Bake Club vs. All About Cookies: Which Milk Bar Cookbook Fits You?

The core difference: one book is a club, the other is a cookie course

Both books come from Christina Tosi and both cost $35, so price won't decide it for you. The real split is scope. Bake Club is a broad invitation to sweet and savory baking, while All About Cookies goes deep on a single subject. Choose based on what you want to cook in the next few months, not on which cover you like better.

• Bake Club: 100-plus unfussy sweet and savory recipes. Explicitly aimed at newbies and seasoned pros, ages 10 to 100. No fancy ingredients or equipment required, and modifications are allowed.
• Milk Bar: All About Cookies: A focused cookie book covering drop cookies, crunchy cookies, and XXL cookie pies. Includes pantry stocking guidance and Tosi's tips and tricks for better cookies.

Pick Bake Club if you want range and permission to improvise

Bake Club is the more forgiving starting point. Its stated goal is to empower home bakers to have fun in the kitchen, and the book says plainly that no fancy ingredients or equipment are required and that modifications are very much allowed. That matters if you cook with kids, if you bake with what's already in your pantry, or if you want savory recipes alongside sweets.

The trade-off is depth. With 100-plus recipes spanning sweet and savory, Bake Club is a broad sampler rather than a master class in any one bake. If you specifically want to nail cookie textures, this isn't the book built for that job.

Pick All About Cookies if cookies are the whole point

All About Cookies is built for the person who wants to get better at one thing. The book walks through cookies in all shapes and sizes, from the classic drop cookie to crunchy cookies and XXL cookie pies. It also helps you stock your pantry with the tools and ingredients you need, and shares time-tested tips and tricks for cookies that pack a punch.

The trade-off runs the other way: this is a cookie book, so don't expect savory recipes or a wide tour of cakes and pies. It rewards readers who are ready to think about technique and pantry setup, not just follow a single recipe.

What each book actually contains

• Bake Club: Bake Club: 100-plus unfussy, oh-so-good sweet and savory recipes; open to newbies and seasoned pros, ages 10 and 100; no fancy ingredients or equipment required; modifications allowed. This is the evidence for choosing Bake Club when you want variety, low equipment demands, and room to adapt recipes.

  

• Milk Bar: All About Cookies: Milk Bar: All About Cookies covers cookies in all shapes and sizes, from classic drop cookies to crunchy cookies and XXL cookie pies, plus pantry stocking and Tosi's tips and tricks. This is the evidence for choosing All About Cookies when cookies are your main baking goal and you want technique and pantry guidance.

  

Decision rules for the undecided

If you're still on the fence, answer these three questions honestly. They map directly to what each book says about itself.

• Do you want savory recipes too?: Choose Bake Club. All About Cookies is a cookie-focused book and does not claim savory coverage.
• Are you shopping your existing pantry and equipment?: Bake Club explicitly says no fancy ingredients or equipment are required. All About Cookies instead helps you stock your pantry for cookie work, which may mean buying specific tools and ingredients.
• Do you bake with kids or beginners?: Bake Club is written for ages 10 and 100 and allows modifications, which suits shared kitchen time. All About Cookies is more of a focused course for someone ready to dig into cookie technique.

Bake Club vs. All About Cookies: common questions

Which Milk Bar cookbook is better for a beginner?

Bake Club is the clearer beginner pick on paper: it's aimed at newbies and seasoned pros, requires no fancy ingredients or equipment, and permits modifications. All About Cookies assumes you want to focus on cookies and pantry setup.

Does All About Cookies include cakes or pies?

The supplied description covers drop cookies, crunchy cookies, and XXL cookie pies. It does not claim cake or savory recipes, so choose Bake Club if you want sweet and savory range.

Are the two books the same price?

Yes, both are listed at $35.00, so the decision comes down to scope and skill fit rather than cost.

Can I buy both?

You can, and they don't overlap much in purpose: Bake Club for everyday sweet and savory baking, All About Cookies for cookie-specific technique. If you only want one, use the decision rules above.