Tasty Treats for Every Occasion! Delicious Cookie and Brownie Recipes From TV Host Zoe Francois

On days when you’re baking for a crowd, your instinct may be to choose a large and impressive sweet centerpiece, like a cake, that can be shared. But handheld treats, including cookies and brownies, are both easier to make and equally as mouthwatering to savor, so we were thrilled to find the new cookbook Zoë Bakes Cookies from pastry chef and Magnolia Network TV host Zoë François.

“These are the recipes of my life and the generations that came before me,” says Zoë. “They’ve all been exactingly tested and written to give you an easy jumping-off point to all the cookie success in the world.” Bake up some of these sweets to share with your loved ones today!

Lemon Madeleines

(Makes 30 cookies)

2 ⁄3 cup flour, plus more as needed

1⁄2 cup almond meal or flour

1⁄4 tsp. baking powder

1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt

1⁄2 cup plus 1 tbsp. brown butter, melted

1 1⁄2 tsp. lemon zest

1⁄2 tsp. lemon extract

1 tbsp. honey

2 eggs, at room temperature

1⁄2 cup castor sugar

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix next 4 ingredients. Cool slightly.

2. In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip eggs and sugar on high 4 min. Turn to low; slowly add butter mixture. Fold in flour. Cover; chill at least 2 hrs. or up to 3 days.

3. Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a madeleine pan and dust with flour.

4. Fill wells 3⁄4 full of batter; flatten with wet fingers. Freeze 10 min.

5. Bake 10 to 12 min., until puffed and set. Cool 1 min. Tap out of pan; cool on a rack.

*For butter: In a pan over low, melt 2 cups unsalted butter. Turn up heat; boil until frothy, then simmer, without stirring, until deep amber, 15 to 18 min. Remove from heat.

PER COOKIE: 83 calories, 2g protein, 8g carbs, 0g fiber, 5g sugar, 5g fat.

Smash Cookies

(Makes 12 cookies)

3 1⁄2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt 3⁄4 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

2 1⁄4 cups brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

5 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips

1 cup toasted pecan pieces (or walnuts, dried cherries, M&Ms, or whatever mix-ins you like)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs. Mix in flour mixture. Add mix-ins.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make 4.25-oz. dough balls. Don’t flatten. Chill on baking sheet at least 1 hr.

3. Heat oven to 400°F. Double up two baking sheets and line with parchment. Evenly space 6 dough balls with 2″ between. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, 12 to 14 min. Remove from oven, and while still hot, gently smash with a metal spatula to 1″-thick disks.

4. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets, then move to a cooling rack.

PER COOKIE: 451 calories, 5g protein, 68g carbs, 1g fiber, 44g sugar, 18g fat.

Bourbon Biscoff Brownies

(Makes 16 brownies)

1 cup flour

1⁄4 cup cocoa powder

1⁄2 tsp. baking powder

1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

3⁄4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1⁄3 cup bourbon

12 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8″ square cake pan with greased parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk first 4 ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a pan over low, simmer next 4 ingredients until smooth. Remove from heat. Add 8 oz. chocolate. Cover, let sit 2 min. Whisk until smooth. Add eggs, flour and rest of chocolate. Add to pan. Bake 22 min. Cool.

3. Top with buttercream*; chill 30 min. Top with glaze*; chill 30 min. Remove from pan, cut and serve.

*For buttercream:

In a bowl, beat 1⁄2 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1⁄4 cup Biscoff cookie butter and 1 tbsp. bourbon.

*For glaze:

In a bowl, microwave 3 oz. semi-sweet chocolate and 3 tbsp. butter 30 sec. Stir until smooth. Cool.

PER BROWNIE: 251 calories, 3g protein, 35g carbs, 3g fiber, 25g sugar, 14g fat.