Baking is a skill that brings its own particular pleasure. With minimal time and ingredients it's possible to create platefuls of cookies crammed with favourite ingredients. No other culinary art gains such quick results with so little effort. Baking is both comforting and nourishing; it fills the house with delicious aromas that make the mouth water, and appreciation of the results is guaranteed. From plain to spicy, and from wholesome to wickedly indulgent, here is the ultimate collection of 500 tried-and-tested cookie recipes that is the perfect volume for every sweet-toothed cook.