There is no aroma quite so inviting as that of cookies baking... Betty Crocker, 1963

{HISTORY}

Oh Betty! She needs no introduction. Everybody adored her in kitchens of the 20th century and she continues to lead the way to nostalgic memories in our kitchens today. 

In 1963, Betty Crocker published this big, colorful book of cookie recipes (note the old-fashioned spelling of cooky on the cover!) stuffed full with 450 varieties of delectable delights from traditional classics to midcentury moderns. Highlighted with brightly colored graphics, full-page photographs, and lots of interesting fun facts, this book kept baking enthusiasts busy for years. 

Creatively named cookies like Joe Froggers, Brief Moments, Wunder Bars Traffic Lights,  and Chocolate Crisscrosses mingle with traditional favorites like German Spice, Ginger Almond, Toffee Square, Peanut Clusters and classic Oatmeal. A run through kitchen history from the 1880s to the 1960s highlights the most favorite cookie of each decade and dozens of heritage cookies recall the classics of European baking that came to America via immigrant migration.  Truly a cookie recipe for everyone, this book brought endless joy to family and friends when it debuted, and we bet, it will bring endless joy to your kitchen too.

An interesting feature of this book is the inscribed message on the inside cover from Mom to Marie. It's dated 1954, but the cookbook wasn't published until 1963, so either Mom absentmindedly wrote the wrong year or she had trouble remembering dates and times. Either way, it's sweet to see such a tenderhearted error on such a sentimental cookbook. 

Also included here is a handmade, cloth-bound paper spoon made into a bookmark. The spoon comes with its own inscription which reads... As a cookbook -- bookmark I'll come in handy-- now you will find your recipes just dandy. Awww... maybe this was some of Mom's crafty handiwork too!

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- 1963 Third Printing

- 156 pages

- Includes handmade bookmark decorated in vintage fabric and ric rac

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition. This book is very clean inside and out. There is minor scuffing along the edges of the front and back cover. A favorite recipe on page 115 (Chocolate Yummies) is marked delicious in pen and features some cooking notations below the recipe, written in pencil. From page 102 to page 113 there is a small dark stain on the very top edge of each page, which looks to be a vanilla or coffee stain but does not affect or bleed into any of the recipes or the ability to read them. Other than those remarks, this book is in great shape with a tight spiral bound and pages that turn smoothly in their wire binding. 

{SIZE}

Measures 10.25" inches (length) x 8.75" inches (width) x .5" inches (thickness) and weighs 1.4 lbs.

{THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT BETTY}

Betty Crocker was one of the biggest brands in the 20th-century kitchen, but there wasn't one woman behind Betty - there were five. Read about how the Betty Crocker brand came about over on our blog, and learn about the four real women behind the company's front-facing icon here.