There's excellent photography throughout this book, alongside simple and clear instructions. You'll find lots of old comforting favorites, classics like Black and Whites, and also more adventurous (to my skill set) goodies like Bourbon and Maple Chocolate Truffles and Apple Cider Caramels. There's an international flair added with such cookies as Hungarian Kiffles. Lovely extras include gift ideas, packaging tricks, and decorating tips, both for decorating the cookies and for using the cookies in decoration. For exampe, using cookies as dinner table place cards strikes me as genius.

This is another cookbook that I am not sure many people would need to own. There are other cookie and holiday baking books out there that I would want to buy before this one. I might check it out of the library just to get a couple of recipes from it.

What a beautiful book! You can tell the author truly appreciates the holidays. This is a wonderful book for those of us who like to READ cookbooks as well as cook out of them. The photographs are stunning. The recipes are well detailed. If you read a lot of cookbooks, you can tell when someone knows how to write a recipe vs those that are just phoning it in. I also appreciated the section on Holiday Confections. Sometimes it's nice to break up all the cookie baking with a little bit of fudge or some caramels.I can't wait to add this to my collection. If I did have a small criticism, it would be that I too prefer to bake by weight rather than by volume measurements, but really with a book like this, it's a small quibble.

I loved this book! I'm always looking for classic cookies that I can incorporate in my 'family favorites' selection for year after year traditions, but also new ones to experiment with. The recipes were all laid out nicely, and looked great on paper, as well.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I love baking hundreds of cookies during the holidays to give as gifts so I knew I needed to add this to my collection. I found some new recipes that I had not made before, particularly cookies that are not as well known here in America, which always makes it more interesting. The recipes are easy to follow, however I just wish they provided the weight vs. volume, as baking is so exact and I found weighing ingredients to be much more accurate.

This book made me so hungry as I read it! I loved it! The recipes are amazing & the photos are stunning. A great holiday cookbook.

I am so late with this review and I know that I should have done this around the holidays but I got caught up with life. Now that is not to say that I did not enjoy this book, because I did! What a fantastic book with not only a great selection of cookies to add to anyone’s recipe box. The author gives you a step by step on each cookie, the dough and then a picture of how the finished product should look. Now for most people I hear that the dough is the most trouble and hear the author gives you help and tells you why it could be wrong. I must say for those you can’t call their grandmother or mother for help any more this is a go to book. Her molasses spice cookies remind me of my grandmothers’ which I was never able to get her recipe, she does have a little twist on the way I remember but hay close is close. There is also a recipe for ginger bread if you are into that during the holidays. Anyway you get her icing for different types and one for royal icing. You also are given a look at the different tips for a pastry bag and also how to use one. She also gives you packing ideas as well. You can see that this is a totally through book and should be on anyone’s shelf for cookies. An excellent book.

beautiful book, full of nice ideas and wonderful recipes.
If you love cookies, what are you waiting for?

Holiday Cookies is a cookbook full of stunning pictures!! It got me in the holiday spirit the moment I looked at the first page.

I love how the author divided the cookies up into categories- will make it easy to use if I'm in a hurry.

This book would make an amazing gift for the baker in your life.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Holiday Cookies / B01N6FSVZB

I seriously thought I reviewed this months ago, but it turns out I got lost in cookie making and forgot! I picked this book up on NetGalley thinking "oh, Ana, how many more holiday cookie books do you NEED when you own so many already" and it turns out the answer was "AT LEAST ONE MORE".

I love this book. I love the recipes; they're simple, and easy to read and follow. I love the pictures, oh gosh, the pictures. There is a picture for each recipe (as god intended for recipe books!) and they are all so gorgeous I want to lick the page. I love the variety; oh sure, we start with gingerbread and pinwheels and chocolate chunk but in no time whatsoever we're serving up cookies from Sweden, Italy, Austria, South America, Denmark, Mexico, and so forth. It's largely a very European selection and I would've loved to see more global variety (maybe for a sequel? please?) but what we have here is scrumptious, yummy, and there's almost certainly something here that isn't already on your cookbook shelves.

There's also some amazing decorating work on the pages, and some creative ideas like cookie place cards (for settings at the table) and one of the prettiest 3-D Christmas tree cookies I've ever seen. The section on gingerbread houses comes with guides for you to trace and cut out on paper. (Though this won't be much use, probably, to kindle users. I wish cookbooks would start writing the measurements on guides now that tablets are becoming ubiquitous.) If you love winter cookies--and these are definitely winter/yuletide/christmas cookies, don't be mislead by the "holiday" in the title to think there's a Labor Day cookie in here--this is a great book for your collection.

NOTE: This review is based on a free Advance Review Copy of this book provided through NetGalley.

~ Ana Mardoll

Totally loved this book, great recipes and tips. Now it's holidays season I'm trying so many of the recipes and get a lot of good feedback!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the opportunity to read and review Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden! Holiday Cookies is a wonderfully festive book full of lovely photos and delectable cookie and candy recipes. I like the setup of a recipe followed by its picture then another picture and its recipe. I love cookbooks with photos accompanying each recipe! I plan on purchasing this book worthy of 5 stars!

I absolutely love the holiday season. There is an electricity in the air that is almost tangible. The holiday spirit takes each person to a place they might not normally live in their every day lives. For me, and many others, it takes me to the kitchen. Being one that rarely (if ever) bakes during the rest of the year, I excitedly pull out my apron, and get started on traditional treats of the season.

Usually I bake a pie or make some rice crispy treats but this year I really want to try something completely different and out of my comfort zone.

Which is why I chose Holiday Cookies by Elisabet der Nederlanden. Let me start my saying that this book is absolutely stunning! The photos are gorgeous, yet the treats look like something that could be attained by anyone that attempts them. The author talks you through everything throughout the entire book which is extremely helpful for one whose knowledge is lacking and she has a very down-to-earth language. It has a "friend's swapping recipes" feel to me, especially when you read through the Cookie Tips & Tricks at the beginning of the book.

The "Very Merry Classics" chapter is pretty much the cookies that you'll see every holiday season but then there's the "Around the World" chapter which has cookies I've never even heard. Many of the recipes look and sound delicious and have piqued my curiosity. I also love the chapter entitled "Cookie Exchange Party" which are cookies that are easily massed produced for any of your holiday gatherings. The way the entire book is organized makes it easy to find what you're looking for.

While skimming the recipes I did notice a few ingredients that I've never heard of before and I'm not sure how hard they will be to find if I attempt that particular cookie which could prove problematic. I also have yet to try any of the actual recipes yet so I can't tell you how my results were just yet but I have several bookmarked and hope to bake them in the coming weeks.

I can't tell you if this book is good for the cookie novice but for a cookie newbie it is amazing! Highly recommend!

This book has amazing pictures! I can't wait to try these recipes at Christmas.

With the holidays approaching soon, my thoughts turn towards baking. When I saw this cookbook on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. I’m the big baker in my family and there’s nothing I like more than to try out new recipes steeped in tradition. My cookie tray is the highlight of every Christmas season, dating back to when I was young.



Being Swedish myself, I connected right away with author. I, too, love St, Lucia Day and have fond memories of baking up cookies with my grandmother when I was little. The recipes the author uses is very similar to my dear mormor’s recipes.



Being a baker, I had to test out a few of the recipes in this cookbook and they all turned out perfectly. Each recipe is laid out clearly with magnificent photographs and with American measurements, it’s a breeze to make.



What makes this holiday cookie cookbook so special, though, is the background and personal insight the author shares. Her writing style is one of a good friend or a long-lost relative: approachable.



I highly recommend this book for any baker and it truly is a must-have to those who love to bake cookies during the holidays.



Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Ten Speed Press and Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it. Many thanks to Ten Speed Press for giving me the opportunity to read this.



Favorite Character/Quote: “One of my favorite celebrations is St. Lucia Day, in which girls dressed in white lead a candlelight procession, and everyone in the group sings and pepparkakor, a gingery cookie with plenty of snap (you’ll find the recipe on page 88), is served.”



My Rating: 5 stars

Yum! I am looking forward to the holidays and the chance to test out many of these recipes. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a well-rounded collection of holiday classics and the directions are very clear and easy to follow. The pictures had my stomach growling. We plan to have lots of family fun tasting lots of these recipes!

One of my Holiday traditions is to bake a dozen or more different cookie batches to give away to neighbors, businesses and church. Although I have certain types I bake each year, I am always on the lookout for new recipes to try. This is the perfect book to search for new recipes even if it is for old standbys like gingerbread men. I did try many of the recipes and found them easy to follow and delicious. Ingredients are standard ones, available in a local grocery store. I highly recommend this book to experienced cooks as well as beginners.

A really beautiful and well-designed recipe book focusing on cookies and holiday treats. There are sections dedicated to Christmas classics, cookie exchange parties, holiday spice cookies, international cookies, confectionery and decorated cookies. Packaging tips and tricks are a nice touch.

xactly as the title says, this is a huge collection of exciting recipes for the Xmas season. Also includes packaging and storage tips, tricks, and even some international cookie recipes I was not aware of.

5☆ Scrumptious, Festive Cookies, left me hungry

Holiday Cookies is exactly what it says.
A baking book full of delicious recipes for that Holiday Christmas season.

It had my tummy grumbling and my nose imagining all the delightful ginger and spice aromas surrounding the house. My favourite time of the year.

Not only is this a baking book Elisabet der Nederlanden has put alot of thought and research into her book.
Making sure even the novice of bakers feels completely at ease with trying out her recipies.
Included is tips and tricks to help guide you through some of the methods involved. For example, dough techniques, using icing bags, decorating tips.

The ingredients are measured in cups,ounces, tablespoons and teaspoons.

I'm in the UK and some of the ingredients possibly may need adapting for example; all purpose flour is substituted as Plain Flour in the UK.
 Not a huge problem but just be aware of conversions and substitutions.
Also oven conversions may need to be adapted, as the recipies use °F

So here is a few of the recipes I for one can't wait to try.....
* Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons
* Icebox Pinwheel Cookies
* Chocolate– Peanut Butter Brownie Sandwich Cookies
* Red Velvet Crackle Cookies
* Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies
* Bejeweled Chocolate Cookies
* Fruitcake Shortbread
* Thumbprints with Spicy Plum
* Glazed Eggnog Madeleines
* Saffron Pistachio Biscotti
* Cinnamon-SugarPalmiers
* Italian Pignoli Cookies
* Danish Butter Wreaths
* South American Alfajores
* Mexican Wedding Cookies
* Citrus Sugar Cookie Ornaments
* Candy Cane Cookies
* 3-D Christmas Trees
* Gingerbread House
* Peppermint Bark
* Apple Cider Caramels
* Smoked Almond and Cacao Nib Brittle
* Bourbon and Maple Chocolate Truffles

So as you can see a huge variety of cookies. That's just a few of them there is so many more to choose from.

The recipies are easy to follow.
There is 1 picture showing the reader what the finished product should look like.
It would of been nice to have a few more pictures to show the preparation incase the baker had never attempted that method before. It can be a little daunting.

My only criticism is that I wish the instructions would of been set out in short paragraphs to make it a little clearer for the reader to follow the steps.

Overall a great cook/ baking book.
Perfect for the holiday season.
Also some great recipies included to make with the children.

I would recommend this book.
I do think this book possibly might be more suitable to bakers who have a little baking experience but this is just my thoughts.
We all have to start somewhere and I would never want to discourage any baker from giving something a try. It's all the fun!

Happy Baking Everyone. Enjoy x