The Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook

Peery, food editor of Yankee magazine, presents here recipes of the Wellesley Cookie Exchange, a group of Massachusetts friends who gather every December to celebrate the holidays and trade homemade baked goods. Favorite treats are culled from newspaper columns, friends, aunts of friends, country fairs and even a radio program. Cookies range from perennial favorites such as chocolate chip (three versions), hermits and peanut butter cookies to more delicate ""tea party fancies,'' including creme de menthe bars, Viennese sandwich and mocha nut butter cookies. The recipes explore an interesting array of flavors and textures with barely sweet cardamom cookies, very rich but easy-to-prepare toffee squares and butter pecan banana bars that are more like small cakes than cookies. Less experienced bakers will especially appreciate the lucid instructions and a primer on ingredients, equipment, technique and storage; those more ambitious will delight in suggestions and festive recipes for their own cookie exchanges. Illustrations not seen by PW. (November)