Nancy Baggett, a cookie expert and prolific cookbook author, whips up a new batch of au courant and up-and-coming treats in her newest volume, “Simply Sensational Cookies”

Ardent home cooks will find more than 200 recipes, each keyed by preparation difficulty; most are rated “easy” or “extra easy,” though a few are designated “fairly complicated.”

Baggett observes how cookies have evolved since grandma’s day and gotten bigger, richer and more varied. Even the simplest – butter wafers and shortbread – are getting a makeover to they look, smell and taste their very best. The book includes ways to streamline and simplify cookie-making, including instructions on easy one-bowl mixing, cranked-up flavors, more memorable textures and natural decorating options.