The World’s Best Cookie Recipes

My heart is going to explode with happiness.  Food52 just released an infographic (by Jordan Sondler), map, and list with some of the world’s best cookie recipes.  I haven’t been able to stop thinking about cookie recipes in preparation for holiday gifts, and now I’m overwhelmed with the urge to retire early and spend the rest of my life baking these iconic desserts.  Who needs a PhD?  But cookies – oh cookies.

Even better, you can pin your own recipes to a Google Maps archive they’ve started here.

As an American Studies digital humanities/food studies scholar I love this project.  The project and subsequent digital discussion speak to the ways that national identity is wrapped up in food.  By baking and eating these cookies you can play food tourist at home and consume other national identities.

And all too often many Americans forget how typically American food traditions are not the norm elsewhere.  Sascha, a graduate student in Purdue’s American Studies program from Germany, was astounded when attending the first professional development workshop on campus where he tasted a gooey, buttery, M&M-speckled grocery store cookie.  “THEY’RE SO SOFT.  HAVE YOU TRIED THESE COOKIES?  COOKIES DO NOT TASTE LIKE THIS IN GERMANY.”  Is it the vegetable shortening Americans add?  Or the rainbow of chocolately morsels that makes their taste and texture so delicious?  I have no idea.  Needless to say, he’s requested cookies or candy at almost every event since.

Here’s a list of 46 recipes Food 52 posted on their site.  Where am I going to begin my baking???  Maybe #9 – because who doesn’t want to bake with Tequila!?

Here’s to celebrating a little differently this year.

1. Nanaimo Bars (Vancouver, Canada)
2. Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Cookies (Pennsylvania, U.S.)
3. Rainbow Cookies (New York, U.S.)
4. Potato Chip Cookies (Saratoga Springs, U.S.)
5. Benne Wafers (South Carolina, U.S.)
6. Prune & Chocolate Rugelach (New York, U.S.)
7. Black & White Cookies (New York, U.S.)
8. Bizcochitos (New Mexico, U.S.)
9. Mexican Wedding Cakes (Mexico)
10. Brigadeiros (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
11. Alfajores (Argentina)
12. Serinakaker (Norway)
13. Swedish Rye Cookies (Sweden)
14. Polish Apricot-Filled Cookies (Poland)
15. Pfeffernuse (Germany)
16. Austrian Vanilla Crescents (Vanillekipferl) (Austria)
17. Vanilice (Serbia)
18. Koulourakia (Greek Sesame Twist Cookies) (Greece)
19. Pain d’Amande (France)
20. Brandy Snaps (U.K.)
21. Maltese Lemon Christmas Cookies (Malta)
22. Spanish Butter Wafers (Spain)
23. Tehina Shortbread (Israel)
24. Samsa (Almond-Orange Triangles) (Northern Africa (Morocco, Tunisia & Algeria))
25. Chin Chin (Nigeria)
26. Nigerian Coconut Cookie Crisps (Nigeria)
27. Halawa (Halva) Truffles (Egypt)
28. Mbatata (Sweet Potato Cookies) (Malawi)
29. Chocolate Pepper Cookies (South Africa)
30. Basler Leckerli (Waldshut-Tiengen, Southern Germany)
31. Elisenlebkuchen (Nuremberg, Germany)
32. Buccellati (Sicilian Christmas Cookies) (Sicily, Italy)
33. Ukrainian Curd Cheese Cookies (Ukraine)
34. Rice Cookies with Cardamom and Rose Water (Kermanshah, Iran)
35. Springerles (Germany)
36. Dorie Greenspan’s Stained Glass Cookies (Paris, France)
37. Struffoli (Italian Honey Ball Cookies) (Southern Italy)
38. Alice Medrich’s Buckwheat Thumbprint Cookies with Cherry Preserves (Russia)
39. Chickpea Flour (Besan) Laddu (India)
40. Coconut Milk Fudge (India)
41. Chinese Peanut Cookies (China)
42. Matcha Butter Cookies (Japan)
43. Polvorón (Philippines)
44. Tangerine Pies “Kuey Tarts” (Singapore)
45. Mint Slices (Australia)
46. Mango Melting Moments (Australia)

Tell me how your global cookie baking experiences have gone this winter!