International Holiday Dessert Favorites

The holidays are a joyous time all around the world. Depending on where you may find yourself, the celebrations can reach large scales, with an abundance of Christmas Markets, large Christmas Trees, parades, and much more, further spreading the holiday cheer that many look forward to each year. Like the large occasions, the food excels just as much, especially within the sweets department! Cookies, cakes, and other desserts make the holiday season so much more special, with pies, decorated cookies, and flavors of peppermint, apple, and cinnamon filling the air, leaving us reminiscing on the times of the times we shared around the fire with our loved ones. All around the world, different countries enjoy the same holidays in their ways, with versions of desserts that make this time of the year special for foodies and families alike. Today, we wanted to take you on a journey worldwide to see all the delicious desserts enjoyed by cultures during this time of the year to inspire you to try some of these out for yourself! 

Polish Pierniczki (Polish Gingerbread Cookies)

This Polish dessert, also known as the Polish Gingerbread Cookie, is a classic treat passed out to children on December 6th yearly by St. Nicholas (or Święty Mikołaj in Polish). The city of Toruń has been known famously for making gingerbread cookies since the Middle Ages and used to be cut into beautiful shapes using intricately carved wooden molds. Today, though, pierniczki is cut into various shapes and other beautiful designs, and even shaped as Santa Claus! 

To make these cookies, you’ll need eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, dissolved baking soda, honey, and all-purpose flour. Simply beat two eggs with sugar until light, add to the eggs the spices, baking soda dissolved in three tablespoons of water, and honey, and mix well. Gradually add the flour and mix the ingredients until a stiff dough forms. Once the dough is formed, wrap it in plastic to let it rest for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes are up, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and roll the dough out in preparation to cut it into your desired shapes! Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes and let the cookies cool before icing them (if desired). 

German Christollen (Stollen Bread)

A true German classic holiday dessert, Christollen (also known as stollen bread), has been around for hundreds of years and has become a worldwide popular Christmas pastry! Its candied fruit and nut remind so many of the happiness of the holiday season, with its sweet flavor complimenting a nice coffee or other warm winter drink. This delicious bread originates from Dresden, Germany, and can be dated back to 1329, thanks to a contest in which bakers baked a loaf of bread with the finest butter, sugar, raisins, citron, and other ingredients. The Bishop of Nauruburg at the time had enjoyed the bread so dearly that he ordered a specific amount of grain to make only stollen. It became an element of the Christmas season during 1424 when Christollen began to be sold at the Christmas Market, also known as the Streizelmarket. Today, Christollen or stollen bread, in general, is available worldwide at grocery stores and specialty stores alike! You can also make it at home and, while time-consuming, will be sure to wow your loved ones and transport you to the snowy holiday season of Germany. 

Chilean Pan de Pascua Fruitcake

Another delicious treat enjoyed during the holiday season hails from Chile and is reminiscent of the German stollen bread we mentioned earlier. This bread, also known as Pan de Pascua, is thought to have descended from German stollen and Italian panettone but adapted to match the South American region's spices, liquors, fruits, and nuts. Typically this bread is served with cola de mono, a spiced alcoholic coffee drink, and another Chilean holiday tradition. However, it would pair well with coffee, tea, or even as a nice standalone dessert.

To make Pan de Pascua, you will need a few things: butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, strongly-brewed coffee, and brandy (you could use pisco or rum), among other ingredients. Making this bread takes a bit of time, but you will be thrilled you did! The results are picture-perfect and great to share with friends and loved ones during this holiday season.

Filipino Bibingka

Another holiday favorite hails from the Philippines and is known as Bibingka. This delicious coconut rice cake is a staple for Christmastime in the Philippines. Its savoriness combined with the sweetness of the coconut makes for a decadent treat that would be perfect to serve with a nice hot coffee or even hot chocolate. Many find Bibingka to be a staple of their childhood, reminding them of the time spent with family and friends, celebrating Christmas with loved ones. Bibingka is a savory dessert, but it is the true definition of home in food.

To prepare Bibingka, you’ll need some rice flour, salt, baking powder, butter, sugar, coconut milk, fresh milk, a salted duck egg, grated cheese, some raw eggs, grated coconut, and a pre-cut banana leaf. For this recipe, you’ll start off by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and combine rice flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing them together well. Cream the butter and add in sugar while whisking, and then whisk in the eggs until everything is well mixed. Gradually add in both coconut milk as well as fresh milk and whisk again for 1 to 2 minutes more. Lay the banana leaf onto a baking pan, pour the mixture into the pan, put it in the oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Once you take the Bibingka out of the oven, top it with the sliced salted egg and grated cheese, and bake the cake for an additional 15 minutes until the top is medium brown. Once cooled, brush with butter and top with grated coconut!