Sweet Globetrotting: 8 Festive Christmas Treats From Across the World

Mexico’s Buñuelos de Rodilla (Christmas Fritters)

These pastries made from wheat commonly contain anise, a herb with a sweet taste reminiscent of black liquorice. After rolling out the yeast dough and forming it into balls or discs, the pastries are fried and typically garnished with a sweet topping.

England’s Christmas Pudding

For a proper English Christmas experience, you can treat your guests to the classic Christmas pudding. This well-loved holiday dessert features a texture resembling that of a sponge cake and is typically crafted from dried and candied fruit peels along with citrus zests.

Germany’s Christollen

Christollen is a festive bread relished by families across Germany during the Christmas season. It is commonly crafted with dried fruit, candied citrus peels, an assortment of nuts, and various spices. The finishing touch involves a powdered sugar coating resembling snow.

Denmark’s Risalamande

This classic Danish rice pudding is traditionally served during Christmas dinner or lunch. It usually involves blending whipped cream, sugar, vanilla, and chopped almonds into the pudding, followed by a topping of cherry sauce.

France’s Bûche de Noël

What could be merrier than a Yule log-shaped chocolate cake? This classic French dessert is rolled with chocolate whipped cream and dusted with a sprinkle of sugar to enhance its wintry appeal even further.

Brazil’s Flan

Flan, a traditional Latin American dessert, has gained popularity worldwide, including in the US, and is especially favoured during the Christmas season. In Brazil, this caramel-topped egg custard dessert incorporates condensed milk and is baked in a bundt pan.

The Philippines’ Bibingka

Locals often favour topping these sweet rice cakes with a variety of ingredients, with salted egg being a particularly popular choice.

Australia & New Zealand’s Pavlova

It might come as a surprise that Pavlova is a customary Christmas dessert, considering it was named after Anna Pavlova, the renowned Russian ballerina. This meringue cake is crafted from whipped egg whites and sugar.