Christmas and cookies are inseparable. The mere mention of baking cookies conjures up memories not just of tantalizing aromas and great tastes but of warm kitchens and good times with family and friends. "Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies" brings together in a single volume 75 indispensable cookie recipes and more than 25 recipes for holiday extras. That's more than 100 recipes, half of which are brand new. This book also offers a sneak preview of the revision of "Joy of Cooking, " the first in more than two decades. Written with clarity, humor, and a dedication to detail that has always set the "Joy of Cooking" apart from all other cookbooks, this book will teach anyone from the person who has never baked a single cookie to the experienced home baker how to turn out a perfect cookie every time. A treasure trove of information, this book contains basic instructions on measuring ingredients, handling and shaping cookie doughs, and decorating cookies, supported by helpful line drawings every step of the way. Recipes include the full range of cookies from the simplest one-pan bar cookies like Chocolate-Glazed Toffee Bars and Scottish Shortbread to those that are dropped onto a cookie sheet (don't miss the new Monster Cookies) to Christmas production numbers like Spritz that are piped through a press. On the familiar side are recipes for chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and sugar cookies. Brief but precise directions ensure that the brownies will be fudgey and moist, the chocolate chips chewy, and the sugar cookies meltingly tender. On the novel side are such irresistible new entries as Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars, Tuscan Almond Biscotti, and Chocolate Mint Surprises. Among thisBook's unique features: A full-color photograph of every cookie Brand-new recipes for reduced-fat cookies that taste wonderful An easy-to-make gingerbread house Storage suggestions that help you plan your baking time when conipany is coming Recipes for eggnog, mulled cider and wine, and three kinds of homemade hot chocolate A section on extras-a California fruitcake for the 90s made with dried fruits and nuts, a plum pudding Charles Dickens would have loved, Stollen, Chocolate Truffles, Bourbon Balls, Candied Popcorn, and more. For sparkling additions to any weekday or for a splendid display of special party presentations, the new "Joy of Cooking Christmas Cookies" is the only cookie book you'll ever need.