The best holiday desserts in 22 countries around the world

Typical holiday dessert might look a lot different

Canes, gingerbread, or sugar cookies
Americans love to eat candy canes, gingerbread, and sugar cookies during the holidays.

Elsewhere in the world, however, a typical holiday dessert might look a lot different.

From an 18-layered ring cake in Norway to a boozy rum-filled fruit cake in Jamaica, this is what holiday treats look like in 22 countries around the world.

AUSTRALIA: Many Australians opt for a light pavlova — or berry dessert — after dinner, instead of a heavy Christmas pudding or cake. Pavlova is similar to a large meringue that has been topped with fresh cream and berries.

AUSTRIA: Little vanilla crescent cookies called vanillekipferl adorn bakeshop windows and family kitchens throughout the holiday season in Austria. They're similar to a shortbread cookie and are made with vanilla and nuts.

BELGIUM: Speculaas is a thin, crunchy cookie typically eaten before St. Nicholas' feast in the Netherlands. The cookies are created using intricate wood molds and are similar in taste to gingerbread cookies, except that they are more subtly spiced.

BRAZIL: Rabanada is a Brazilian version of French toast served around Christmastime. Instead of maple syrup, rabanada is topped with a syrup made from spiced port wine.

CANADA: Chicken Bones, a spicy cinnamon hard candy filled with bittersweet chocolate, is a holiday favorite in Canada. Chicken Bones are a polarizing candy — a lot of Canadians either love them or hate them.

COLOMBIA: Many Colombians serve arroz con leche, or rice pudding, for dessert on Christmas. Every family has their own recipe, but it's typically made from milk, spices, raisins and rice.

CROATIA: You can expect to find a bowl of fritule sitting out in every Croatian household during the holiday season. Fritule are mini fried doughnuts, similar to a beignet, except they're made with rum, citrus zest, and raisins, and topped with powdered sugar.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Wander around any holiday market in Prague, and you'll be sure to find a stand that sells trdelnik, or chimney cakes. Dough strips are covered with sugar, cinnamon, and nuts and baked wrapped around a cylinder.

ENGLAND: Figgy pudding, also known as plum pudding and Christmas pudding, is a classic English Christmastime dessert. This cake-like treat is made with dried fruits, spices, and lots of alcohol. So much alcohol, in fact, that you can actually set it on fire, which many people do.

FRANCE: Calissons are a smooth, chewy, almond-flavored candy made with candied fruit and ground almonds, then topped with a thin layer of white icing.

GREECE: A Greek Christmas wouldn't be complete without a fresh batch of melomakarona, or honey walnut-spiced cookies. These cake-like cookies are made with ingredients that are native to Mediterranean cuisine, like honey, olive oil, and nuts.

GERMANY: Lebkuchen is a soft, cakey cookie that dates back to the 1300s. The cookie is heavily spiced and gets its sweetness from the added honey and layer of icing on top.

HUNGARY: Beigli is a pastry roll traditionally filled with a walnut or poppy seed paste, which is then baked. It is by far the most popular holiday treat at Christmastime in Hungary.

ICELAND: Laufabrauð, or leaf bread, is literally as thin as a leaf. During the holiday season, families gather to make these crispy, thin, pattern-adorned flatbreads.
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IRELAND: Fruit, sherry cream, custard and sponge cake are all piled into a trifle dish during the holiday season in Ireland. Trifle is often served as a lighter alternative to Christmas pudding.

ITALY: Panettone literally means "big bread," and it wouldn't be considered Christmas in Italy without it. Panettone can come in lots of different flavors, but the traditional panettone is a sweet bread that has candied oranges, lemon zest and raisins in it. This fluffy bread takes at least 12 hours to rise, but when it's finally ready to eat, the whole family enjoys it.

JAMAICA: No Christmas on the island would be complete without a slice of boozy Jamaican Christmas cake. It’s filled with a mixture of dried fruit and lots of rum.

MEXICO: Buñuelos can be found throughout Mexico, and like a lot of foods, they vary by region. In Oaxaca, where they are particularly popular during Christmastime, they look like discs of fried dough that have been dusted with sugar. When Oaxacans finish eating their buñuelos, it's tradition to smash their plate on the ground and make a wish.

NORWAY: An almond ring cake called kransekake is popular for all big occasions, Christmas included. A traditional cake consists of 18 wreaths that are decorated with mini Norwegian flags and decrease in size as they go up.

POLAND: Kolaczki are jam-filled holiday cookies that are especially popular after the big Polish Christmas Eve dinner called the Wigilia.

SPAIN: In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Spanish supermarkets will be lined with varieties of turrón, a Spanish nougat that is especially popular during the holiday season. There are two types: turrón de Alicante (hard nougat), and turrón di jijona (a soft variety).

SWEDEN: The day of St. Lucia kicks off the holiday season in Sweden, and to help celebrate, saffron buns are traditionally served. These rolls get their beautiful golden color from the the saffron-infused dough.

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