Macaron Milieu
International Cookies
Experience travel around the world with your tastebuds
I’m on a journey to learn how to bake cookies from around the world as a way to explore different cultures, traditions, and stories. By discovering the ingredients and techniques that make each cookie unique, I hope to deepen my appreciation for diversity and the many ways food brings people together. I’m learning from a variety of sources including the "crumbs" cookbook by Ben Mims, and other recipes and cultural insights I find online. I am approaching each recipe with respect and curiosity, honoring each cookie's cultural roots while learning from the people and histories behind them. Through this, I hope to create a welcoming space where shared treats spark conversation, connection, and an expanded sense of community.
My Journey
France
macarons, hélénettes
​
United States of America
chocolate chip cookies
Azerbaijan
ghorabieh, sheker chorek
Italy
pignoli
Scotland
shortbread
Sweden
Schackrutor
Azerbaijan
From the cookbook I am using to facilitate this baking voyage, I recently learned that cookies trace their origins back to 7th-century Persia. Since this is the beginning of my international cookie baking expedition, I thought it was appropriate to start off with a truly original cookie. This particular cookie comes in a few variations: an almond version called badami ghorabieh, a walnut version called gerdui ghorabieh, and a coconut version called nargili ghorabieh. Of the three, I liked the coconut one the best due to the chewy texture.
ghorabieh
These cookies (not to be confused with a braided bread with the same name) are crumbly, buttery, and almost melt in your mouth. The ingredients are familiar to me (I had all the ingredients already at home) and they came together quite quickly. Shaker chorek cookies are traditionally made in celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
sheker chorek
United States of America (USA)
chocolate chip cookies
As an American I feel it is safe to say that chocolate chip cookies are the epitome of American cookie baking. First invented in Wakefield, Massachusetts by Ruth Graves in 1938, chocolate chip cookies have remained a very popular cookie in the states.
If you go grocery shopping at a supermarket chain I am sure you have come across these cookies in the bakery aisle. They typically have a bright color frosting (like pink) and have rainbow sprinkles on top. I think of them as a hybrid between a cookie and a cake. My lofthouse cookies take all the good characteristics of those cookies in the grocery store and then are elevated by using fresh and high quality ingredients (without all of the chemicals!) The frosting makes the cookies just right in sweetness.
lofthouse cookies
France
hélénettes (France)
It is common for me to find myself with an excess of egg yolks due to all of the French macarons I make. This cookie recipe has been a way for me (and ostensibly generations of French bakers) to be less wasteful. When trying to find the origin story for these cookies I wasn't able to see anything definitive. It seems like these cookies are the kinds of cookies that have recipes sent down from generation to generation.
Italy
Pine nuts are so tasty (and expensive!) I learned recently from the Italian doctor I work with at my other job that "pignoli" translates into "pine nuts". They are utilized in various ways in Italian cooking and baking. These cookies are a bit fancy, a bit chewy, and have delightful tastes of toasty pine nuts and almond paste.
pignoli
Scotland
In the Fall of 2025 I went on a trip with my father to Scotland. When we were in Edinburgh, I took a Scottish baking class, and one of the treats we baked was shortbread cookies. I learned that using high quality European butter is paramount in successfully baking tasty shortbread cookies.
shortbread
Sweden
