Although the author says in the introduction that Christmas Cookies: 50 Recipes to Treasure for the Holiday Season is for new as well as experienced cooks, many of the recipes are traditional and likely to be in multiple other sources on the bookshelf of any home baker. Only few of the 50 cookies were new to me.



This book would be a good choice for a new baker as it covers what I consider to be the most popular Christmas cookies (sugar cookies, gingerbread men, peanut butter cookies with Hershey kisses, linzer cookies, and rum balls to name a few). A new baker would be the most likely to benefit from the chapters on the Basics of Cookie Making, Key Ingredients for the Cookie Baker and Key Tools for the Cookie Baker which contain good basic tips that an experienced baker probably already knows.



I have listed the cookie recipes below so you can determine whether they would be new to you or not. Each chapter includes tips for making that type of cookie.



The chapter on Drop Cookies includes recipes for:

-Maple Walnut Cookies

-Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies

-Lace Cookies

-Almond Macaroons

-Iced Lemon Rounds

-Coconut Macaroons

-Cocoa Meringue Kisses

-Mexican Chocolate Snowballs



The chapter on Rolled Cookies includes recipes for:

-Cornmeal Currant Cookies

-Dutch Spice Cookies

-Sugar Cookies

-Sugar Cookies with Stained Glass

-Walnut Stars

-Gingerbread People



The chapter on Slice and Bake Cookies includes recipes for:

-Ginger Coins

-Eggnog Cookies

-Pinwheel Cookies

-Chocolate Espresso Wafers

-Pecan Sandies

-Toasted Coconut Sables



The chapter on Hand-Shaped Cookies includes recipes for:

-Pecan Butterballs

-Hazelnut Biscotti

-Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti

-Orange Poppy Seed Drops

-Molasses Ginger Cookies

-Chocolate Crinkles

-Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

-Swedish Dreams

-Viennese Crescents

-Peanut Butter Chocolate Kisses

-Italian Wine Cookies



The chapter on Filled and Sandwich Cookies includes recipes for:

-Baby Butter and Jam Sandwiches

-Chocolate Almond Macaroon Sandwiches

-Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

-Linzer Cookies

-Fig Half-Moons



The chapter on Bar Cookies includes recipes for:

-Apricot Almond Bars

-Baci Brownies

-Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake Squares

-Almond Thins

-Peanut Brittle Bars

-Chocolate Shortbread Wedges

-Sachertorte Bars

-Lemon Squares

-Toffee Bars

-Turtle Bars



The chapter on No-Bake Treats includes recipes for:

-Rocky Road Bites

-Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares

-Chocolate Hearts

-Rum Balls



Each recipe includes the projected yield (usually between 35-55 cookies) but not nutritional information.



There are two helpful lists at the back of the book (in addition to the index). The first lists recipes by flavor (chocolate, vanilla, citrus, coconut, spice, nut, butter/sugar, fruit/jam, caramel/toffee and rum). The second list has three categories: cookies without nuts, quick and easy, and make-ahead and freeze cookie dough. There is also a list of the best cookies for mailing on page 9.



Since there seem to be conflicting opinions among other reviewers regarding the photos, I counted them (twice). 25 of the 50 cookie recipes include a color photo, and the majority of the photos are larger than half a page and give the reader a clear idea of what the finished cookie should look like.



This would be a good gift for a college student or perhaps as a housewarming gift (particularly if you add a few cookie cutters and cookie sheets).