Julia M. Usher's Ultimate Cookies

I was anxious to have this book as I follow Julia on social media and admire her technique, it did not disappoint

This "used" book arrived very quickly. It was very well packed. It looks like it has never been used. Love the pictures and recipes.

For those just venturing into the craft and art of cookie decorating, this book is a must. The book starts by covering all the basic tools (and where to get them), tools to avoid, and tools to put on your wish list. Next, Julia explains the how-to's of doughs (rolling, cutting, baking), how to make a pastry cone, and the various "bedazzlers" (extras you can put on your cookies in addition to royal icing). Then comes the tour-de-force section--"15 bottom-to-top decorating techniques"--all the different methods to ice a cookie. Everything is illustrated, step by step, with clear photos, so you know exactly what to do. Even marbling, stenciling, and using decorative wafer papers are covered. These are followed by a section on decorative borders, including beadwork. At the end of the book are recipes and tips for making the perfect consistencies of icing for piping, flooding, and "topcoating" -- even tips on how to make sure your icing makes a perfect, rounded bead. No more pointy dots for anyone! The next 150+ pages are dedicated to various cookie projects, which are explained in minute detail with accompanying photos of each stage. The end of the book is dedicated to various recipes for doughs, icings, and modelling media. A really lovely book; clear, well-written, and well-illustrated. Julia takes the fear and mystery out of cookie decorating, and makes the reader feel that anything is possible with practice. Highly recommended!

Too many pictures of basically unusable cookies and not enough instructions of basic “swap” cookies. Beautifully constructed picture and decoration book though!

Excellent, clean "like new" condition.

This is a wonderful book for all levels of expertise. There are lots of examples of decorating techniques, including fondant, royal icing, chocolate clay, stenciling, painting, using frosting transfer sheets, etc. All techniques are easy to follow with detailed photos.The numerous photos of the decorated cookies are literally breathtaking!!! The 3D Peacocks are amazing and templates are provided for making these, as well as other 3D cookies. There are a handful of cookie recipes, including Sugar Cookie, Shortbread, Tuiles, "GoofProof" Macarons, Meringues,Gingerbread, etc. There also is a recipe for Royal Icing with detailed instructions on how to achieve the "right" piping consistency. Several other useful recipes are included(chocolate clay, chocolate ganache,Italian Buttercream,etc). The extensive Resource List is helpful for locating decorating necessities.This is a BEAUTIFUL, informative book. The author REALLY takes Cookie Decorating to the next level!!! She is extremely creative in her decorating. It's worth purchasing this book just for the photos of her beautiful cookies!!! I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys decorating cookies. Her cleaver decorating ideas are very impressive!!!!

I absolutely love this book. It is the best cookie decorating book I have ever seen. I am an experienced decorator and yet I learned so much. All of the ideas are so creatively clever. The photography is beautiful and the detailed instructions, with pictures, are so easy to follow. I love the book so much that I am going to order one for each of my 3 daughters as Christmas gifts. This book is perfect even though my girls have varying degrees of experience ranging from very little to quite a lot. It is a book they can also use for baking and decorating with their own children.I love the variety of using royal icing, fondant, wafer paper, stencils templates and the list of ideas goes on and on. This book is for everyone who wants to decorate beautiful cookies. The recipes are perfect, too. I highly recommend Ultimate Cookies. I would give it 10 stars if I could.

This book is out of print but it should be the sugar cookie bible. Still amazing and perfect today!

Excellent book. Very helpful. Well explained.

Obviously written by someone extremely experienced and who wants to share their knowledge as much as possible. Very satisfied with this purchase and the kindle edition is very good.

Beautifully presented book with clear directions and explanations throughout. Enormous range of designs from the very basic to the most exquisite and highly sophisticated examples. All important occasions/celebrations covered. Compared with other similar books I have seen or purchased, this author has the very best cookie books on the market.

Molto dettagliato e ricco di informazioni. Lo consiglio a chi vuole avvicinarsi al magico mondo dei biscotti decorati!Unica pecca: manca la ricetta della pasta frolla più adatta.

Un bellissimo libro, ricco di spiegazioni ed immagini, non può mancare certamente nella biblioteca di chi adora preparare biscotti decorati per ogni occasione.