10 Easy Cookie Recipes From Around the World

Cookies are one of the simplest pleasures shared by cultures across the globe. Whether soft, crisp, buttery, or nutty, every country has its own signature treat — each reflecting local flavors, traditions, and textures. The best part? Many of these beloved cookies are incredibly easy to make at home with simple ingredients.

Here are 10 easy, iconic cookie recipes from around the world, along with what makes each of them special and how you can prepare them in your own kitchen.

1. American Chocolate Chip Cookies

A global classic with gooey chocolate and soft centers.

What Makes Them Special:

Chocolate chip cookies are iconic because they strike the perfect balance: crispy edges with a chewy center. They"re comforting, nostalgic, and endlessly customizable.

How to Make Them:

Cream butter and sugar

Add eggs and vanilla

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt

Fold in chocolate chips

Bake until edges turn golden

Key Insight:

The secret is not overbaking — the cookies firm up as they cool.

2. Italian Biscotti (Cantuccini)

Twice-baked cookies perfect for dipping.

What Makes Them Special:

Crunchy, almond-filled, and long-lasting, biscotti are ideal with coffee or tea. Their double baking gives them a dry, crisp texture.

How to Make Them:

Mix flour, sugar, eggs, and almonds

Shape into logs and bake

Slice the logs and bake again

Cool completely for extra crunch

Key Insight:

Biscotti improve in flavor after a day — they absorb moisture from the air beautifully.

3. French Madeleines

Delicate shell-shaped sponge cookies.

What Makes Them Special:

Madeleines are soft, buttery, lightly sweet, and known for their elegant “hump” on top. They pair perfectly with afternoon tea.

How to Make Them:

Beat eggs with sugar until fluffy

Fold in melted butter and flour

Chill the batter

Bake in shell-shaped molds

Key Insight:

Chilling the batter is the secret to achieving the signature dome.

4. German Pfeffernüsse Cookies

Spiced holiday cookies with a sweet icing.

What Makes Them Special:

Rich with warm spices — cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper — these cookies are traditional during Christmas and offer deep, comforting flavors.

How to Make Them:

Mix spices with flour

Combine with molasses or honey

Shape into small balls

Bake, then coat in powdered sugar

Key Insight:

Their flavor intensifies after a day or two, making them perfect for gifting.

5. Mexican Wedding Cookies (Polvorones)

Buttery, nutty, melt-in-your-mouth treats.

What Makes Them Special:

These cookies crumble instantly on the tongue and are coated in powdered sugar. Pecans or almonds give them a rich, warm nutty flavor.

How to Make Them:

Cream butter and powdered sugar

Add ground nuts and flour

Roll into balls

Bake and dust with more powdered sugar

Key Insight:

They contain no eggs — which is why they have their signature crumbly texture.

6. Middle Eastern Ma"amoul

Date-filled shortbread cookies.

What Makes Them Special:

Ma"amoul is beloved across the Middle East, featuring buttery semolina dough filled with dates, pistachios, or walnuts. Traditionally shaped with wooden molds.

How to Make Them:

Mix semolina, flour, butter, and rose water

Fill with date paste or nuts

Press into molds and bake

Key Insight:

These cookies are soft, fragrant, and stay delicious for days.

7. Greek Kourabiedes

Almond shortbread covered in powdered sugar.

What Makes Them Special:

These festive cookies are tender, buttery, and lightly flavored with almonds and sometimes rose water or brandy.

How to Make Them:

Cream butter until fluffy

Add powdered sugar, almonds, and flour

Shape into crescents

Bake and coat with powdered sugar

Key Insight:

The long creaming time makes them extra light and airy.

8. Japanese Matcha Cookies

Crisp, buttery cookies with earthy green tea flavor.

What Makes Them Special:

Matcha adds a beautiful green color and a slightly bitter, aromatic depth that balances the butter and sugar.

How to Make Them:

Cream butter and sugar

Add flour and matcha powder

Roll dough into a log

Slice and bake

Key Insight:

Use high-quality matcha for vibrant color and authentic taste.

9. Australian Anzac Biscuits

Chewy oat cookies with coconut and golden syrup.

What Makes Them Special:

Created during WWI, these cookies last long without spoiling and are known for their caramel-like flavor and hearty texture.

How to Make Them:

Mix oats, coconut, and flour

Combine butter with golden syrup

Add baking soda

Shape and bake until golden

Key Insight:

Their texture varies: bake less for chewiness, more for crispiness.

10. Indian Nankhatai

Shortbread cookies with cardamom and ghee.

What Makes Them Special:

Nankhatai are crisp, aromatic, and crumbly cookies made with ghee and flavored with cardamom or saffron — a true reflection of Indian flavors.

How to Make Them:

Mix ghee, sugar, and cardamom

Add flour and semolina

Shape into rounds

Bake until lightly golden

Key Insight:

Using ghee instead of butter gives nankhatai its unique fragrance and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Conclusion

Cookies are a universal comfort food — simple to make, joyful to eat, and deeply connected to cultural traditions. From American chocolate chip cookies to Japanese matcha treats and Middle Eastern ma"amoul, each recipe expresses a unique flavor story. The best part is that all ten cookies are easy enough to prepare at home, even for beginners.

Exploring global cookies isn’t just baking — it’s tasting the world, one warm batch at a time.