Worldwide Christmas Cookies

“Pepparkakor (Swedish Ginger Cookies) – a family recipe and Christmas cookie favorite! These thin, spiced cookies make the holidays extra special.”

“The name ‘mantecadito’ comes from the ingredient “manteca” which translates to shortening.  The cookie is basically a shortbread cookie that is made with half butter and half shortening or all shortening.  I like the 1/2 and 1/2 recipe because I just love butter.   I filled these cookies with guava marmalade, giving them a little tropical twist."

"While Morocco does show off some tasty classics like baklava and lemon cake, their traditional shortbread cookies, ghoriba bahla, are a must-eat staple in the country. These simple cookies are likely nothing like any of the other shortbread you've tried before, due to their melt-in-your-mouth nature and "silly" crinkle qualities."

"No Italian-American holiday is complete without crisp, buttery pizzelle. Rather than the typical anise flavor, we've made them a bit more neutral with a splash of good quality vanilla. Nonna turning over in her grave? You can still use the anise."

"Sablés are pretty much a combination of a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie. They’re crisp like a sugar cookie and buttery like a shortbread cookie."

"If you visit Greece close to Christmas, you’ll eat far too many of these delicious Christmas honey cookies. Imagine a cross between baklava and an ooey, gooey pecan pie and you’ve got these. I’m addicted!"

"If you grew up in Canada or in the Pacific Northwest, you may be familiar with the Nanaimo Bar, a no-bake, triple-layered confection that gets its name from Nanaimo (pronounced Na-NYE-mo), a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia."

"Buttery, vanilla-infused and delicately crumbly with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, these Austrian Vanillekipferl cookies will thoroughly win you over!"

"Mincemeat palmier recipe is a great alternative to traditional mince pies at Christmas, and would be perfect for some festive family baking, too. With just a few ingredients, whip up a batch of these crisp pastries ready for a Christmas party, or perhaps, to give to friends and family as edible gifts."

Rumored to be invented by monks in the 13th century, Lebkuchen is quintessentially Christmas. The aroma of cinnamon and cardamom wafting through your kitchen is just a bonus to these mouthwatering Christmas cookies.

“These festive Swiss Chocolate Spice Cookies, or Basler Brunsli in German. They are very popular in Switzerland during the Christmas season and are often described as Swiss brownies because of their chewy texture.”

"Krumkake is a delicate Norwegian cookie that is loved across generations. It’s decadent, delicious and worth every minute spent making it!"

"The Mint Slice is an Australian supermarket staple, a cookie second only to the Tim Tam (which you’ve probably heard about). It’s very similar to a Thin Mint—both have crisp dark chocolate cookie bases and a thin covering of dark chocolate."

"A traditional cookie that holds fruit, preserves or even cheese, surrounded by a buttery, delicious, and puffy dough. These are filled with raspberry preserves and look festive and Christmasy!"

Last Christmas, peanut butter cookie searches on Google were the most popular from October through December. These classic and simple Peanut Butter Cookies are the ultimate in comfort, a classic chewy and cakey cookie with the addictive peanut butter flavor we love.

A Christmas cookie with German roots is a tradition with “straight-laced comforts are brightened by currants and a bit of lemon juice and zest, and a lashing of sweet glaze—which is all they need.”

"With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be on your way to making bakery-style Italian Butter Cookies! For a real treat, you can make jam sandwich cookies out of them and dip them in chocolate!"

It can't be Christmas in my house without these melt-in-your-mouth Russian Tea Cakes!

“I can still picture Grandpa shelling the walnuts for these Christmastime favorites. The original recipe called for lard. I now use butter.”

"Alfajores de Maizena are a type of tea cookie or [tea biscuit] filled with dulce de leche (a rich, thick milk caramel), much loved in Latin America. They look quite unassuming, but everything about the way they taste is remarkable."

"With notes of citrus from fresh orange juice and lemon zest, the unique and richly spiced filling is wrapped inside a buttery sugar cookie dough that’s a dream to work with."

"Sandbakkelse, sand tarts, are traditional almond and vanilla-flavored Norwegian sugar cookies that are baked in specific fluted tins and are served as a shell tipped upside down. The purists serve them plain like a cookie, but they can be filled with fresh fruit, whipped cream, or lemon curd."

The essential ingredients in these Irish Shortbread cookies is, of course, Irish butter!

"The first shortbread recipe appeared in a Scottish cookbook dated 1736; early formulas called for yeast, but by 1850 most were utilizing only butter, flour, and sugar, combined in a ratio bakers still use."

Scottish Millionaire Shortbread is a new addition to my holiday baking. It’s a triple-decker combo of buttery shortbread, sweet caramel, and decadent chocolate. It’s already a favorite!

“These Chinese-style cookies are super crumbly and loaded with almond flakes. This is the best almost cookies recipe ever, 100% easy, quick and fail-proof, even to novice bakers.”

If you love Mexican chocolate, you'll love these spicy, chocolaty cookies packed with the cinnamony flavors of the season.

A Mexican Christmas cookie staples -- and New Mexico's state cookie.

Tiny, shaped stars with meringue icing are made with 3 main ingredients: egg whites, cinnamon, and almond flour. This delicious and endearing Christmas tradition is perfect for your holiday cookie platter.

Lebkuchen Christmas Cookies is an easy-to-make flourless, soft, and chewy cookie filled with candied citrus, and ground almonds and packed with traditional gingerbread spices. Many consider them to be the world’s oldest cookies.