Book excerpt: The world loves cookies. The English have their biscuits, Germans their keks, and Italians love to dunk biscotti or amaretti into whatever they might be sipping. While the affinity for cookies is universal, distinctions abound. The cookies of the South are no exception. Now, the editors of Southern Living magazine and the revered Southern Living Test Kitchen bring you an all-new book filled with our favorite treat. Just like The Southern Cake Book and The Southern Pie Book, the two previous bestselling books in the series, The Southern Cookie Book imbues a distinctly Southern mindset and flavor to creating and enjoying these treats that can be enjoyed with family, created for special events, or shared with friends and neighbors.

There are over 120 tried-and-true recipes that run the gamut of cookies, bars, and confections, with mouthwatering photographs to match each recipe. You'll master classic recipes including Linzer Cookies, Tea Cakes, and Snickerdoodles, as well as venture into new territory with Cherry Pistachio Bark, Peppermint Wedding Cookies, and Bourbon Pecan Gingerbread Cookies. What makes these treats stand out most is their "Southern-ness." Each recipe contains great Southern flavor, ingredients and themes, while many are of Southern origin. The book also includes 10 Tips for "Cookie Rookies," Recipe and Equipment Basics, tips for decorating, and much more.

Whether you're an experienced baker, but were lacking the one book that would bring your cookie game to a master level, or just learning the ins-and-outs of baking, The Southern Cookie Book will have you creating delicious treats to enjoy and share in no time flat!