Crumbs

Whether enjoyed at breakfast, with afternoon tea, on holidays, or as a late-night snack, cookies are a universally beloved treat.

In Crumbs, food writer, recipe developer, and self-confessed baking obsessive Ben Mims takes home cooks on a delicious tour across countries and cultures, presenting a sweet and satisfying guide to crumbly, crunchy, chewy desserts, from Snickerdoodles, Date-Filled Maamoul, and Almond Macaroons to Cardamom Biscuits, Italian Waffle Cookies, and Okinawan Brown Sugar Shortbread.

Organized geographically, Crumbs is chock-full of old-world and modern classics, and intriguing local recipes from more than 100 countries. Each begins with a fascinating origin story, followed by clear, step-by-step instructions and notes on regional variations.

Beginners will appreciate Mims's introduction to essential equipment, ingredients, and techniques such as shaping, rolling, and slicing, while bakers of all skill levels will find inspiration in the bounty of recipes, each carefully tested and perfected for home kitchens.

Richly illustrated and easy to navigate, the book features gorgeous photographs and special icons designating dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan recipes, as well as approachable, easy-to-make options that come together in 30 minutes or less.

Recipes include: Chocolate-Glazed Elisenlebkuchen, Danish Pepper and Spice Cookies, Egyptian Stuffed Eid Cookies, Filipino Powdered Milk Shortbreads, French Macarons, Icelandic Gingerbread, Malaysian Milky Cashew Cookies, Nigerian Coconut Macaroon Balls, Pakistani Cumin Seed Cookies, Portuguese Biscoitos, Puerto Rican Guava and Almond Thumbprint Cookies, Rugelach, Spanish Almendrados, Shrewsbury Biscuits, Speculaas, Sri Lankan Crunchy Sugar Cookies, Syrian Sesame and Pistachio Cookies, Thai Rolled Wafer Cookies, Venezuelan Shortbread Cookies, and Welsh Griddled Currant Cookies, plus international variations on wedding cookies, Christmas cookies, and other sweet treats for special celebrations.

‘A classic in the making; Ben has traced the journey of the cookie from LA to Budapest, Tokyo to London. No stone has been left unturned in his hugely ambitious undertaking to document the cookies of the world, shining a light on the history of each cookie, the traditions they spring from and of course how to recreate each delicious cookie at home. A rare and special book that you’ll find yourself reading and baking from for many years to come.’ - Edd Kimber, baker and cookbook author 

‘Crumbs is the most well-researched and diverse cookie book I have ever encountered. Traveling through time and across cultures and lands, this is a unique and dynamic investigation of what the small-but-mighty cookie means to different people. Ben Mims has written an instant classic.’ –  Hetty Lui McKinnon, cookbook author and food writer

Praise for Ben Mims’s previously published dessert book:

‘I wanted to make practically every one of Mr. Mims’s original, modern and often whimsical takes on classic Southern desserts.’ – New York Times

‘Each recipe is presented with an eye for technique and a borderline obsessive attention to detail – a mark of his pastry chef background – plus plenty of his irresistible Mississippi charm.’ – Saveur

‘Whether he is writing about watermelon gelatin or sweet potato cake, Mr. Mims approaches his subject with kitchen know-how and contagious enthusiasm.’ – Wall Street Journal

Ben Mims is a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author and food writer. He has worked as a food columnist, editor, and recipe developer for major media outlets including: theLos Angeles Times,Food & Wine, Saveur, Lucky Peach, and Buzzfeed's Tasty. He has written three cookbooks, and his work has appeared in the annual anthology Best Food Writing.

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