Cookie

In England, these crisp raisin-flecked treats are called Madeira biscuits-biscuit being the British word for cookie, and a glass of Madeira being a favorite accompaniment for this particular type.

A drizzle of white chocolate makes these Italian cookies holiday ready. For what it's worth, it's equally good on a classic almond biscotti, too.

I made these cookies for my son's class at school as part of France's annual week of taste, or semaine du gout. The idea was to show how sweet and salty flavors complement each other.

Spice Cookies Rice paper is traditionally used in this recipe, but is not essential. You can bake these cookies on buttered baking sheets instead.

An updated version of Scottish shortbread.

"My fondest memories of growing up in the South are of times spent with my Alabama grandmother, Gorda Dyson," says Sandra Crook of Jacksonville, Florida. "In the afternoon we would retire to the front porch, sip iced tea, and eat traditional English biscuits, which we called tea cakes. She would tell me stories of her youth, and I felt so grown-up and special. I hope you enjoy the recipe." Sandra Crook serves her tea cakes warm, when they're nice and chewy, with jam or with strawberries and cream. When cooled and left unadorned, they become crisp and buttery sugar cookies. She uses the southerner's favorite flour, White Lily, which gives the tea cakes a wonderful crispness, but we also had good results when we tested the recipe with cake flour (self-rising).

"This delicious cookie was created by Anna Pieklo, a Polish immigrant who came to this country at the turn of the century," writes Diana Treese of St. Cloud, Florida. "My family is also Polish, and I love making these at Christmastime." Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Hazelnuts give these airy and crunchy nuggets a distinctive flavor.

An inspired cherry-chocolate dessert.

The yield for these cutouts varies depending on the size and shape of the cookie cutters you use. We chose 4- to 5-inch cutters for the cookies on the cover, which makes the yield much smaller and increases the baking time by a few minutes. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 4 hr (includes decorating)

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

With apologies to mom, I've adapted this recipe just slightly.

These bar cookies feature two layers of decadence — chocolate chip cookie and brownie. Additional butter and egg in this cookie dough give the bars a chewier texture.