Welcome to The Storied Recipe! As you try these delicious traditional Christmas desserts from around the world, I invite you to listen to the many stories my global guests have shared about their beloved Christmas cultural and family traditions. Click here to listen to the Christmas Around the World series and follow links throughout the post to read or listen to even more memories centered around these holiday desserts!
Listen to Holiday Episodes of The Storied Recipe
While you make these sweet treats from around the world, listen to these holidays episodes of The Storied Recipe Podcast.
Australia & New Zealand
Fun fact! Pavlova, one of the most famous Christmas classics around the world, was first made in New Zealand (or Australia, accounts vary). This sweet, pillowy dessert, made with egg whites and sugar and topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, is now a fixture on Australian Christmas tables.
Christmas Pavlovas Wreath
Cooks in 235 minutesThis Christmas theme pavlova is a light and refreshing dessert. The pavlova can be made ahead of time and assembled in less than 10 minutes. I dressed this one with strawberries, blueberries, and mint leaves to resemble a wreath
Caribbean
By far, the most popular Christmas dessert across the Caribbean is this Christmas cake - also known as Black Cake or Rum Cake. Whatever the name, all are a version of a rum filled fruit cake.
Blow Ya Mind Caribbean Rum Cake
Cooks in 1 hour 10 minutesCaribbean Rum Cake, y'all! During the holidays, my dessert table ain't complete without it. This beauty is unapologetically rum-soaked, buttery, flavorful, nutty, and extra moist. Rum cake is a traditional holiday dessert in a lot of the Caribbean islands. Served up as a dreamy, golden bundt cake that's soaked in a rich rum glaze!
Jamaican Black Cake
Cooks in 150 minutesJamaican Black Cake, also know as Jamaican rum cake, wedding cake or Christmas cake is a rich and decadent traditional Caribbean dessert! Dried fruit is soaked in rum for months up to a year then added to this fruit cake with warm spices and wine making it super moist with maximum flavour. This staple Caribbean dessert recipe is enjoyed year round, particularly during holidays like Christmas, weddings, and celebrations!
Eastern Europe
Many of Eastern Europe's most famous and typical Christmas desserts feature breads made from rich, sweet dough and filled with dried fruit, poppy seeds, and nuts, making them easy to make ahead.
Orehova potica
Cooks in 190 minutesOrehova potica je najbolja velikonona in boina sladica. Mehko, puhasto testo in bogat, orehov nadev z medom. Preprost recept in slasten rezultat.
Mákos Guba: Poppy Seed Bread Pudding
Cooks in 25 minutesAlthough slightly sweet, this Poppy Seed Bread Pudding is considered less a dessert and more a hearty accompaniment to a simple soup.
Super Easy Peanut Raisin Cookies (Polish Mazurka)
Cooks in 30 minutesHungarian Beigli - Christmas poppy seed and walnut roll cake
Cooks in 150 minutesHungarian Beigli is a traditional walnut and poppy seed roll which is served in many Hungarian families at Christmas as a special treat. The Christmas meal table would be incomplete without these rolls.
Polish Babka
Cooks in 2 hours 15 minutesMany different versions of this rich bread, laced with rum syrup and drizzled with icing, are served at Easter in Polish households. It's such a tradition, and so well-loved, that there are probably as many babka recipes as there are Polish bakers! This particular recipe was inspired by one in our 1990 200th Anniversary Cookbook, which includes a wealth of recipes and information from cultures around the world. You'll notice that, despite being made with yeast, it's an easy batter bread; "no-knead" isn't as new a concept as you might think.
Mediterranean
Its no surprise that many of the best Christmas desserts in the world come from Mediterranean countries, famous for their produce and sweet breads like Italian Panettone.
Listen to Catalonian native Mar Lozano talk about growing up as a free spirit in a tiny Catholic town, new traditions on her Christmas dinner table, and the significance of January 6th to many cultures around the world.
Turrón de Jijona
Cooks in 30 minutesTurrón de Jijona is a classic sweet treat in Spain over the Holiday season. This includes two methods: the traditional method, as made by Mar's grandmother and an alternative method Mar suggests for quicker drying.
Chocolate Almond Babka
Cooks in 860 minutesThis Chocolate Almond Babka is the dessert bread of your dreams! It's a sweet brioche bread, filled with a dark chocolate and nut filling! This bread is like a mixture of cake, bread, and chocolate! How could it get any better than that?!
Christopsomo recipe (Greek Christmas Bread with Walnuts)
Cooks in 3 hours 30 minutesA traditional Greek Christmas Bread (Christopsomo) recipe! Discover all the secrets to make the tastiest traditional Christopsomo with this no fail recipe!
Anginetti Cookies (Italian Sprinkle Cookies)
Cooks in 40 minutesThese soft, simple anginetti cookies are fun, festive, and kid friendly. Also called Italian Sprinkle Cookie or Wedding Cookies.
Panettone Italian Christmas Sweet Bread
Cooks in 365 minutesPanettone, an Italian Christmas Sweet Bread Recipe, an easy delicious yeast bread filled with raisins, candied fruit or chocolate chips.
The softest and best Linzer Cookies
Cooks in 147 minutesBaking Linzer cookies is a delicious holiday tradition in Austria, where they originated. Buttery and soft, these sandwich cookies have been popular for centuries for their sweet taste and tender texture. Although they're considered Christmas cookies, they're usually enjoyed all year round!
Bolo Rei (Portuguese Christmas Kings Cake)
Cooks in 145 minutesA lightly spiced, fluffy Christmas cake filled with fruit and nuts. A speciality in Portugal, Bolo Rei or Portuguese Kings Cake, is super easy to bake at home, so get ready to make your Kings Cake "crown" this holiday season!
Bche De Nol (Yule Log)
Cooks in 10 hoursThe meringue mushrooms and sugared cranberries & rosemary are completely optional garnishes. The recipe below includes both. For all make-ahead instructions, see recipe notes. I recommend watching the video tutorial above and reading the full recipe below before beginning. There's a lot of cooling down, chilling, and other moving parts here!
Lebkuchen - German Gingerbread Cookies
Cooks in 45 minutesIf you are not familiar with lebkuchen, they are basically soft German gingerbread cookies. Like other gingerbread, they have an array of flavourful spices like ground cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.
Christmas Sticky Toffee Pudding
Cooks in 80 minutesChristmas Sticky Toffee Pudding made with dates and brandy-soaked mixed dried fruit, and served with a lush toffee sauce, an indulgent Christmas dessert that is incredibly easy to make. A lot lighter than a traditional Christmas fruit pudding, this variation combines the best flavours from the 2 classic desserts.
Dairy-free Italian Custard: Easy Zabaglione (Zabaione) Recipe
Cooks in 12 minutesCreamy, dairy-free, sweet 3 ingredient Italian custard with boozy flavor. Easy recipe to serve alone or on top of cakes, Panettones, cookies, or with fresh fruit.
Middle East
Although the Middle East is not known for its celebrations of Christmas, Mai Kakish explains in her episode, Christmas in Palestine, how the Muslims in her town supported her Christian community's Christmas celebrations. She also shares her memories of attending the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for Christmas mass and her family's many traditional Christmas recipes. Listen to Mai here and try her Ghraybeh cookies using the recipe below.
Ghraybeh- Middle Eastern Cookie Recipe
Cooks in 1 hour 45 minutesGhraybeh in Arabic means “swoon” yep these cookies will def have you swooning. If a shortbread cookie married a sugar cookie they will have the most delicious cookie called #ghraybeh.
North America
We love our Christmas desserts here in North America, don't we! There's only a small section on North American recipes here, however, since I'm concentrating a little more in this post on global recipes.
I knew I had to make Butter Tarts since there weren't any Canadian homes here in Florida... I missed the instruction that said to fill the tart shells halfway full. I filled them fuller. Full, full, full. And they boiled over in the oven, turning the sugary syrup to candy that stuck the tart shells to the muffin tins. So, don't overfill! But don't worry if you do since it's really easy to make a second batch - you just might have to go out and get a new muffin tin first!
Christine Pittman of Cook the Story
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Cooks in 120 minutesThis Southern Sweet Potato Pie is an heirloom recipe loved for generations! A delicious Southern favorite made with simple ingredients baked sweet potatoes, butter, milk, eggs and sugar! Loved fall dessert that's perfect for Thanksgiving!
Frozen Cranberry Banana Salad
Cooks in 815 minutesWhile the salads vary by tearoom, I have personally never been to one which did not serve a frozen cranberry salad such as this. Creamy, fruity, light tasting and just the right size when prepared in a little muffin paper, this is the quintessential tearoom must have and a very special treat to enjoy at home.
Butter Tarts
Cooks in 40 minutesButter Tarts are a quintessential Canadian treat that are a decadent, delicious and surprisingly easy addition to anyones holiday dessert tray. Theyre so easy that Ive made two batches already this year. Learn how to make this classic decadent tart.
Scandinavia
magical time of year, listen to Alexandra
Easy Christmas Truffles: Chocolate Mint Balls from Norway
Cooks in 1 hour 40 minutesSmall peppermint chocolate truffles with a snowy coating of coconut. The base is a mix of heavy whipping cream, flour, cream of tartar, and peppermint extract. The base is cooked over low heat then rolled into balls, roll in melted chocolate, and then the coconut. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator it is the perfect little bit of yummy goodness leading up to Christmas.
Risalamande (Danish Christmas Rice Pudding)
Cooks in 50 minutesI love the tradition of serving Ris a La Mande (Danish Rice Pudding) on Little Christmas Eve! A delicious, traditional dessert if you have Danish roots!
Danish Brunkager (Danish Christmas Cookies)
Cooks in 6 hours 22 minutesYou'll love these crunchy, nutty, carmel-y traditional Danish Christmas cookies!
Norwegian Rice Porridge (Risgrøt)
Cooks in 1 hour 5 minutesMy family adds raisins to this rice pudding, but they're not my favorite so I left them out.
This recipe is a little bit sweeter than the traditional. Feel free to reduce the amount of sugar.
South African
favorite christmas recipes from british traditions
listen to Kate Jack
Peppermint Crisp Tart
Cooks in 4 hours 20 minutesPeppermint Crisp Tart (or pudding) is a dessert made from South African pantry ingredients. It can be made in advance and frozen. It is not served frozen, but rather left to defrost into creamy deliciousness. It is made from layers of tennis biscuits (sweet coconut cookies), lightly whipped cream, caramelized condensed milk, and chopped up peppermint crisp chocolate
South African Malva Pudding Recipe
This Malva Pudding recipe is a sweet and moist cake recipe straight from South Africa made with incredible apricot jam and heavy cream.
South America
major holiday
latin american countries kept religious overtones lost in north american, western europe, scandinavian
link to Peruvian Christmas menu
flavors of coconut milk
more fruit cakes
Pristinos with Mango Black Sugar Sauce
Cooks in 1 hour 30 minutesCoconut Natilla Recipe
Cooks in 45 minutesNatilla is a sweet custard that is traditionally served during Colombian Christmas gatherings. There are many variations of this dish throughout the country but this Natilla is my grandmothers recipe and is very special to me. I called my mom and one of my aunts for the recipe, but they didnt have it because they
Christmas Cake - EASY moist fruit cake
Cooks in 285 minutesRecipe video above. This is an easy Christmas Cake that requires no overnight fruit soaking. It's a fruit cake that's incredibly easy to make, with a rich, velvety texture that's full flavoured and so moist it can be eaten plain. (But no one turns away a slosh of custard!) Just as good made on the day - or weeks later.
Pan de Pascua Recipe
Pan de Pascua is a type of spiced fruit cake that is a staple during the Christmas season in the South American country of Chile.
Chileans use both “Navidad” and “Pascua” words interchangeably for Christmas so this bread might literally translate to “Easter bread” but it is enjoyed at Christmas time.
Guyanese Sponge Cake
Guyanese Sponge cake is a rich dessert very similar to pound cake. This deliciously decadent cake is often made with multi-colored swirls and is mostly enjoyed at celebrations like birthdays and Christmas.
Polvorones Recipe (Spanish Christmas Cookies)
Cooks in 55 minutesThese traditional Christmas cookies from Spain are also commonly given as gifts. A hint of roasted almonds and cinnamon in every delicious bite, Polvorones (or Spanish Christmas cookies) are quick and easy to make --- you might end up making them all year round!
Western Europe
Christmas markets German cities
Rich Buttery Toffee Recipe
Cooks in 1 hour 45 minutesChestnut cake
Cooks in 40 minutesChestnut cake is an amazing Fall recipe that will surprise your guests. It is easy and uses canned chestnut puree.
Traditional English Trifle
Cooks in 65 minutesIf I had to choose one dessert as the most nostalgic for me, that would be a traditional English Trifle. I love the flavor combinations!
Traditional British Christmas Pudding (a Make Ahead, Fruit and Brandy Filled, Steamed Dessert)
Cooks in 16 hours 24 minutesOne of the most traditional British Christmas recipes.
Traditional Mincemeat for Mince Pies
Create your own mincemeat for mince pies - a traditional British Christmas favourite. This recipe is easy to make, just leave it for a few weeks to mature before using. Make a half quantity if you wish.
How to make an Austrian Linzer Torte
Cooks in 1 hourLinzer Torte has a crumbly hazelnut crust and raspberry jam filling and is topped with a lattice. It is a delicious Austrian-German pastry and a favorite treat at Christmas.
Easy English Plum Pudding
Cooks in 280 minutesEnglish plum pudding is a traditional Christmas dessert made with dried fruit and served with hard sauce. Its an impressive sweet treat the whole family will love. Best of all, its easy to make ahead and enjoy on Christmas Day.
Stollen (German Christmas Bread)
Cooks in 4 hours 10 minutesThis German Stollen recipe makes a rich, fruit-studded loaf that is a festive and tasty German Christmas bread, perfect for celebrating with family or bringing to a holiday party!
If one 14-15 in loaf is too large for your family, feel free to make two smaller loaves and freeze or gift one. If baking half loaves, check them after baking around 30-35 minutes (but they may take close to the full time).
Southeast Asia
Sweet treats are not as popular for Christmas in Asia as they are in the United States. Read hear all about bibingka, a savory Christmas classic in the Philippines. Machi, a Storied Recipe community member submitted the recipe and says about the flavor, "Slightly smokey, sweet, salty, cheesy and coconutty. So many amazing flavors and aromas."
She also says, "We have this thing called Simbang Gabi, where people attend a series of daily mass at 4 am in anticipation of Christmas.... You’ll see these bibingkas sold just outside of church, and people flock to them after mass to buy a few bibingkas as a pasalubong (a gift you bought for those back home)."
Read more from Machi here.
47 Recipes for Traditional Christmas Desserts Around the World
Recipes for traditional Christmas desserts from every continent around the world. Pictured starting top left, clockwise: Butter Toffee, Italian Zabaglione, Sherry Trifle, Catalonian Almond Nougat.
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Ingredients
Filipino Bibingka by Hungry Huy
Christmas Pavlova Wreath by Veena Azmanov
Caribbean Rum Cake by Butter Be Ready
Slovenian Walnut Potica by Jerne Kitchen
Slavic Chilled Dried Fruit Soup: Pluma Mouss by The Storied Recipe
Makos Guba: Hungarian Bread Pudding with Poppy Seeds by The Storied Recipe
Polish Mazurka (Peanut Raisin Cookies) by The Storied Recipe
Hungarian Poppy Seed and Walnut Roll Cakes by Budapest Cooking Class
Traditional Babka from Poland by King Arthur Baking
Italian Zabaglione by Inside the Rustic Kitchen
Catalonian Turron de Xixona (Almond Nougat) by The Storied Recipe
Italian Sprinkle Cookies (aka Lemon Drops) by Meike Peters
Chocolate Almond Babka by Coffee Fit Kitchen
Greek Christmas Bread with Walnut by My Greek Dish
Palestinian Ghraybeh Cookies by The Storied Recipe
Canadian Butter Tarts by The Storied Recipe
Southern Crusted Sweet Potato Pie by Add A Pinch
Southern Cranberry Frozen Salad by The Storied Recipe
Norwegian Peppermint Balls by The Storied Recipe
Risgrøt Norweigian Rice Porridge by The Modern Proper
Danish Christmas Rice Pudding by Fav Family Recipes
Danish Brunkager Danish Brown Sugar Cookies by International Desserts Blog
Norwegian Julekake by Outside Oslo
South African Peppermint Crisp Pudding by The Storied Recipe
South African Malva Pudding by Bigger Bolder Baking
Ecuadorian Pristinos con Miel de Panela by The Storied Recipe
Columbian Coconut Pudding by My Colombian Recipes
Traditional Christmas Cake by Recipe Tin Eats
Chilean Pan de Pascun by Amigo Foods
Pio Quinto Nicaraguan Fruit Cake by Serious Eats
Guyanese Sponge Cake by Metemgee
Polvorones Spanish Christmas Cookies by Food and Journeys
Classic British Butter Toffee by The Storied Recipe
French Chesnut Cake by Petit Porcini
British Sherry Trifle by Amandas Cookin
Traditional Steamed Christmas Pudding (slow cooker) by Christina's Cucina
British Mince Pies by Danielle Ellis
Austrian/German Linzer Torte by Gittas Kitchen
Classic Plum Pudding by Savor the Flavour
Italian Sweet Bread by An Italian in My Kitchen
German Stollen by Curious Cuisiniere
Original Austrian Linzer Cookies by Also The Crumbs Please
Portuguese Christmas Kings Cake by Wander Cooks
Bûche De Noël (Yule Log) by Sally's Baking Addiction
Lebkuch: German Gingerbread Cookies by Leelalicious
Christmas Sticky Toffee Pudding by My Gorgeous Recipes
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Mar Lozano says
Thank you so much for this amazing Christmas dessert collection! It is a really great idea! I'm grateful to take part in it XX
admin says
Oh Mar, thank YOU for participating and sharing Turron de Xixona!!! Can't wait for all of us to learn more about Christmas in Spain from you!
Marybeth says
This is such a beautiful collection, Becky! My freezer is already full of Cranberry Frozen Salad, but I'm looking so forward to trying some of these other recipes soon.
admin says
Oh thanks Marybeth!!! We're going to enjoy your Cranberry treats this season - and I'm still working on some of these to both photograph and enjoy!!! Xoxoxo.