everything you need to know to make your

favorite cookies and bars

Bonus
Pack

ZOË
BAKES
cookies
Zoë
François
Thank you!
I have been working on this cookie book my whole life. I know that sounds
like hyperbole, but once you read the book, you’ll understand just how
much these cookies are in my DNA. This sweet adventure includes my
earliest oat-filled days on the commune in Vermont, the first batch of
lacy French Florentines I baked in middle school, my college cookie-cart
company, and my thirty years in Minnesota, the home of Betty Crocker
and 10,000 bakers. But before any of that happened, there were the cookies
of my grandmothers and their grandmothers. I have a cookie heritage that
I wasn’t even aware of until I ventured into this book. It’s become my
memoir or Eras Tour of Cookies, and I am over the moon to share it with
you. It comes out soon, but the anticipation is too much for me, so I want
to share these recipes with you while we wait for the books to ship.

Love,

Zoë
Banana Cream Bars

Banana cream pie meets napoleon! I combined two of my favorite desserts into this Makes about 16 bars
crunchy, creamy, soulful dessert bar that makes a perfect brunch treat. It’s too messy to
pack in a lunchbox but feels just right for a picnic where licking your fingers goes with
the territory. The puff pastry is both rich and light, making it just the right base for the
decadent pastry cream (vanilla pudding) and layer of sweet bananas. I just love the crunch
and saltiness of cashews on top and the delicate wisp of chocolate curls.

Vanilla Pastry Cream One 8oz / 228g package Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Line a baking sheet
puff pastry with parchment paper.
2 ⁄ 2 cups / 590ml whole
1

milk 2 large ripe bananas, cut

into 1 ⁄ 4-inch / 6mm coins
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry to a
2
⁄ 3 cup / 130g granulated 9-inch / 23 cm square, about 1 ⁄ 8 inch / 3mm thick.
sugar 11 ⁄ 2 cups / 360ml heavy Place on the prepared baking sheet, cover with another
whipping cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter sheet of parchment paper, and place a baking sheet on
1
⁄ 4 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar top of that to prevent the puff pastry from puffing too
1 tsp pure vanilla extract wildly.
1
⁄ 2 vanilla bean, scraped
1
⁄ 3 cup / 45g cashews, Bake the puff pastry in the middle of the oven for 20 to
1
⁄ 4 cup / 35g cornstarch
roasted and coarsely 25 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove
6 egg yolks chopped the top baking sheet and allow the pastry to cool to
1
⁄ 3 cup / 25g shaved milk or room temperature on its baking sheet.
bittersweet chocolate
Line a greased 8-inch / 20cm square cake pan with
greased parchment paper that goes up the sides to cre-
Make the pastry cream: In a medium to large pot, bring ate a sling.
the milk, 1 ⁄ 3 cup / 65g of the sugar, butter, salt, and
Gently press the cooled puff pastry into the pan and
vanilla bean to a gentle boil.
use a serrated knife if needed to trim the pastry so it
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and fits snugly in the pan. It will have shrunk and should fit
remaining 1 ⁄ 3 cup / 65g of sugar. Add the egg yolks and nicely.
mix into a smooth paste.
Spread the pastry with half of the pastry cream. Place
Ladle a small amount of the hot milk mixture into the the banana slices evenly over the pastry cream. Cover
egg mixture and whisk them together. Continue add- the banana slices with the remaining pastry cream.
ing small amounts of the hot milk mixture to the egg
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,
mixture until the egg mixture is warm to the touch.
whip the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla
Whisk the egg mixture back into the pot of the remain-
on medium speed, to medium-stiff peaks. Spread the
ing hot milk mixture.
cream over the pastry filling and refrigerate for at least
Bring the pot to a boil over medium-low heat, whisk- 30 minutes to set the layers. It can be assembled hours
ing continuously for 3 minutes, at which point it will ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.
be thick and glossy. It’s important to cook the mixture
Sprinkle with chopped cashews and chocolate shav-
for the full 3 minutes; if you don’t, the pastry cream
ings before serving.
will taste like cornstarch and will separate.
Strain the pastry cream into a shallow container. Cover
it with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry
cream. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2
hours. This can also be done the day before.
Triple Chocolate Rice Treats

If you want to tell someone you love them, make these no-bake ultra-chocolatey crispy Makes about 9 rice treats
rice bars. I believe they will replace the common box of chocolate as the symbol of love at
Valentines Day. They are ridiculously easy to make and the brown butter, milk chocolate,
and cocoa make for an outrageously, creamy and crispy rice treat. I make a batch, eat one
warm from the pan, and then run around giving them to neighbors so I am not tempted
to eat the whole batch. My neighbors love me! ;)

4 Tbsp, plus 1 tsp unsalted 1 tsp vanilla extract chocolate. Repeat with remaining rice mixture and
butter, plus more for the the last of the dark chocolate. Allow to set for about 30
5 ⁄ 2 cups / 145g crisp rice
1
pan
cereal minutes before cutting. Gently press the mixture into
One 10-ounce bag mini-
3 ounces / 56g dark
the pan just until it is compressed into a uniform bar,
marshmallows but not too tight.
chocolate, finely chopped
1
⁄ 4 tsp kosher salt
Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.
2 Tbsp cocoa Dutch-
processed powder
2 ounces / 57g milk
chocolate, chopped
BAKER’S NOT E

Lightly butter an 8-inch square pan. Mini-marshmallows melt faster and require less heat, so
they don’t overcook and get hard. If you can only find large
In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, cook marshmallows, stir them in the butter, then cover the pot
the butter until it is dark golden brown, and smells for 30 seconds, and stir again. Repeat until melted.
slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 ⁄ 2 tsp espresso powder for a zippy mocha version.

Turn off the heat and add the mini-marshmallows,

salt, cocoa, and milk chocolate. Stir until the mixture
is smooth. If the marshmallows are not fully melted,
cover the pot, and let them sit a minute longer.
Stir in the vanilla, add the rice cereal, and mix until
thoroughly incorporated.
Loosely distribute one-third of the mixture into the
prepared pan, sprinkle 1ounce of dark chocolate over
the rice mixture. Cover with another one-third of
the rice mixture, then 1 ounce of dark chocolate dark
Gold Standard Brownies

The key to these dense, fudgy, over-the-top brownies is to not overbake them. If you Makes about 32 brownies
want them a bit cakier, which is a legit choice, you can bake them an extra 5 minutes.
The other key is to let them cool completely before cutting, so the chocolate has a
chance to set up. If you can’t wait, the brownies will end up more like pudding, which,
again, is your choice! The espresso and nuts in the mix gives them a grown-up edge,
but the coffee isn’t too strong so kids will love them, too. The gold leaf is optional, but
sometimes you just need that little bit of sparkle to celebrate a special day. This makes a
big batch so you can share with your loved ones!

1
⁄ 2 cup, plus 2 Tbsp / 70g 3 large eggs, at room the batter. Spread into the prepared pan.
all-purpose flour temperature
Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes,
1
⁄ 8 cup / 12g unsweetened 1 cup / 200g granulated
natural cocoa powder sugar
until a tester comes out with wet crumbs and the
brownies are still a bit wobbly in the center. Be careful
2 tsp instant espresso 2 Tbsp lightly packed not to overbake these, otherwise they will not have the
powder brown sugar
outrageous fudge quality.
11 ⁄ 2 tsp baking powder 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Cool completely, add gold leaf, and cut into squares.
1
⁄ 2 tsp kosher salt 1 cup / 120g chopped nuts
of your choice (optional)
1 cup / 227g unsalted
butter 1
⁄ 2 pound / 227g chocolate
chips or chunks
3
⁄ 4 pound / 340g
bittersweet chocolate, Gold leaf (optional)
finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line a greased

9x13-inch baking pan with greased parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa
powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.
Set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, bring the butter to a
simmer. Remove from the heat and add in the chopped
chocolate. Swirl the pan to cover the chocolate with the
butter and allow it to sit for two minutes. Whisk until
there are no chunks of chocolate left.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, and vanilla
until well combined. While continuously whisking,
pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and
mix until combined. Fold in the flour mixture with a
rubber spatula. Stir the nuts and chocolate chips into
Lemaretti Cookies

If Lemon Drop and Amaretti cookies had a baby, this one-bowl recipe would be their Makes about 32 cookies
spectacular love child. This chewy Italian almond cookie is brightened up with the
addition of lemon. They are delicious straight away, but if you give these beauties
a couple of days to settle into their prime, they are even better. In parts of Italy, it is
tradition to serve coffee with lemon zest, but I think these cookies are an even more
delicious pairing.

1
⁄ tsp kosher salt
4

2 cups / 188g almond meal 2 Tbsp lemon juice Bake for about 20 minutes, until the bottoms are just
1 cup / 200g granulated 2 egg whites golden brown. If baking both sheets at one time, rotate
sugar them top to bottom and back to front after 10 minutes.
3
⁄ 4 cup confectioners’ sugar,
3
⁄ tsp pure lemon extract
4
for rolling cookies. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for
about 5 days.
112⁄ lemons zested

Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C. Line two baking

sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, salt,
and sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon
extract, zest, juice, and egg whites, stirring until well
combined.
Scoop the cookie dough using a #60 (1-tablespoon)
portion scoop. Roll the dough in the palms of your
hands to create a ball, then roll it in confectioners’
sugar. Set on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about
2 inches between cookies.
Herbes de Provence Thumbprint Cookies

Graham and I went to France for our honeymoon in 1991 and spent a magical week in Makes about 36 cookies
Provence. We picked fresh figs out our bedroom window, learned to windsurf in the
Golfe de Saint-Tropez and ate like royalty. Before that trip I didn’t realize that there were
fields of endless lavender or the existence of Herbes de Provence. The classic French
seasoning is typically used in savory cooking, but I find it an elegant addition to this
buttery cookie. You can fill the thumbprint cookies with anything from lemon curd to
chocolate ganache or marmalade. Get creative!

6 Tbsp / 84g unsalted 11 ⁄ 4 cups / 150g all-purpose Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are
butter, at room temperature flour lightly browned. Place on rack and cool entirely.
1
⁄ 2 cup / 100g granulated 1
⁄ 4 tsp kosher salt
sugar
Spoon a 1 ⁄ 2 tsp of the preserves into the thumbprint of
1 egg white, at room the cookie.
11 ⁄ 2 Tbsp olive oil temperature
1
⁄ 2 teaspoon herbes de 1 cup finely chopped
provence pecans (optional}
1 tsp orange zest Filling
BAKER’S NOT E
2 egg yolks, at room 1
⁄ 2 cup fruit preserves or
temperature lemon curd Give these cookies a new personality by swapping out the
herbes de Provence for rosemary, star anise or any other
1 tsp vanilla extract herb or spice.

Preheat the oven to 375°F /190°C. Line a baking sheet Swap out the nuts for decorator sugar to add a sparkle.
with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
cream the butter. Then add the sugar, oil, herbes de
provence, and zest. Beat on medium speed until light
in color, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla, mixing on medium
speed to combine. Turn the speed to low and mix in the
flour and salt to combine.
Place the egg white in a small bowl. Set aside.
Scoop the dough using a #60 (1-tablespoon) portion
scoop. Roll the balls in the egg whites and then in the
chopped nuts. Place the cookies about 11 ⁄ 2 inches apart
on the prepared baking sheet.