Though they are thought to have originated in ancient Phoenicia, melomakaronas are nowadays a typical Greek Christmas treat. These delicious semolina cookies are traditionally flavored with honey, orange zest, cinnamon and other spices, olive oil, and cognac.

Immediately after baking, melomakarona cookies are doused in honey syrup, then sprinkled with ground walnuts. Although some argue that another Greek treat that goes under the name finikia refers to a slightly different dessert, occasionally fried and served without walnuts, today both names are used interchangeably.

These delicate Greek cookies are prepared with ground almonds, egg whites, sugar, and various flavorings such as orange blossom water, liqueurs, or vanilla. Usually decorated with almonds or almond slivers, they come in different forms and are occasionally coupled with pastry creams.

Amygdalotá cookies are traditionally baked and enjoyed on special occasions and are often given as presents on christenings and weddings.

The star ingredient in these chewy, soft cookies is grape must or petimezi, a syrup-like grape molasses. It is blended into a pliable dough that combines sugar or honey, flour, leavening agent, orange juice, and spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

The dough is traditionally shaped into thin rolls that are then swirled into medium-sized round cookies. Since grape must is an autumnal product, the cookies are usually enjoyed throughout autumn and winter. Their flavor is reminiscent of gingerbread, and they are best paired with a cup of coffee or tea.

These crispy and buttery shortbread cookies are a classic Greek dessert. Even though some variations occasionally employ walnuts, they are traditionally prepared with a rich dough that incorporates ground almonds, butter, and various flavorings such as vanilla or strong brandy.

They are usually shaped into crescent or round shapes and are generously coated in powdered sugar. Traditionally associated with festive occasions, kourabiedes are a staple Christmas cookie, but they are also associated with Easter and many other special occasions.

Kurabiiki is a Bulgarian variety of the popular Middle Eastern cookies known as qurabiya. In Bulgaria, these sweet cookies consisting of butter, honey, egg yolks, sugar, and flour are especially popular during the festive holiday season.

Typically shaped into balls, the cookies are often dipped in coarse sugar before baking. When delicately browned, kurabiiki can be consumed at once or stored in tightly screwed jars and tins for later use, ensuring they remain crunchy and fresh as long as possible.

Ballokume is an Albanian biscuit originating from the city of Elbasan that was, and still is, traditionally prepared on Dita e Verës, a pagan holiday celebrated annually on March 14, first only in Elbasan, and from 2004 throughout Albania as a national holiday.

The necessary ingredients are simple: only butter, sugar, eggs, and cornflour, but when it comes to equipment, it is advised to use a copper bowl which will help in making the dough smooth and silky as it gets heated from kneading. Sweet and chewy, this traditional cookie is also called kulaç me finj as it may (optionally) contain finj, a mixture of ashes from a wood stove boiled in water.

Mamoulia are festive Greek cookies that have been traditionally prepared on the island of Chios, although they are also commonly eaten on other Greek islands. To make the cookies, a dough of flour, butter, fresh milk, sugar, eggs, olive oil, baking soda, baking powder, and brandy is shaped into small balls which are stuffed with a mixture of finely chopped nuts.

The filling typically consists of almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and confectioners' sugar, and it is usually flavored with flower water, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The cookies often take the shape of a pear, and once baked, they are typically sprinkled with flower water and coated with confectioners' sugar before serving. 

A favorite homemade treat during the holiday season, orašnice are traditional Bosnian walnut cookies. Everyone has their own version, however, the standard recipe for orašnice only uses three ingredients - egg whites, sugar, and walnuts.

Once all the ingredients have been mixed together, another helping of coarsely ground walnuts is sprinkled on top in order to provide a crunchy outer layer. The cookies are always shaped to look like a horse hoof, and they are then baked in the oven. 

Paximathakia is the Greek version of biscotti. The cookies are made with a combination of flour, baking soda, orange juice, lemon juice and peel, olive oil, cinnamon, toasted sesame seeds, sugar, and baking powder. The sticky dough is shaped into logs that are baked until firm, cut into slices, then baked again at a lower temperature, which will draw the moisture out of the cookies.

These twice baked cookies should be left to cool completely before they're stored in airtight containers.