Cookie

These thin cookies resemble the strip of lemon peel that's often served with a cup of espresso.

A mug of hot chocolate or a glass of milk would complement these updated, sophisticated chocolate chip cookies.

Dried sour cherries and a hint of cinnamon add an original twist to a tried-and-true standby. And you don't even need a mixing bowl: The batter is made in the saucepan with the melted chocolate.

These cookies are also great made with regular semisweet chocolate chips.

Unlike most commercially available chocolate biscotti, these have a deep chocolaty flavor.

I have always loved the combination of lemon and pistachios. Maybe it's the idea of yellow and green or the fact that the acidity of lemon perfectly tempers the richness of pistachios. Be careful on the second baking of these biscotti — if they get a little too dark the pistachios will turn brown and you'll lose their lovely green color.

"Aunt Gert always made the best strudel," writes Leslie Berman of Skokie, Illinois. "I've adapted her recipe over time, and I get rave reviews when I make this version with dried cherries and chocolate." Serve with hot coffee or tea for an excellent afternoon snack.

"A friend gave me this great cookie recipe from the Netherlands," writes Marie Rizzio of Traverse City, Michigan. "The dough can be made ahead and frozen."

This recipe was created to prepare <epi:recipeLink ="14262">Chocolate Walnut Biscotti with Chocolate Custard Swirls</epi:recipeLink>.

Lemon peel gives these real lemon tang and makes them an ideal accompaniment to the epi:recipeLink="101752"Lemon Sorbet with Blackberry Sauce</epi:recipeLink>.

These pastries are best when freshly baked, so if you plan on giving them to someone who may not be able to serve them within a day or two, you should deliver them frozen, along with the baking instructions.

Some cinnamon and pepper give these wonderful cookies a south-of-the-border flavor.