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!

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