The Joy of German Cookies, Volume 1: Rolled & Sandwich Cookie Favorites, is a first of its kind collection of over 140 recipes. Food and culinary historian Rose Marie H. Gueldner presents recipes spanning German-speaking groups in the Old World to groups that migrated to faraway places — east to Russia and west to North America — more than 20 Germanic groups who view themselves as distinct because of their homelands, food culture, and historic events.

The book begins with a brief introduction to these groups, then covers the role of cookies in German history and the evolution of cookie baking as improvements were made in socio-economic conditions, ingredients, and baking ovens.

Bakers of German ancestry will be delighted with this unique book. Bakers of non-German ancestry will be surprised at the number of cookies they know by having enjoyed them or being familiar with the name. Many German cookie recipes entered America's culinary mainstream some time ago and are favorites regardless of ethnicity.