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Delicious Holiday Recipes from Around the World

It’s that time of year to spread holiday cheer—and recipes! They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, so we’ve curated a list of desserts and appetizers from around the world taken from the holiday recipe books of our very own WorldStrides team members.

If you’re still figuring out what goodies to make this year, or simply want new recipes to add to your own book, this is the perfect list of unique recipes to satisfy everyone’s tastebuds.

Pecan Snowball Cookies

Recipe from Ruth G.

Commonly known as Mexican wedding cookies (or Mexican wedding cakes, although they’re not cake). The pecan coated in powdered sugar has its origins in the middle east. It was introduced to Spain during their long rule on the country.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted soft butter
• 2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling/coating
• 1 tsp vanilla
• parchment paper

Instructions:

1. Mix butter and sugar on medium/high speed until smoothly blended
2. Add vanilla and salt to batter using medium/high speed on your mixer
3. Switch mixer to low setting then slowly add flour until it’s incorporated
4. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
5. Roll dough into 1” balls then place on parchment lined cookie sheet Give space for spreading. Note: dough is crumbly, so you must press hard to form solid balls
6. Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes
7. While cookies to slightly cool, but while warm roll cookies in powdered sugar then allow them to finish cooling on the warm parchment lined cookie sheet
8. Store cookies in an airtight container

Holubtsi

Recipe from Victoria S.

Holubtsi is a delicious cabbage roll and a traditional Ukrainian dish. Every Christmas Eve (January 7^th in Ukraine), our family celebrates by having a 12-course meal with traditional foods. There is usually a specific sequence for which the food is served. It’s custom that the children serve the food to the table. 

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cabbage
• ¾ lb. ground pork or beef
• 1 cup carrots (shredded)
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• ⅓ cup Italian parsley (or dill, chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 large egg
• 2 ounces tomato paste (⅓ of a 6-ounce can)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp sea salt (divided)
• ½ tsp malic acid (or citric acid)
• 1½ tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup jasmine rice

Sauce

• 2 cups water
• 4 ounces tomato paste (⅔ of a 6-ounce can)
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp malic acid (or citric acid)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Topping

• 1 container sour cream 

Instructions:

1. Wash, core, and boil cabbage in a deep pot. Once water comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer cabbage until outer leaves can easily be pulled away from the cabbage. The leaf will change to a brighter green in color. As you pull the leaves off, allow them to cook in the hot water for a little longer, if necessary, until they’re pliable.

2. In a large bowl, mix ground pork, carrots, onion, parsley, garlic, egg, oil, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Add washed and strained rice and mix to combine.

3. Once cabbage leaves have cooled, slice off spine going down the middle of the leaves. Use spines to layer the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed pot. This layer of leaves will keep the stuffed cabbage from sticking to the pot or burning.

4. Preheat oven to 325 and fill the trimmed cabbage leaves with 1 tablespoon of filling mixture. Roll leaves tightly over filling. Place stuffed cabbage seam-side down into lined pot; continue until you have one layer, then start another layer. Depending on the size of the pot, you may end up with two or three layers of cabbage rolls.

Tomato Sauce

5. Add water and tomato paste to small saucepan and season with salt, malic acid, and sugar. Add oil and whisk over medium heat until tomato paste is dissolved, and sauce comes to a boil.

6.  Pour sauce over stuffed cabbage, cover pot, and bake stuffed cabbage for one hour or until the rice is tender. Serve stuffed cabbage with sour cream and enjoy!

Carrot Cookies

Recipe by Randi C.

A family cookie recipe worth sinking your teeth into.  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Crisco butter flavored sticks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed, cooked carrots
• 2 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

Frosting:

• 3 Tbsp soft butter
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 2 tsp orange zest
• 2 Tbsp orange juice

Instructions:

1. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and carrots with mixer until blended. Incorporate flour, baking powder, and salt until blended. Stir in coconut.
2. Drop dough on lightly greased cookie sheet (or line it with parchment paper). Bake 8-10 minutes at 400 F, then cool on wire rack.
3. For frosting, mix butter and powdered sugar together first with hand mixer. Add orange zest and orange juice and mix until combined. Spread on cookies. 

 Notes:

• These cookies freeze well, but if layering in a container, separate each layer with wax paper
  • Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, recipe will yield ~3 dozen cookies.
  • There will be enough frosting, even if it doesn’t look like it!

 Pepparkakor

Recipe by Heide P.

No other cookie represents the Christmas spirit in Sweden better than pepparkors, also referred to as “ginger thins.”  They’re also used to decorate Christmas trees. While you will usually see them in the shape of a heart, at the holidays they are also cut into pig and goat shapes.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs ground ginger
• 1 tbs ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1-1/4 cups unsalted butter
• 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 small egg
• the zest of 1/2 of one orange
• 1-1/3 cups golden syrup
• 1-1/3 cups heavy cream
• 8-3/4 cups flour

Instructions

1. Day one: sift or whisk the spices and the baking soda together. Mix butter with the two sugars; add the spices and the egg. Add orange zest, golden syrup, cream and finally flour. Shape several discs or logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
2. Day two:preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Using one piece of dough at a time, roll it out on a floured workface until very thin — approximately 1/8″. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out into desired shapes. Continue until all the dough has been used.
4. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, depending on size. Remove from baking sheets and put on wire racks to cool.

Christmas Wassail

Recipe by Dorothea H.

The perfect holiday drink to pour into your favorite mug. Cozy up, relax, and sip away!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups apple cider
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• 2-5 orange and/or apple slices
• 3 -4 whole cloves

Instructions:

1. Pour apple cider into a crockpot or medium-sized pot and set to low.
2. Stir in pineapple juice, add cloves, cinnamon sticks, and fruit slices
3. Simmer until flavors have blended
4. Remove orange slices and spices before serving. Pour into your favorite mug, cozy up, and enjoy!

Vegan Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by Mary C.

Finally, a vegan cookie recipe that tastes like the real deal! These delicious treats will keep your guests coming back for more.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened vegan butter 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flower
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2-1 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl combine softened butter and both sugars with a hand mixer until light and fluffy
3. Add in milk and vanilla extract, mix until well combined
4. Add in flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until flour is well combined and dough is formed
5. Add in desired amount of chocolate chips. Mix with spatula until well combined
6. Roll dough into balls of your desired size and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving

Bolo Fiado

Recipe by Dakshini Wirasinha

Many Sri Lankan dishes are influenced by the colonial past of the country. Bolo Fiado has Portuguese origins and is a delicious layer cake made with local ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups flour
• ½ cup butter
• ½ teaspoon dried yeast
• ¾ cup warm milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• Pinch of salt

Filling

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups cashew nuts, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon rosewater, or to taste

Instructions:

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Add one-quarter of the butter and use your fingertips to rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center.
3. Dissolve the yeast in 60 ml water, then add the milk, sugar and beaten egg yolks. Add this mix to the flour, stirring well to make a soft dough.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until it is free from cracks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough to make a 60 x 20 cm rectangle and spread two-thirds of the surface with the remaining butter, leaving a border at the edges.
6. Fold the unbuttered third to the center and fold the last third over it. Turn the dough so the folds are face the right and left of you, then press with a rolling pin to seal the open ends and roll out again. Fold into thirds as before, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
7. Repeat the rolling and folding twice more. Chill the dough until firm between each rolling to keep the layers of butter from melting out.
8. Divide the dough into four equal portions, one just slightly larger than the other three. Roll out the smaller portions to make three circles with a 28 cm diameter, then roll the larger one to make a circle with a 30 cm diameter. Line a baking tray or tart tin with baking paper, put the largest circle of pastry on it. Re-roll any leftover pastry to make shapes to use for decoration.
9. To make the filling, put the sugar and 250 ml water into a large heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, or until a heavy syrup forms. Reduce the heat, stir in the cashews and simmer until the mixture thickens but is not stiff. Cool slightly, stir in the rosewater, then allow to cool completely.
10. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Spread one-third of the filling over the first circle of pastry, leaving a 2.5 cm border around the edge. Cover with a second circle of pastry and spread with another one-third of the filling as before. Place the third pastry on top and spread over the remaining filling, then top with the final pastry circle.
11. Brush the border of the bottom layer with beaten egg, then fold it over the upper layers and flute around the edge or press with a fork to seal. Decorate the top with the pastry trimmings.
12. Brush over with the remaining egg and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 170°C and bake for a further 35–40 minutes or until browned. Remove from the heat and cool, then cut into thin wedges to serve.

Kolaczki

Kolaczki cookies are a traditional Polish cream cheese cookie that is popular in central Europe and known for its fruit.

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted softened butter
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract (or almond)
• ½ cup powdered sugar (used for rolling out dough to avoid sticking and dusting baked cookie)
• 1 can any flavor of fruit for filling

Instructions:

1. Mix cream cheese and butter with a mixer in a bowl on medium/high speed until fluffy (2-3 min)
2. Add vanilla and salt until integrated smoothly
3. Slowly add flour on low speed until well mixed. Dough should be sticky and thick when done.
4. Place dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll until ½ thick.
5. Refrigerate overnight for best results, but dough can be chilled for 1 hour and still work
6. Dust surface with powdered sugar, then roll out dough into a square and cut 2×2 inch squares or use metal cookie cutter (can use a small amount of powdered sugar to roll out if dough is sticking)
7. Fill center with Solo fruit filling
8. Seal cookie by dab a bit of water on the corners without filling and seal it in the center with the other corner then pinch to close. Leave small opening on 2 ends
9. Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheets leaving room in between for cookies to spread
10. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (170 C), then bake until lightly browned
11. Allow cookies to cool, then top with powdered sugar if you are serving right away. If not, dust when served
12. Store cookies at room temperature in container with loose cover or plastic wrap

Happy holidays from our WorldStrides family to yours!