If you don’t have any go-to favorite holiday cookies, or you’re looking for something new and delicious to add to your plate, these three sweets will help you bake up a delicious addition to your celebration.

Besitos de Cocos

These “little coconut kisses” are a tropical take on the macaroon are popular at Christmas time in Puerto Rico. The macaroon dates way back to Italy in the 8th or 9th century; it has since spread worldwide with plenty of variations. The Puerto Rican version sometimes has lemon and vanilla or is drizzled in chocolate.

How to love them:

Coconut goes well with chocolate—either drizzled on top of cookies once they cool, or dipped in a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

This recipe for Besitos de Cocos is a one-bowl, easy-to-make classic. Here’s a similar recipe in Spanish.

Vanilkove rohlicky

This Czech cookie is reminiscent of popular German or Austrian vanilla crescent cookies. Made with a simple mixture of butter, flour, almond meal, sugar, and vanilla, they have a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture made even lighter by the nuts.

The vanilla crescent cookie was created in Vienna more than 400 years ago in celebration of victory over the Turks, with the shape representing the crescent on the Turkish flag. It’s a cookie that’s popular throughout Europe, especially at Christmas time.

How to love them:

These cookies are actually best after a few days instead of straight out of the oven—their buttery texture gets firm and crisp. Czechs enjoy them with a hot herbal tea laced with rum, or they pair well with coffee.

This recipe for vanilkove rohlicky has an easy-to-work-with dough with just enough sweetness.

Rugelach

Served with coffee after Synagogue, shared at Yom Kippur breakfasts and shiva and Hanukkah, these traditional cookies are beloved because of their comforting presence at important events. A little something sweet, a little something to nibble. Not all rugelach are delicious—cheap versions can be dense and doughy, with overly sweet jam or chocolate wrapped in the pastry layers.

But a truly delicious rugelach is a treat. The cookie has a light, flaky texture, complex flavors of nuts, chocolate, and butter, and is rich with a hint of sour cream and cream cheese.

How to love them:

These are traditionally served with tea, but coffee works too. They’re best eaten within three days.

This recipe for rugelach is a fan favorite on allrecipes.com.

CTown Markets believes that food is the essence of community, and there’s nothing like sharing recipes across cultures to help us celebrate our connection.