39 Sweet Old-World Recipes We Still Love Today

Read Time: 13 mins

39 Sweet Old-World Recipes We Still Love Today2/39 Jewish Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread 2 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 40 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This traditional Jewish mandel bread recipe has been passed down in my family for four generations. It tastes wonderful with a cup of coffee, hot cocoa or milk. —Monica Schnapp, Irvine, California 3/39 Baklava 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 1 hour 10 min Servings 4 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Many ethnic festivals are held in my city throughout the year. One in

May is the Greek Hellenic Festival

May is the Greek Hellenic Festival. My family enjoys baklava—a traditional walnut strudel. The recipe uses phyllo dough, which is not difficult to work with. Just have your ingredients ready to go and follow the directions on the package. The results are scrumptious and well worth the effort. —Judy Losecco, Buffalo, New York 4/39 Ice Cream Kolachkes 24 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 15 min Servings 10 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: These sweet pastries have Polish and Czech roots and can also be spelled “kolaches.” They are usually filled with

poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture

poppy seeds, nuts, jam or a mashed fruit mixture. The ice cream is a unique twist on traditional kolachkes, and it’s simplest to use a square cookie cutter to cut the dough. —Diane Turner, Brunswick, Ohio 5/39 Lingonberry-Cardamom Cake 1 Review Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 1 hour 40 min Servings 16 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Our family is Scandinavian, and we love using almonds, cardamom and lingonberries in desserts, as in this cardamom cake. If lingonberry jam is difficult to obtain, you can use pureed cranberry sauce with a little lemon juice to

get a similar sweet-tart flavor

get a similar sweet-tart flavor. Whipped cream is a perfect topping for this Scandinavian-inspired dessert. —Barbara Kvale, Cologne, Minnesota 6/39 Baki’s Old-World Cookies 9 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Baki’s Old-World Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 45 min Servings 3 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My uncles have always called these “cupcake cookies” because of the unique, pretty way they’re baked. My maternal grandmother mixed many batches. —Marilyn Louise Riggenbach, Ravenna, Ohio 7/39 Welsh Cakes Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 25 min Servings about 4-1/2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe

Creator: My grandfather was Welsh and liked to make Welsh cakes on the griddle

Creator: My grandfather was Welsh and liked to make Welsh cakes on the griddle. Our whole family loves them. Sometimes he would make them for Christmas and wrap them in little bundles for each family. It’s a very special memory for us. —Wendy Masters, East Garafraxa, Ontario 8/39 Cuccidati 17 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Cuccidati Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 40 min Servings about 5 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: The compliments from family and friends make these Sicilian cookies worth the effort. It’s the best recipe I’ve found! —Carolyn Fafinski, Dunkirk,

The Brittany region of France is known for its use of butter

New York 9/39 French Butter Cookies Test Kitchen Approved French Butter Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings 2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: The Brittany region of France is known for its use of butter. These French butter cookies, also known as sable Breton, shine the spotlight on the famous ingredient. This recipe is mildly sweet, rich, crisp and has a hint of salt. You won’t be able to resist having a second—or third. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 10/39 Raspberry Custard Kuchen 34 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Raspberry

We love it for breakfast or as a special dessert

Custard Kuchen Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Back where I grew up in Wisconsin, people have been baking this German treat for generations. We love it for breakfast or as a special dessert. It’s no fuss to fix and impressive to serve. —Virginia Arndt, Sequim, Washington 11/39 Melomakarona 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 40 min Servings 4-1/2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Growing up in Cyprus, we would see this melomakarona cookie everywhere during the holidays. Every year my mother,

Thelma, would make plate after plate of these all Christmas long

Thelma, would make plate after plate of these all Christmas long. It’s just not the holidays without them. —Paris Paraskeva, San Francisco, California 12/39 Ricotta Cheesecake 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Old-World Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe photo by Kristina Vanni for Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 20 min Servings 12 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I reconstructed this dessert based on an old recipe that had been in the family for years but was never written down. The subtle cinnamon flavor of the zwieback crust and the dense texture of the ricotta cheese are reminiscent of

the cheesecake I enjoyed as a child

the cheesecake I enjoyed as a child. —Mary Beth Jung, Hendersonville, North Carolina 13/39 Apple Strudel 17 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved German Apple Strudel Recipe photo by Christine Ma for Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour 45 min Servings 2 strudels (8 pieces each) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This gorgeous strudel has just what you crave this time of year: thin layers of flaky crust and lots of juicy apples. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon 14/39 Bohemian Kolaches 15 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 40 min Servings 28 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator:

It was a standard treat in their family, made nearly every week

This kolache recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother! It was a standard treat in their family, made nearly every week. Now I make these kolaches for my own family for special occasions. —Maxine Hron, Quincy, Illinois 15/39 Chocolate Babka 11 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Chocolate Babka Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings 2 loaves (16 pieces each) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: I love this chocolate babka. It’s a rewarding recipe for taking the next step in your bread baking. Even if it’s slightly imperfect

going into the oven, it turns out gorgeous

going into the oven, it turns out gorgeous. Look at those swirls! —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin 16/39 Spumoni Slices 10 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Spumoni Slices Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 45 min Servings 7 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: These sweet rectangles get their name from the old-fashioned tricolored ice cream. My entire family loves them. —Mary Chupp, Chattanooga, Tennessee 17/39 Gingerbread Cake 5 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Granny’s Gingerbread Cake with Caramel Sauce Recipe photo by Christine Ma for Taste of Home Total Time 1 hour Servings 9 servings Go to Recipe

Of all the Italian cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite

From the Recipe Creator: The rich molasses and spice flavor of this old-time dessert is complemented with a buttery caramel sauce.—Joy Sparks, Muskegon, Michigan 18/39 Italian Wedding Cookies 54 Reviews Contest Winner Test Kitchen Approved Italian Wedding Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 40 min Servings about 7 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: Of all the Italian cookie recipes I make, this is my favorite. These sprinkle cookies take some time, but, believe me, they are well worth it! My husband and I used to operate an Italian American restaurant, and this recipe goes

back generations

back generations. —Gloria Cracchiolo, Newburgh, New York 19/39 Bee Sting Cake 6 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Total Time 1 hour 15 min Servings 8 servings Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: This bee sting cake (aka bienenstich) may look daunting, but it’s well worth the effort. Take each step at a time, and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen 20/39 Pizzelle Cookies 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Pizzelle Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 20 min Servings about 2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: These

I create them using a pizzelle iron

lovely, golden brown anise pizzelle cookies have a crisp texture and delicate anise flavor. I create them using a pizzelle iron. —Barbara Colucci, Rockledge, Florida 21/39 Swedish Cream Apple Rings 1 Review Test Kitchen Approved Swedish Cream Apple Rings Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 45 min Servings 2 rings (10 servings each) Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: My mother made this classic coffee cake for every important holiday… Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Now, I carry on the tradition. As I make them, I remember my mom, who was a lot like this recipe: soft and

tasteful but full of surprises

tasteful but full of surprises. The overnight rise let’s you make the dough in advance so your morning won’t be hectic.—Heather Hood, Hillsboro, Oregon 22/39 Palmier Cookies 9 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME Total Time 35 min Servings 2 dozen Go to Recipe From the Recipe Creator: It takes just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 23/39 Rice Pudding 94 Reviews Test Kitchen Approved Grandma’s Rice Pudding Recipe photo by Taste of Home Total Time 55 min Servings

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