Margaret Chen · October 10, 2026
The first time I made nastar, I pulled forty-two tarts out of the oven, let them cool twenty minutes, and watched the bottoms of every single one go translucent and limp. My pineapple jam was too wet. I had cooked it like an American jam — thick enough to spread on toast — when it … Read more
Margaret Chen · July 10, 2026
Every week, someone emails me asking if my Moroccan orange blossom fekkas recipe is the same as a “Moroccan sugar cookie.” The answer is no—not even close. I understood the confusion at first, but after 15 years of testing and baking, I’ve learned that these are two entirely different cookies with completely different textures, techniques, … Read more
Margaret Chen · June 28, 2026
The first time I made a proper Mexican polvorones recipe crumbly cookies version worthy of the name, I was standing in my kitchen at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, covered in powdered sugar, laughing at myself. I had just attempted my 23rd batch in six weeks. Batches one through twenty-two had been either too dense, … Read more
Margaret Chen · June 27, 2026
I had been chasing the perfect authentic Italian biscotti recipe homemade for nearly a decade before my neighbor Rosa finally sat down at my kitchen table and handed me a handwritten card. No measurements in cups — just “quanto basta,” meaning “as much as needed.” It took me another six months of obsessive testing to … Read more
Margaret Chen · June 5, 2026
Korean Cookies: The Recipes I Found After Falling Down a Very Delicious Rabbit Hole I discovered yakgwa—deep-fried honey cookies infused with sesame oil, ginger, and cinnamon—at a Korean bakery near my neighborhood. That single bite sparked six months of research into hangwa, the umbrella term for traditional Korean confections. “These are yakgwa,” the baker told … Read more
Margaret Chen · June 2, 2026
Chinese almond cookies are a beloved staple at dim sum restaurants and family celebrations across Asia and beyond. But what makes them so special? After 30 batches of experimenting, tweaking, and occasionally throwing my hands up in frustration, I’ve discovered that the magic lies in understanding their history, appreciating their symbolism, and mastering the surprisingly … Read more
Margaret Chen · May 29, 2026
National Cookies of the World: The Most Iconic Cookie From 20 Countries (I’ve Made Them All) Europe’s Most Iconic National Cookies Scotland: Shortbread Scottish shortbread dates to the 12th century and uses a precise 3:1:2 ratio of butter, sugar, and flour. Rice flour or cornstarch creates the signature crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Add 25% cornstarch for … Read more
Margaret Chen · May 28, 2026
Orange Cookies: 5 Internationally-Inspired Recipes You Won’t Find in a Standard Roundup I spent the better part of last winter diving deep into orange cookie recipes—not just any orange cookies, but the kind that make people pause mid-bite and ask, “What is that flavor?” The kind that linger on your palate long after the cookie … Read more
Margaret Chen · May 26, 2026
The Bakery Cookie That Changed Everything It was a Tuesday afternoon in Mumbai, 2019, when I first bit into these golden, crumbly little rounds at a neighborhood bakery near my hotel. The texture was nothing like the soft, cakey American coconut cookies I’d been baking for years. These were crispy, almost sandy, with a delicate … Read more
Margaret Chen · May 25, 2026
I still remember the exact moment I fell in love with Moroccan orange cookies. It was a Tuesday afternoon in my kitchen—the kind of day when I’d been testing three different shortbread recipes and felt frankly exhausted by butter and sugar. A friend had just returned from Marrakech and handed me a small paper bag … Read more
