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Gattina of Kitchen Unplugged from Barcelona, Spain. Like everything Gattina creates, her Fig Christmas Wreaths are stunning. Though I could eat these cookies any time of the year, Christmas seems particularly appropriate for such festive treats made with figs, orange zest, chocolate, almonds, and anise seeds. Make sure to visit Gattina's site to see her recipe and tutorial on how to make the cookies. Be warned: you'll likely spend a lot more time there admiring her fabulous culinary creations.
Wendy of A Wee Bit of Cooking from Iverness, Scotland. Wendy presents beautiful Joulutorttu, (Finnish Christmas tarts). These elegant pinwheel shaped tarts would make a splendid addition to any Christmas table. Wendy suggests eating them warm from the oven with a steaming glass of glogi, a Finnish mulled wine. I'll take her advice on that one.
Margot of Coffee and Vanilla from London, UK. Margot shares her beautifully photographed Cranberry Jam Cookies. They are lovely to admire and easy to make. Dusted with a little snowy white icing sugar, these jam cookies are positively festive.
Katiez of Thyme for Cooking from France. Katie shares four scrumptious cookies with us because, really, four are better than one. Right?
The cookies on the left are Katie's Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies. Made with molasses, cinnamon, and cloves, these cookies will fill your home with the sweet smells of Christmas.
The ones on the right are Katie's Peanut Butter Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. Since they're made with oatmeal, I wonder if they count as breakfast.
Katie's third recipe combines dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and cocoa powder. Hence, the delicious name: Triple Chocolate Cookies. Katie's final recipe is a real time-saver. Her Ice-Box Cookies can be made several days in advance and baked whenever you have the time. We could all use a recipe like this one.
Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy in Milan, Italy. Sara was inspired to make a batch of Sicilian Pistachio Cookies after a generous vendor at the Artigiano in Fiera gave her a gelato cup full of savory Bronte pistachios and olive oil. Since cookies "must have chocolate," Sara dipped these cheerful stars in melted chocolate and decorated them with colored candy sprinkles. Now, they're not only irresistible, but they're also a delightful Christmas gift.
Suzana of Home Gourmets from Lisbon, Portugal. What do you do when it's cold, wet, and foggy outside? You stay indoors. You bake elegant Viennese Cookies. Then you dip the cookies in decadent Lindt 70% Cacao chocolate. You could also make them merrier by adding a red cherry in the center, like Suzana did.
Kathy of Wednesday Food Blogging from London, England. As soon as Kathy saw the the original recipe for her cookies, she immediately concocted a way to "veganize" them. The result? A rich, refreshing, and delightfully named "Mintalicious Chocolate Bars." It seems Kathy's a great baker and has a future as a neologist.
Becky of Junctify Eats from Bristol, United Kingdom. Becky shares her delightful Gingerbread Stars that are photographed in the wild. These fragrant, chewy gingerbread cookies turned out so well, that she has decided to leave a batch in the hallway of her flat. Like Becky says, "gotta keep the neighbours sweet and just a little bit spicy."
Suzana of Home Gourmets from Lisbon, Portugal. I'm sure that, like me, you've had breads and bagels with poppy seeds; but, have you ever had a cookie made with them? Suzana hadn't, so she created delicious Orange Cookies with Poppy Seeds. These citrus-infused star-shaped treats are sprinkled with pretty purple poppy seeds. I'm sure that Suzana will be making these again and again.
Dhanggit of Dhanggit's Kitchen from Aix en Provence, France. Thank goodness Dhanggit came back in one piece after her snowboarding adventure. Or else we wouldn't get to admire her unique and festive Tropical Santa Cookies--almond-ginger-lime cookies topped with a sweet mango puree and fluffy coconut flakes.
The Happy Cook of My Kitchen Treasures from Belgium. No wonder this cook is happy-- she's been eating Melting Moments, named so because they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. These puffy, sweet sandwiches are made from two cookies filled with rich buttercream and fruity raspberry jam. They're like a non-chocolate version of a Whoopie Pie and would make any cook happy.
Meeta of What's For Lunch, Honey? from Germany. Despite the frigid, rainy weather outside, Meeta feels warm and cozy inside. That's because she just made Vanilla Kipferl, a classic Austrian Christmas sweet, enjoyed in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Fortunately, you can enjoy these lovely cresent shaped buttery cookies no matter where you live since Meeta is sharing the recipe with us here.
Linda of Make Life Sweeter from The Hague, Netherlands. Linda's been on a spending spree. She can't stop buying cookie cutters. She has bells, snowmen, angels, and, her favorite, trees. These Gingerbread Cookie trees are so festively decorated with Royal icing and candy toppings that they look as if they've been draped in real tinsel and ornaments.
Jelly of Fragole & Cioccolato from Milan, Italy. Santa's in for a real treat on Christmas Eve when he visits Jelly's house. She's baking him Chocolate and Mint Cookies. Since they're made with egg whites, they're really light, so Santa will be able to eat a couple extra with his glass of milk.
Bal(Banu) of Karafakiden Tatlar from Instanbul, Turkey. Bal(Banu) shares lovely, delicate Lavender Biscuits. Her recipe is refreshingly easy to make (and with only 10 baking days left, you need all the fast and delicious recipes you can find). Plus just imagine how redolent your home will be when these biscuits are baking in the oven.
Caroline of A Consuming Passion from London, UK. Is there anything more beautiful than the phrase "intensely chocolate"? So I'm thrilled to see Caroline's recipe for Intensely Chocolate Shortbread. She was hoping the chocolate would make this a more kid-friendly shortbread. It has, Caroline, but save some for the adults too before they're all gone.
Sophie of Scarlet and Friends from Cyprus, Greece. Sophie shares Kourambiedes, traditional Greek butter cookies containing almonds. With a little help from her mom, Sophie presents a unique twist on this classic cookie: she stuffs each cookie with almonds, making for a crunchier texture, bolder flavor, and more deliciously named Stuffed Kourambiedes.
Zlamushka of Zlamushka's Spicy Kitchen from Denmark. Zlamushka's been feasting on many traditional Danish Christmas dishes--pickled herring, fresh rye breads, meatballs, and, her favorite, Brune Kager, Skarne (Brown Cookies). Made with allspice, cloves, and ginger, these cookies are fabulously aromatic and spicy. Since Zlamushka simply couldn't stop eating them, she had to get the cookie recipe, which she is generously sharing with us.
Ivy of Kopiaste from Athens, Greece. Ivy is counting the hours, minutes, and seconds till Christmas Day. In the meantime, she has been baking Christmas cookies. Ivy shares Kaleidoscope Cookies, a slightly modified and more kid-friendly version of kourapiedes, classic Greek Christmas cookies. Children will not only love to eat these treats, they will also love to bake them. So get in the kitchen with the little ones and have some fun making these colorful goodies.
Loulou of Chez Loulou from the south of France. Want to heat things up a little for Christmas this year? Then make Loulou's intensely chocolate-y cookies with a kick--a cayenne kick. These Peppery Chocolate Cookies are laced with aromatic cinnamon and zippy cayenne pepper. It's no wonder they're a favorite every Christmas at Loulou's house.
Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums from Geneva, Switzerland. Rosa shares a recipe for a classic Christmas cookie found in Denmark and Germany: Pfeffernuss (feh-fer-noose). The name literally translates to "pepper nuts" which makes sense if you know that Pfeffernuss are laced with ground white pepper and other savory spices. These biscuit-like cookies are both sweet and spicy and purely delightful when topped with Rosa's zesty lemon icing.
Marie of A Year from Oak Cottage from the United Kingdom. Marie has been busy decorating her Christmas tree with gingerbread boys, candy canes, and stringed popcorn. (Check out her post to see the precious ornaments.) She has also found time to whip up a batch of her Christmas Split Seconds made with Christmas-y mincemeat and topped with a sugary, crunchy streusel. Now she can nibble on her cookies while she admires her lovely Christmas tree.
VerO of DelimOOn from Switzerland. VerO shares a recipe for Miroirs, or Mirror Cookies. A layer of sweet, fruity jam is nestled between two savory biscuits and a cut-out is made on top to create a "mirror." Children adore baking (and eating) these cheerful Christmas cookies. Adults will too, especially if you take VerO's advice and fill them with Nutella. Mmmmm....
Ronell of Myfrenchkitchen from France. Making lemon squares always evokes memories for Ronell--of her sister Trudie. Hence, the recipe for her aptly named Trudie's Lemon Squares. This no-bake cookie is a cherished treat in Ronell's family, and it will be in yours as well once you make them. They're refreshingly sweet and zesty and are lovely for Christmas, tea parties, or any special occasion.
Nicisme of Cherrapeno from Kent, United Kingdom. I didn't think that pecan pie could be bested. I changed my mind when I saw Nicisme's recipe for Pecan Pie Cookies. It's like taking all of the sugary, gooey, nutty goodness of a whole pecan pie and packing it into mouth-watering morsels.
Rossella of Ma che ti sei mangiato from Rome, Italy. Cookies and love ... it doesn't get much sweeter than that. Rossella knows this because she is sharing a fantastic recipe for sweet and cheerful jam filled cookies that helped bring romance into her life. Visit Rossella's blog to see her recipe for Nidi con la Mamellata (Jam Nests) and to read her story.
Jules of Domestic Goddess in Training from England. Jules shares a recipe for truly lovely cookies: Stained Glass Biscuits. You can even make Christmas tree ornaments out of these cookies and watch the twinkling lights glisten through their "windows." What a beautiful sight that would be.
Pip of Zenzero & Cannella from Milan, Italy. I'm sure we can all relate to Pip. She had a list of new cookie recipes from blogs, cookbooks, and magazines that she planned on baking for Christmas but just ran out of time. So she went with a tried-and-true Christmas cookie favorite: her Almond and Raisin Cookies. They are satisfyingly sweet, elegant, and simple to make. Looks like the perfect choice, Pip.
Suzana of Home Gourmets from Lisbon, Portugal. Suzana has finished her Christmas baking. All of her goodies are beautifully wrapped and ready to be given as gifts. Those lucky recipients will be all smiles when they open their packages and discover Suzana's Spicy Angel Cookies drizzled with creamy, rich white chocolate.
Ronell of Myfrenchkitchen from France. Like a Chanel suit, some things never go out of style. The same can be said of Ronell's Hertzoggies, cookies named after General J.B.M. Hertzog, the prime minister of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1939. He had excellent taste: these pastry-like cookies are light and puffy and have a delectable apricot jam meringue filling.
Michelle of Bleeding Espresso from Calabria, Italy. Michelle's heart is warmed at this time of year when she remembers baking cookies with her mother. To make things even more fun for her daughter, Michelle's mom allowed her to invite friends over for cookie decorating parties. No wonder Michelle still adores baking Christmas cookies such as her lovely strawberry and apricot-jam-filled Thumbprints.
Katie of Thyme for Cooking from France. If you like lemon, then you will adore Katie's Lemon Bars. These little cookies pack a big punch of flavor because they're made with fresh lemon juice. The somewhat sweet, somewhat tart filling is thick and custard-y and oh-so-satisfying. Plus with their vibrant yellow color, they will add sunshine to your cookie trays.
Pille of Nami-Nami from Estonia. According to Pille, Piparkoogid (Estonian Gingerbread Cookies) are so beloved in Estonia that newspapers have been compiling "best gingerbread dough of 2007" lists. Fortunately for us we don't have to read an Estonian newspaper for the best gingerbread dough recipe because Pille is sharing hers. Made with ground cloves, cardamom, and allspice, these gingerbread cookies are as spicy as they are redolent.
Pille has also made some Kokosmakroner (Danish Coconut Macaroons). These light, airy, vanilla-laced coconut cookies are ideal at Christmas time. Or any time, really.
Johanna of The Passionate Cook from London, United Kingdom. After receiving an email requesting assistance in locating a recipe for German hazelnut cookies, Johanna launched a search. The result: her lovely Viennese Nut Meringue Cookies.
