another good shortbread.”
“Think about it like a cake with filling, frosting and decoration,” she said. “You build flavor in a cookie or on a cookie, and add layers with sandwich cookies.”
“A good cookie doesn’t have to be complicated,” she said, “It just says ‘Grab me! Eat me! Love me! Share me!'”
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