Every country has its own holiday baking traditions, from buttery Austrian Linzer cookies and delicate French shortbread to German spritz cookies and Polish jam-filled pastries. And while we all have our favourite Christmas cookies, discovering something new is part of the fun.
For this collection, we’ve brought together traditional Christmas cookies from across Europe alongside beloved sweets from other cultures and celebrations. Some are centuries-old holiday favourites, while others are simply too delicious to leave off the cookie platter. Whether you’re planning a cookie exchange, filling homemade gift boxes or looking for something different to bake, these 10 international cookie recipes are worth adding to your holiday repertoire.
1. Viennese Shortbread
Chocolate-Dipped Viennese Shortbread
Famous French pastry chef and chocolatier Pierre Hermé knows a thing or two about butter cookies. His Viennese Shortbread is delicately crumbly, piped into elegant shapes and dipped in dark chocolate. A beautiful addition to any Christmas cookie platter.
Get Recipe2. Rugelach
Rugelach
These tender, crescent-shaped pastries are a favourite in Jewish baking traditions, with fillings ranging from cinnamon and nuts to chocolate and fruit preserves. This rugelach recipe from The Kitchn walks you through the process, with plenty of options for customizing the filling.
Get Recipe3. French Sablé Linzer-Style Jam Cookies
French Sablé Linzer-Style Cookies
Inspired by traditional Austrian Linzer cookies, these French Sablé Linzer-Style Jam Cookies combine a delicate, buttery French biscuit with the pretty jam-filled centres of a holiday classic. A dusting of icing sugar makes them especially festive, while raspberry, strawberry or apricot jam adds a sweet finishing touch.
Get Recipe4. Greek Kourabiedes (Snowballs)
Walnut Snowball Cookies
Greek kourabiedes are buttery, nutty cookies traditionally made for Christmas and generously coated in icing sugar. These Walnut Snowball Cookies from Simply Recipes offer a similar melt-in-your-mouth texture, although traditional Greek versions are more commonly made with almonds. They’re also related in style to Russian tea cakes and Mexican wedding cookies.
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Chocolate Coconut Whoopie Pies
A playful addition to a holiday cookie platter, these Chocolate Coconut Whoopie Pies from Michelle Rabin sandwich soft chocolate cakes with cream cheese frosting and a layer of raspberry jam. Rich, nostalgic and just the thing for chocolate lovers.
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Almond Crescent Cookies
Known as Vanillekipferl, these delicate crescent-shaped cookies are a Christmas baking tradition in Austria and parts of Central Europe. Made with ground nuts and flavoured with vanilla, they’re wonderfully tender and finished with a generous coating of sugar. Try this Almond Crescent Cookie recipe from A Beautiful Plate.
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Polish Kolaczki Cookies
These pretty little pastries are a favourite in Polish holiday baking. Made with a tender dough and filled with fruit preserves, kolaczki are often folded into distinctive diamond shapes and finished with icing sugar. This five-ingredient recipe from Momsdish is a delicious introduction to the tradition.
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Chocolate Swirl Meringue Cookies
Light, crisp and beautifully marbled, these Chocolate Swirl Meringue Cookies from Aimée Wimbush-Bourque of Simple Bites use a classic French meringue technique to create a striking holiday treat. They’re a lovely contrast to richer butter cookies and chocolate-filled pastries. For another variation, try Anna Olson’s Giant Chocolate Meringues.
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Middle-Eastern Maamoul Cookies
Maamoul are traditional Middle Eastern cookies made with semolina dough and filled with dates, walnuts or pistachios. Often shaped using decorative wooden moulds, they’re especially associated with celebrations such as Eid and Easter, making them a delicious addition to a collection of international holiday sweets. This recipe from Yumna Jawad of Feel Good Foodie also explains how to shape them without a traditional mould.
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Cinnamon Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies take their name from the German word spritzen, meaning to squirt or spray, a reference to the way the dough is pressed or piped into decorative shapes. Traditionally buttery and delicate, they’re a Christmas cookie favourite. These Cinnamon Spritz Cookies from Recipe Runner add warming spice to the classic.
Get RecipeFrequently Asked Questions
- What are some traditional Christmas cookies from around the world?
- Popular examples include Austrian Linzer cookies and Vanillekipferl, German spritz cookies, Polish kolaczki and Greek kourabiedes. Each reflects different regional ingredients, baking techniques and holiday traditions.
- What are the best international cookies for a Christmas cookie exchange?
- Sturdy cookies that travel well are ideal for exchanges. German spritz cookies, French sablés, Austrian almond crescents and Polish kolaczki are all good choices. Delicate meringues and filled sandwich cookies may need more careful packaging.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
Lebkuchen Cookies
Soft, chewy Lebkuchen cookies are the German cousin to North American gingerbread. Instead of molasses, the lebkuchen recipe uses honey for sweetness. A traditional German Christmas cookie it uses nuts, candied peel and eggs – but no flour.
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Jam Thumbprint Cookies
A signature holiday sweet, these adorable bejewelled cookies are fun for the entire family to make, as little hands can assist with the jam filling or thumbprinting.
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Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
These easy chocolate thumbprint cookies are made with cocoa powder, coated in crunchy walnuts, pistachios or coconut, and filled with jam, Nutella or dulce de leche.
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