Smart Cookies

With a box of vanilla wafers, you're on your way to some great, homemade treats.

We're believers in baking from scratch—especially this time of year. No matter how you slice it, the taste of a store-bought pie, cake or cookie simply cannot compare with a home-baked confection. On the other hand, we know a good shortcut when we see one. And while our baker's pride wouldn't dare let us try to pass off a packaged cookie as a holiday treat, we're not opposed to giving those sweet little nibbles a foot in the door as a time-saving ingredient. Here are three recipes that make quick work of a box of vanilla wafers.