Baking

Chatelaine deputy editor Gillian Grace first tried these chocolatey cookies while staying at the Royal Hotel in Prince Edward County, Ont. Presented to every guest upon check-in, they're a real crowd pleaser: crackly, chewy and totally gluten-free. Pastry chef Sarah Villamere was happy to share the recipe with us—and we can't wait to make them at home ourselves.

The original recipe for the persian, a beloved Thunder Bay, Ont., delicacy, is a closely guarded secret. This cookie spin-off keeps the spirit of the original cinnamon-scented fried dough topped with berry-tinted icing.

These well-spiced cookies are a holiday tradition in European countries like Belgium.

Based on Dorie Greenspan’s classic Jammers, these cookies take flavour inspiration from a Prairie classic: Saskatoon pie. Saskatoons (also known as service berries) have an almond flavour that is amplified by an almond-scented sablé Breton base and an almond crumble.

Nougabricot, the classic Québécois jam, is based on common flavours in French nougat—apricot, almond, pistachio and candied orange peel. Here, it becomes a much simpler confection: rocky road. Just melt best-quality white chocolate with a little butter, fold in plump dried apricots, nuts and candied orange, and you’ve got a sophisticated treat in a matter of minutes (minus the chilling time). Bonus points for candying your own orange peel!