Tirggel are traditional Swiss Christmas cookies made with flour, honey, and sugar. They are thin and very hard, characterized by images on the top which are usually associated with the Zürich Canton, romance, and Biblical stories. It is believed that the name tirggel is derived from the word torggeln, which refers to stirring a thick dough.
The first written mention of tirggel can be found in 1461 witch trial court documents. The cookies were a luxury item in the 15th and 16th centuries, and before 1840, only city bakers had the rights to bake them. After 1840, all bakers could bake them, and they gained popularity over the years, so nowadays everyone can enjoy these crunchy festive treats.
Taai-taai is a popular Dutch cookie with a hard, chewy texture. It consists of flour, sugar, baking powder, and eggs. The cookies are traditionally flavored with aniseed and honey. These treats are especially popular during the festive Sinterklaas season, when they are shaped into hearts, animals, or Sinterklaas himself.
The name taai-taai means tough-tough, referring to the texture of these popular cookies.
Sometimes also called finocchini, anicini are popular anise-flavored biscotti prepared in many Italian regions, but they are especially beloved in Sardegna and Liguria. First, a loaf made with eggs, flour, sugar, orange blossom water, and aniseed is baked.
After it has slightly cooled, the loaf is carefully sliced and baked again until the slices turn golden and crispy. Delicate, light, and crunchy, anicini are perfect cookies for dunking in coffee or milk, but due to digestive properties of aniseed, they are also perfect for fine pasto, served at the end of a meal.
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Also known as little jumper or little knight, springerle is an anise-flavored biscuit made from wheat flour, eggs, and powdered sugar. In the past, the dough used to be leavened with hartshorn salt, but modern day recipes typically use baking powder.
The designs and images on top are made with flat molds, presses, and boards, or specially crafted wooden rolling pins. The origin of these biscuits can be traced back to southwestern Germany and the 14th century. The oldest mold for springerle comes from Switzerland, and it was also made in the 14th century.
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A classic Bosnian dessert, gurabija is a type of round, flat shortbread cookie that is usually made with flour, sugar, and oil. This sweet specialty is believed to have oriental origins, and it’s been an essential part of the culture, tradition, and culinary heritage of the entire Balkan.
Although the variations on this dessert abound, the cookies commonly contain eggs, baking powder or baking soda, butter or margarine, and dairy products such as mileram cream, yogurt, or milk. The combination is typically flavored with vanilla powder or vanilla sugar, lemon zest, nuts, and dried fruits.
Pepernoten are traditional Dutch cookies that are closely associated with the Sinterklaas holiday. The cookies are usually prepared in the shape of squares and consist of flour, milk, butter, sugar, anise seed, cinnamon, and cloves. Pepernoten are especially beloved by children due to their spicy-sweet flavor and chewy texture.
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Rock cakes are traditional English cookies with a crumbly and light consistency, often served as a part of afternoon tea. The cookies are usually made with a combination of flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and dried fruits such as raisins or sultanas.
The thick and lumpy dough is placed onto a baking tray, and rock cakes are then baked until golden brown. It's recommended to eat them while they are still warm. Although the rock cakes look similar to scones, the dough for the rock cake is stiffer, and the size is smaller.
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Navettes are French cookies from Marseilles that are shaped like a boat or a shuttle. Their characteristical shape is said to commemorate Mary Magdalene and Saint Martha and their voyage to Marseilles by boat, about 2000 years ago. The cookies are flavored with orange-flower water and are traditionally consumed on February 2nd, known as Candlemas Day, although they can be bought all year round in the Four Des Navettes bakery in the center of Marseilles.
The bakery hasn't stopped producing these cookies since 1781. Although orange-flavored navettes are the most popular choice, there are also varieties with cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, and lavender.
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Sandkaker or sandbakelse are traditional cookies originating from Norway. They're usually made with a combination of flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and blanched ground almonds. The butter and flour are mixed until crumbly, and the dough is finished with the addition of almonds, sugar, and eggs.
The dough is placed in the fridge for about an hour before it's pressed into greased sandkaker molds. The cookies are baked until golden and they should be left to cool slightly before they're removed from the molds and enjoyed. Sandkaker are often prepared during the festive Christmas season.
These round butter cookies are a Christmas staple in Norway. They are prepared with a simple base of flour, butter, and sugar, and are usually flavored with vanilla, while the top is often sprinkled with almond slivers. Serinakaker cookies are often included on the list of so-called seven sorts—traditional Norwegian Christmas bakes—and are considered to be one of the oldest cookies in Norway.
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