Zoë Bakes Cookies
Raisin biscuits, to be specific — and a cookbook giveaway
Hey everyone! ’Tis cookie season — which means that over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing cookie recipes in this newsletter, with an eye toward your holiday baking needs (cookie trays, gifting, etc.). I don’t usually kick this off until after Thanksgiving, but this year, I’ve moved everything up a little to give you more time to plan.
And for those of you who are not cookie bakers, I’ve still got you! I’ll be giving you bonus content alternatives in every newsletter in December to cover your savory eating needs, whether it’s holiday entertaining or a quick and nourishing weeknight meal during this busy time.
Because of the number of great baking books that have come out this fall, many written by esteemed authors who are also friends and colleagues, I decided to share OPC (other people’s cookies) instead of my own with you this season. Of course, I’ve selected and tested all of the recipes to bring you an epic cookie lineup to add to the already robust cookie archive we’ve amassed over the past almost four years. (Whenever you’re in need of cookie ideas or recipes, remember you can head to the Susanality Cookie Index to browse the archives.)
Speaking of cookbooks: I have a little secret, and I’m revealing it to you first. I am working on a cookie book myself! You’ll be hearing more about this in the future, but I just wanted to let the cat out of the bag and tell you what I’m working on! The book will be out in the fall of 2026, which will be here before you know it.
In the meantime, I love having the chance to shine a spotlight on the wonderful work of other authors and recipe developers, and this is a great (and tasty) way to do it. As a bonus, if you’re a paid subscriber, you can look forward to several cookbook giveaways, starting with today's! (If you’re not a paid subscriber, know that there will be one cookbook giveaway on December 6 that will be open to everyone, so stay tuned for that.) But if you’ve been thinking about signing up, now’s the time!
We are kicking things off with Zoë Bakes Cookies by my friend Zoë Francois. Not so many years ago, she was just a person I followed on the internet, but in the interim, we’ve become good friends and have shared many meals together. If she lived closer to me, I would definitely be asking her to borrow a cup of sugar. One of the positive things about social media is its power to bring people together IRL who might not otherwise have a chance to meet. This may be unique to food people, who love togetherness and community, and I’m not sorry about it. Especially since so many of us work in a solitary way, it’s nice to have this virtual kitchen where we can all hang out.
As Zoë was beginning this particular project several years ago, we spent a day touring around NYC to try all the best cookies at various bakeries (research!). None were as good as the recipes you’ll find in this book though, because, like risotto, cookies are one of those things that are just better made in small batches at home. Still, it was a bakery crawl to remember which culminated in the arcade where Frenchette Bakery is located, where somehow we ended up with Claudia Fleming (who we scooped up along the way), David Lebovitz, and the owners of Frenchette Bakery (along with Frenchette, Le Rock, and Le Veau D’or), Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr. We stood around chatting and eating pastries. It was a coffee klatch for the record books!
I don’t need to tell you that Zoë is a master baker with impeccable taste, but if you didn’t already know it, her latest book provides more proof! I went to her kickoff event at Rizzoli Bookstore back in September and I cut the line (sorry people, thanks for understanding!) to get a signed copy for one of you!
I’ve always felt that Zoë and I are aligned when it comes to baking and food, and I knew it for sure when I saw this recipe for raisin biscuits in the book. Like many people, I have a soft spot for a bygone supermarket cookie called Sunshine Raisin Biscuits, also known as Garibaldi Biscuits in the U.K.
These cookies were not too sweet, a bit dry in a good way, and chewy. They came in long strips with perforations where you could break off a portion. We always had them in the house when I was growing up, and they had a very handmade old-fashioned quality by today’s standards of mass-produced cookies. Sadly, Keebler bought Sunshine and dropped the product in 1996. Does anyone else remember these fondly? If so, you’re in luck, because I’m sharing Zoë’s version of this cookie with you today! The full recipe is below, but I also posted a quick video tutorial on Instagram, if you’d like to see.
In addition, I have a few tips for success when making the cookie. I texted with Zoë about them, and she is totally on board!
A few tips from me
If you’re not using King Arthur whole wheat flour, add the water slowly to the dough at the end. You may not need all of it. Stop when the dough easily comes together.
Roll the dough out on lightly-floured parchment paper or a lightly-floured silicone baking mat. The dough is on the soft side, and you may need to chill it while you’re working.
You can use light OR dark brown sugar, and it will affect the color.
The second time I made these, I was a tad short on the honey. For my taste they were sweet enough, and it didn't affect the dough.
Use the parchment or baking mat to help lift the dough to fold it over the raisins. Just be brave and flop it over in one fell swoop.
If the dough seems too soft to do this, just chill for a few minutes until firm enough.
Don’t be afraid to really roll it thin after you enclose the raisins. You want them poking through!
I found that to give the cookies enough room to spread a little, they needed to be on two baking sheets, six cookies on each.
These cookies keep really well in an airtight container for up to a week, if not longer. They also freeze and ship well. I hope you’ll consider them for your cookie-baking pleasure this holiday, or anytime!
Giveaway Time
To enter to win a copy of Zoë Bakes Cookies, leave a comment on this post about why you’d like the book. (Today’s giveaway is only open to paid subscribers. Keep an eye out for a giveaway that’s open to all coming the first week of December.) I’ll choose a winner at random at 10 a.m. EST on Monday, November 25, so leave your comment below anytime between now and then. I will reply to the winner’s comment to let them know they’ve won. See the bottom of this post for the giveaway fine print1 and click the button below to leave your comment. Good luck!
More from Zoë!
If you like today’s recipe, you can find more great recipes and ideas from Zoë by following the links below.
