International Cookie Recipes
Any collection of cookie recipes would not be complete without those from countries other than the United States of America. After all, citizens of this great country came from all over the world at one time or another. Every day, I encounter people of many different ethnic backgrounds, and a good way to attribute to their presence is through a popular specialty like cookies.
In a manner of speaking, South America is literally just outside my front door. In my neighborhood, it’s unusual to hear people converse in English. Of course, I don’t mean that in a bad way. Living in the largest and greatest melting pot of all for almost 40 years, I, like many other New Yorkers, accept and welcome diversity as a normal way of life.
A few short blocks away, still within walking distance of my residence, there is a vividly active community of people from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India. I did not have to walk far to capture these scenes.


That’s not all! It’s only takes a 10-minute bus ride from my neighborhood to a booming community of Asians. I’m talking about Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese. The sidewalks aren’t wide enough for people to walk on. Parking spaces are scarce to say the least, but choices for fresh fruits, vegetables, sea foods, meats are abundant.

I almost forgot what I started ….Ah, yes! Cookie recipes. You see, I am very excited talking about New York neighborhoods. That is just barely scratching the surface. There are still communities of Italians, Irish, Jewish, Greek, etc., not to mention, mind you, that New York has the largest Chinatown in the world.
The next best thing to visiting these communities in person is preparing ethnic dishes, starting with baking cookies from these recipes.
- Armenian Sesame Cookies
- Swiss Bratseli
- Bugnes Arlesiennes – Central & Southern France
- Butter Croissants – American Style
- Canadian Nanaimo bars – No Bake
- Chinese Almond Cookies
- Czechoslovakia Walnut Cookies
- Empanadas – Mini Cuban Cookies
- Galani – Venetian Carnival Fritters
- Greek Cookies – Koulourakia Almira
- Hungarian Poppy Seed Cookies
- Lebkuchen – Switzerland & Germany
- Malawian Peanut Puffs
- Mantecados – Spanish Shortbread
- Mexican Cinnamon Cookies – Polvorones de Canela
- Mexican Date and Orange Cookies
- Moravian Molasses Cookies
- Oatcakes – Canadian or Scottish?
- Panellets – Spanish Catalan Cookies
- Pfeffernuesse
- Raivas – Portuguese Cookies
- Russian Sukhariki with raisins and walnuts
- Russian Walnut Horns
- Scottish Browned-Butter Shortbread
- Struffoli – Honey Balls
- Swedish Ginger Snaps – Pepparkakor
- Syrian and Lebanese Mamoul – Date Filled Cookies
- Simply Taralles
- Twisted Shaped Cookies – Torcettini di Saint Vincent
- Viennese Almond Crescents
- Vietnamese Banh Men – gluten free