20+ European Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

ByEdyta

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It’s the Holiday season and what a better way to celebrate it than with a cookie in hand. Europeans have plenty of different ways to make delicious cookies. I hope you’ll enjoy this collection of European Christmas Cookie Recipes and make one, two, or more of them for your holiday.

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Now I’ve lived here in NY for the last 14 years and haven’t had the chance to go back to Poland for Christmas yet (I’m hoping that the next year will be the year). In fact, this collection of European cookies makes me want to go there even more. Sipping mulled wine, all bundled up with a delicious cookie in hand, listening to Chrismas carols and enjoying the season is all I’m dreaming of right now.

To put you in a similar mood, I’ll show you how festive beautiful my hometown Wroclaw is during the Christmas season. 20+ European Christmas Cookie Recipes (2)Photo credit In Your Pocket

Without further ado, here’s my compilation of the most popular European cookies

1. 5 Ingredient Butter Vanilla Holiday Cookies are super easy to make. Butter, sugar, egg, flour, vanilla and just 20 minutes…that’s all you’ll need!Their taste reminds me of the butter vanilla cookies you can find in almost every European market during the Christmas season.

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2. Speculoos, also known as Speculaas orDutch Windmill Cookies, is a holiday cookie that is traditionally made for the Feast of St. Nicholas (Dec. 6th) in the Netherlands and Belgium.

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3. Brunkager is a Danish Christmas cookiewith a delicious spiced flavor, and a wonderful crunch. Perfect to add to your cookie plate.

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4. Bulgarian Honey Cookies Medenki Recipe – these soft, spiced cookies, dipped in chocolate will make the perfect sweet treat this holiday season.

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5. These German Marzipan Balls are the easiest Christmas Cookies ever! Vegan, gluten-free and only 2 ingredients needed!

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6. A European spin on a holiday classic! These traditional Polish gingerbread cookies use a sticky sweet substitute instead of the conventional molasses.

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7. Thin and crispy Moravian Molasses cookies. This recipe makes 7-8 dozen 2 1/2″ cookies (or more).

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8. These Pierniczki świąteczne, aka Polish Christmas cookies, are the perfect make-ahead festive treat. They are easy to make, with pantry ingredients and bake in just 8 mins.

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9. These no yeast lemon mini babkas (babeczki) are quick and easy. The recipe for these traditional Polish cakes is from the Wild Honey and Rye cookbook, by Ren Behan.

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10. This krumkake recipe makes light, crispy, delicate, golden wafer cookies that are rolled into a traditional cone shape. These Scandinavian cookies are traditionally flavored with cardamom and vanilla but can be made in many different flavors if you want to experiment.

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11. These simple Danish butter cookies are easy to make with children and brighten up everyone’s holiday.

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12. Medovníky are a deliciously spiced, decorated gingerbread-style cookie flavored with honey, cinnamon, and cloves. These festive cookies are often served at Christmas time in Slovakia and decorated with white icing swirls.

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13. German Pfeffernusse Cookies – A traditional spiced German cookie covered in powdered sugar. The perfect cookie for a Christmas cookie exchange!

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14. Canestrelli is a wonderfully delicious Italian Cookie. It’s an almost shortbread type cookie but with a crunch – fast and easy.

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15. Joulutorttu aretraditional Finnish Christmas Cookies made in the shape of the pinwheel and filled with a delicious prune jam. This recipe makes a big batch of cookies. Bake them for Christmas and freeze any leftovers.

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16. Goro (pronounced go-do) is a thin Norwegian cookie that is cooked on a special goro iron.

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17. Struffoli di Mamma are puffy balls of fried dough which are crispy on the outside, light and airy on the inside. These Italian honey balls (aka Cicerchiata) are then drenched in citrus-scented warm honey and decorated with sprinkles.

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18. Danish aebleskiver are a traditional holiday dish in Scandinavian countries, and they’re sold as street food during the busy holiday shopping season.

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19. Pfeffernusse are a popular cookie in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

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20. Melomakarona Traditional Greek Christmas honey spice cookies are made with olive oil, spices and soaked in a honey syrup.

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21. These homemade jammie dodger biscuits are really easy to make and taste delicious. They’re also known as Linzer cookies, a popular Christmas cookie recipe.

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20+ European Christmas Cookie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Europe's favorite cookie? ›

Europe's favorite cookie with coffee since 1932. Biscoff Cookies are a type of shortcrust biscuit known as “speculoos,” a Belgian specialty. Often served as a side to coffee, Biscoff Cookies are well-known for its unique caramelized flavor.

Which cookie has been deemed most popular during Christmas? ›

Sugar Cookie is the preferred choice by 36% of people during Christmas in the United States. Almost 25% of children leave cookies out for Santa during Christmas.

What are those Italian cookies called? ›

In a hurry?
Cookie NameRegion of OriginFlavor Profile
CantucciTuscanyCrunchy, Nutty
AmarettiLombardySweet, Soft
RicciarelliTuscanySoft, Chewy
PignoliSicilySoft, Nutty
3 more rows
Dec 24, 2023

What is the famous cookie in Belgium? ›

Lotus and its speculoos or Biscoff cookies are a worldwide success. So much so, in fact, that it's the fifth most popular cookie in the world! The cookie was developed almost a century ago by Jan Boone, the grandfather of the current CEO of Lotus.

What is the most popular cookie in England? ›

What are the most popular biscuits in the UK?
  • Biscoff – 34,000.
  • Shortbread – 29,000.
  • Bourbon – 26,000.
  • Jaffa Cake – 16,000.
  • Jammy Dodger – 11,000.
  • Custard Cream – 10,000.
  • Party Rings – 6,800.
  • Digestives – 6,600.
May 29, 2022

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is the second most popular Christmas cookie? ›

Chocolate chip cookies hold a wider margin over their nearest rivals, with second-placed sugar cookies fourteen points behind at 64%. Fudge comes in third on 63%, followed by brownie cookies or brookies (61%), double chocolate cookies (61%), M&M cookies (61%), and shortbread cookies (61%).

What is America's favorite Christmas cookie? ›

America's favorite Christmas cookie: Gingerbread and chocolate chip fall to frosted sugar – NBC New York.

What is the most popular cookie in December? ›

What are the most popular Christmas cookies? Our survey found frosted sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies to be the most popular Christmas cookies in the country. They were the fan favorites in 39 states.

What is a cookie called in Europe? ›

In British English, "biscuits" are equivalent to what are known as "cookies" in American English. Some common types of biscuits in the UK include chocolate chip cookies, shortbread, and digestive biscuits.

What is cookie in Germany? ›

Kekse are biscuits/cookies in general while Plätzchen are a Christmas speciality, although the terms are somewhat interchangeable. Interestingly, Keks derives from English cake, so Kekse are “l*ttle cakes”. Plätzchen, from German Platz (i.e.: place) means “round flat cakes”.

What is the best selling cookie in Italy? ›

In Italy, one of the most popular types of biscuits is called "cantucci" or "biscotti di Prato." Cantucci originated in the Tuscan city of Prato and have gained widespread popularity throughout the country.

What is the world's favorite cookie? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.

What is Europe's favorite cookie with coffee? ›

Europe's Favorite Cookie with CoffeeSince 1932, Biscoff® cookies have been Europe's coffee break favorite. Delectably crunchy, with a simple, yet refined flavor, Biscoff cookies are perfect for taking the timeout that you deserve.

What is the best selling cookie in Germany? ›

1 Lebkuchen: Germany's Favorite

We've come to the most popular German biscuit – Lebkuchen or known as gingerbread (“Lebkuchen” in English is “gingerbread”).

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