The Cookies & Cups Cookbook: 125+ sweet & savory recipes reminding you to Always Eat Dessert First

First, I was NOT given a free copy to write a review, I actually purchased the book. I'm an avid cookbook collector and baker.

I have made several recipes from the book and will probably give it away to a beginner baker.

The author stated up front how much she loves salt in her desserts, and the constant use of salted butter is proof. Use unsalted butter, always. Its the only way to control the amount of salt in your food, and food that is too salty simply doesn't taste good. Case in point, Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake. I made it as directed and it was far too salty for our liking. Also, too much butter in the Caramel Apple Topping; cut it by half so it isn't so greasy. Calling it a Caramel Apple Topping is a stretch - it's butter and brown sugar, boiled. No cream? No vanilla? The cake crumb was a little dense, and greasy around the edges due to the amount of butter in the topping.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies were good; I used unsalted butter, though. I love mini chips in it - l nice gooey bits of chocolate in every bite.

The S'mores Cookies were also good, although the graham cracker crumbs got lost and weren't evident for that true s'mores taste. I would use very coarsely chopped graham crackers and add them with the marshmallow bits and chocolate at the end, they will break up a bit more while mixing. Tip - add the marshmallows on top after 8 minutes in the oven or they melt too much and spread way out, and are not at all pretty, then bake an additional 4 minutes.

I tried several buttercreams, to include the Perfect Buttercream, Brownie Batter Buttercream, and Creamy Chocolate Frosting. All had lovely flavor, were smooth and buttery, and not over the top sweet like some butter teams are. Again, I used unsalted butter. While they tasted very nice, they will not hold up well for piping as they are not stiff enough, regardless of how they look in the pictures. You will have to experiment a bit, and I'd start by cutting back on the butter - it's easier to soften a frosting than to stiffen one up.

Ok, honestly, how many ways can we make Rice Krispy Treats??

Adding Fruity Pebbles to anything is gross - artificial everything mixed with sugar.

I made the Confetti Cake, but in cupcake form, and it was very good. Nice crumb, moist, held together nicely. Again, unsalted butter.

The Salty Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies were good. Mine weren't as salty because I used unsalted butter, and they were perfect. I love the depth of flavor you get from browned butter - it's subtle, a little nutty. I would wrap the dough and chill for at least 2 hours though as they spread too much.

My niece made the Hot Fudge Sundae Cake and although the kids liked it, it was far too sweet for me. The picture in the book has too much going on. She skipped the mini cones and maraschino cherries, thank goodness!

The use of the phrase "salted caramel" in many titles is a stretch. I think there was perhaps one recipe that actually was salted caramel. But it's popular right now and sounds good in a title. Using the phrase "salted, caramel" would be far more appropriate.

The Buffalo Ranch Slow Cooker Snacks did not last long at a BBQ! I did use unsalted butter, and only 1 TBS tabasco. Definitely a keeper!

Only one word for the Garlic Bread Pasta - DRY. Even my self-proclaimed "pastavore" son didn't like it. However, I would recommend it, minus the pasta and half the butter, unsalted, as a delicious topping for casseroles or home baked mac and cheese.

The Bacon and Pea Pasta. First, I never leave eggs raw in a dish. Besides a potential health risk, it's unappealing to me. So I doubled the sauce and baked it - turned out great! Kiddo loved it!

I made quite a few dishes, and stuck to the recipes as written, except for using unsalted butter. Hit and miss. I will say her ingredients are easily found, quite frequently you probably already have them in your pantry, which is always a bonus. Would I buy it again, even as a gift? Probably not.

I have made 7 recipes from this cookbook and they are all delicious.

One warning I would give is that the author has a husband and 4 children, so the main dish recipes make a lot of food. For example, the Taco Pasta calls for a pound of dry pasta. I live alone, and this recipe fed me for over a week.

So, first, I love the Cookies and Cups blog. And I am giving this book 3 stars so far, because the release date was less than a week ago, and it is impossible for the people that have reviewed it here to post things like "the best cookbook", and so on. Yes, the pictures are beautiful. Her writing style is funny. I understand she has loyal fans, and it is obvious she has great blogging friends (many of the reviews here are from said friends, who have even uploaded blog worthy pictures). But a review has to be honest. If you have made any recipe from her blog, which happens to also be on the book, and you liked it, it's fine. But that does not make this "the best cookbook". I am not saying it is a bad book. I will just wait and actually try some of the recipes to update and post a fair review.

I've been looking forward to the Cookies & Cups Cookbook for months and trust me, it's everything I imagined it would be - AND more. This cookbook is loaded with delicious, approachable recipes that are perfect for any skill level. It's truly an extension of Shelly's blog and loaded with fun commentary, gorgeous photos, and delicious recipes.

The majority of the book is filled with dessert recipes like S'mores Cake (which I've already made AND loved) and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swirl Bread, but also has several chapters dedicated to savory dishes like my husband's new favorite meals - Garlic Bread Pasta and Frito Pie Sloppy Joes.

Shelly reminds you to "eat dessert first" with all the dessert recipes at the front of the book, and the savory ones at the back. It's a clever reminder, and you know this dessert obsessed girl loves that the majority of the book is dedicated to my favorite mealtime.

There is truly something for everyone in this cookbook and I know I'll be baking and cooking from it for years to come!

Most cookbooks have two or maybe three recipes I really want to try, but I counted 38 (THIRTY EIGHT!) recipes in here that called to me. All are easy, and most are from scratch. For the good--but maybe not expert--baker who wants to turn out desserts in less than an hour. Also, the author's commentary is as interesting and fun as the recipes themselves. I find myself reading it like a novel. P.S. I originally borrowed this cookbook from my local library, and loved it so much that I had to have my own copy.

Wonderful book for bakers! I tried the Key Lime Pie Cookies and they are seriously my new favorite cookie. The flavors are unreal and they are so easy to make. I cannot wait to try more recipes. This is a fantastic addition to my cookbook collection.

I absolutely love, love, love this book. I'm a weirdo that reads cookbooks like they're novels, and Shelly's was impossible to put down. I love that she uses salted butter in all her recipes. I do too. I love that she doesn't apologize for it. Normal people are foodies too.

Every recipe in this book is approachable, and easy enough for beginning bakers. But there's some stuff that straight up intrigued me, like the Oatmeal Cream Pie Cake. My sister and I used to fight over those cellophane wrapped miracles, and it's the first thing we baked out of the book. It is fantastic!

I really think the concept of eating dessert first is cleverly pushed forward in the book with its chapter arrangement. Savory recipes are all the way at the back - where they should be, darn it! That's not to say they're an afterthought, because they definitely aren't. Next on my must make list? Garlic Bread Pasta.

If you're looking for a fun, personable book to cook from or gift to a friend, this is a fantastic option.

I didn't make too many recipes from this book, but have been a follower of the Cookies & Cups blog for a long time. I've made plenty of recipes from the blog with no disappointments, so it's only right I get the cookbook, too! I've made maybe around 6 recipes so far, about half sweet and half savory. The savory is decent, but most of the dinner options didn't make me too excited to try. I do appreciate that there are more than just sweet recipes, but the sweet ones are plentiful in this book. The recipes do remind me of maybe something you'd take to a bake sale, as they are simple with great results.

Each recipe has a beautiful picture, and clear instructions. I'd suggest this book if you're looking for recipes that don't have outlandish ingredients, and will be easy to whip up. I'd also check out her blog for more great recipes!

I bought this as a birthday gift for my daughter, who reports that she loves it. Although I didn't know this when I bought it, the book isn't only about sweets; there are a number of main-dish recipes that my daughter has really enjoyed.

I didn't want to review this cookbook until I actually tried some of the recipes. I have been a follower of Shelly Jaronsky for a long time. Her cookbook does not disappoint. After trying multiple recipes I am really happy I bought the book.