Among the caroling, twinkling lights, and ubiquitous scent of evergreen and pine, I begin to dream of spicy gingerbread men rising in the oven, mounds of flour flown across the kitchen countertops like the aftermath of a food fight, and the steady rhythm of the kitchen-aid as it beats a batter of butter, sugar and vanilla into the bites that will inhabit the palate with festive flavor.

This season introduced a series of inventive and delicate cookies to our recipe repertoire.

1. Hazelnut Shortbread

Recipe by Laura Kasavan

By incorporating toasted hazelnuts into the batter, this shortbread has a signature snap. Dipped in hot semi-sweet chocolate, the flavor options double into a salty-sweet combination. The topping of gold sprinkles mimics the star that sits atop the tree in an enticing finish.

2. Linzer Cookies

Recipe by Sarah Brunella

A cultural powerhouse, the Austrian Spitzbuben is a buttery shortbread sandwich injected with tart raspberry jam. It's a timeless classic found in most holiday cookie assortments despite the enormous amount of labor needed to ensure that the especially crumbly dough binds into its formable and adorable shape. A dusting of confectioner's sugar is the idyllic snow that covers the ground on a white Christmas morning.

3. Fig and Five Spice Soetkoekies

Recipe by The Daley Plate

These Afrikaans biscuits are molded by a purèe of dried fig and drizzled in a messy array of white chocolate. At first bite, they are easily mistaken for the familiar taste of gingerbread. But after a few thoughtful seconds of chewing, undertones of licorice and Chinese spice penetrate the palate--and we realize that this is something much more unique.

4. Struffoli

Recipe by Great-Grandma Marie

Written on slightly wrinkled paper in ever-fading ink, this recipe in an artifact of decades of holiday tables. As Mom and I stand for hours in the kitchen carefully rolling the dough, we feel the hands of those before us working tirelessly to carry on the tradition. It's the quintessence of pride. Doused in golden honey and shaped into a wreath, these tiny pockets of sweetness symbolize the delectable promise that comes with a new year and new beginnings.