Festival food
Made for a festival or a public holiday.
Halvaحَلَاوَة
🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreDense sweet made from seeds, grains, or vegetables, found across Asia, Africa, and Europe
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Samosa
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFried or baked pastry with a spiced filling, shaped into triangles or cones
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Lunch
BaklavaVegetarianباقلوا
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThin pastry filled with nuts and soaked in sweet syrup
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
MarzipanVegetarian
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreSweet almond paste shaped or used in cakes, especially at Christmas and weddings
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
SachertorteVegetarian
🇦🇹 Austria and 1 moreAustrian chocolate sponge cake with apricot jam and a glossy chocolate glaze
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Pie
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreA baked dish with a pastry crust and sweet or savoury filling
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
JalebiVegetarian
🇮🇳 India and 6 moreDeep-fried spirals of batter soaked in syrup, enjoyed across Asia and Africa
Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Snacks
Turkish delightVegan
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreSoft, chewy cubes of starch and sugar, often flavored or filled with nuts or fruit
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Jolpan
🇮🇳 IndiaAssamese breakfast snacks of rice, pitha, and sweets, often served with tea or curd
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks
Mulled wineGlühwein
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreRed wine heated with spices and fruit, served hot at Christmas and winter gatherings
Drink, Tea time, Dinner
PanettoneVegetarian
🇮🇹 Italy and 2 moreTall, sweet Italian bread with candied fruit, eaten at Christmas and New Year
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time
Mooncake月饼 / 月餅
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreA round Chinese pastry with sweet or nutty filling, eaten at the Mid-Autumn Festival
Pie or savoury pastry, Tea time, Snacks
MacaronVegetarian
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreAlmond meringue sandwich cookie with a creamy or jam filling
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Cinnamon rollVegetarian
🇸🇪 Sweden and 4 moreA sweet rolled bun with cinnamon and sugar, baked and often topped with icing
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time
Chocolate cakeVegetarian
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreCake made with chocolate or cocoa, often layered or topped with icing
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Sponge cakeVegetarian
🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreA light, airy cake made with eggs, flour and sugar, often served plain or with fillings
Sweet or dessert, Tea time
CannoliVegetarianCannolo
🇮🇹 ItalySicilian fried pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time
Black Forest cakeVegetarianSchwarzwälder Kirschtorte
🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreGerman chocolate and cherry layer cake with whipped cream and kirsch
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
DangoVegan団子
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese sweet dumplings made from rice flour, often served on skewers
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
StollenVegetarian
🇩🇪 Germany and 2 moreGerman fruit bread with dried fruit, nuts, spices and a sugar-dusted crust
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Red bean pasteVegan
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 moreSweet or plain paste made from boiled adzuki beans, used in East Asian desserts
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
BerlinerVegetarian
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreJam-filled German doughnut without a central hole, dusted with sugar or glazed
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
King cake
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreA festive sweet bread or pastry with a hidden token, eaten for Epiphany and Carnival
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time
DaifukuVegan大福餅
🇯🇵 JapanSmall mochi cakes filled with sweet bean paste or other fillings
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Angel wingsVegetarian
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreCrisp, deep-fried ribbons of dough dusted with powdered sugar
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time
WagashiVegan和菓子
🇯🇵 JapanTraditional Japanese sweets made with plant-based ingredients and seasonal themes
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
RasgullaVegetarian
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreSoft chhena balls simmered in light sugar syrup
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
ShortbreadVegetarian
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCrumbly Scottish biscuit made with butter, flour and sugar
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
GloggGlögg
🇸🇪 Sweden and 2 moreNordic spiced mulled wine, served warm at Christmas
Drink, Tea time, Snacks
Qatayefقطايف
🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreSweet stuffed pancakes, folded and filled with nuts or cream, served for Ramadan
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
LokmaVegan
🇮🇶 Iraq and 4 moreSmall fried dough pieces sweetened with syrup or honey
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
CastellaVegetarianカステラ
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreSweet, moist Japanese sponge cake with roots in Portuguese baking
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
MacaroonVegetarian
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreSweet biscuit or small cake made from nuts or coconut and egg whites
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Christmas cake
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreCakes served at Christmas, often rich with fruit, nuts or cream
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Ma'amoulVegetarianمعمول
🇸🇾 Syria and 4 moreSemolina cookies filled with dates or nuts, shaped in moulds for festive occasions
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
LinzertorteVegetarianLinzer Torte
🇦🇹 Austria and 3 moreAustrian shortcrust pastry with fruit preserves and a lattice top
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Jian duiVegetarian
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreFried glutinous rice balls coated with sesame seeds and filled with sweet paste
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Cozonac
🇷🇴 Romania and 4 moreA sweet, enriched bread often filled with nuts or dried fruit, baked for Easter
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Buñuelo
🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreCrisp or fluffy fried dough, sweet or savory, enjoyed across Spain and Latin America
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Breakfast
Mince pie
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreSmall sweet pies filled with spiced fruit mincemeat, eaten at Christmas
Pie or savoury pastry, Tea time, Snacks
Pineapple cakeVegetarian王梨酥 ông-lâi-so͘
🇹🇼 TaiwanTaiwanese pastry with sweet pineapple jam inside a golden, crumbly shell
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
LamingtonVegetarian
🇦🇺 Australia and 1 moreSponge cake squares dipped in chocolate and rolled in coconut
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
SakuramochiVegetarian桜餅
🇯🇵 JapanSweet pink mochi filled with red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry leaf
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
BotamochiVeganぼたもち or 牡丹餅
🇯🇵 JapanSweet rice balls covered with red bean paste, eaten during spring and autumn in Japan
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Hot cross bunVegetarian
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreA sweet, spiced bun with a cross on top, eaten at Easter
Bread, Breakfast, Snacks
MalpuaVegetarian
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreSweet deep-fried pancakes from the Indian subcontinent, often dipped in syrup
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Snacks
Babkaעוגת שמרים
🇵🇱 Poland and 4 moreSweet braided loaf with rich fillings like chocolate or cinnamon
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time
BoxtyVegetarianbacstaí
🇮🇪 IrelandIrish potato pancake made with grated raw potato and flour
Main dish, Breakfast, Tea time
Samosa
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreFried or baked pastry with a spiced filling, shaped into triangles or cones
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Lunch
BaklavaVegetarianباقلوا
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreThin pastry filled with nuts and soaked in sweet syrup
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Cinnamon rollVegetarian
🇸🇪 Sweden and 4 moreA sweet rolled bun with cinnamon and sugar, baked and often topped with icing
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time
Chocolate cakeVegetarian
🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreCake made with chocolate or cocoa, often layered or topped with icing
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
CannoliVegetarianCannolo
🇮🇹 ItalySicilian fried pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cream
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time
DangoVegan団子
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese sweet dumplings made from rice flour, often served on skewers
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Angel wingsVegetarian
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreCrisp, deep-fried ribbons of dough dusted with powdered sugar
Pie or savoury pastry, Snacks, Tea time
Christmas cake
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreCakes served at Christmas, often rich with fruit, nuts or cream
Sweet or dessert, Tea time, Snacks
Ma'amoulVegetarianمعمول
🇸🇾 Syria and 4 moreSemolina cookies filled with dates or nuts, shaped in moulds for festive occasions
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
BotamochiVeganぼたもち or 牡丹餅
🇯🇵 JapanSweet rice balls covered with red bean paste, eaten during spring and autumn in Japan
Sweet or dessert, Snacks, Tea time
Babkaעוגת שמרים
🇵🇱 Poland and 4 moreSweet braided loaf with rich fillings like chocolate or cinnamon
Sweet or dessert, Breakfast, Tea time
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Cinnamon roll: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Castella: Ocdp, CC0, source
- Sachertorte: Hellokitty893112 at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, source
- Berliner: Lear 21, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Macaroon: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cozonac: L.Kenzel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lamington: Spacekadet at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Wagashi: Ocdp, CC0, source
- Sakuramochi: katorisi, CC BY 3.0, source
- Rasgulla: User:Utcursch , based on images, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Stollen: Gürgi, Public domain, source
- Pineapple cake: Mk2010, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jalebi: Gpkp, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Macaron: M0tty, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mulled wine: JJ Georges, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pie: Peggy Greb, Public domain, source
- Lokma: Benreis, CC BY 3.0, source
- Samosa: kspoddar, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Turkish delight: c.berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Baklava: Sakaman, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Marzipan: James Petts, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- King cake: Benh LIEU SONG ( Flickr ), CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Panettone: N i c o l a, CC BY 2.0, source
- Dango: Maakun, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Red bean paste: Midori, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sponge cake: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Cannoli: Paolo Piscolla, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Daifuku: No machine-readable author provided. Lyzzy assumed (based on copyright, CC BY 2.5, source
- Black Forest cake: Mikelo, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Jian dui: PL09Puryono, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jolpan: Floris van Dyck, Public domain, source
- Linzertorte: Burkhard Mücke, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mince pie: Alcinoe, Public domain, source
- Botamochi: Tomomarusan, CC BY 2.5, source
- Malpua: Senjuti Dey, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Hot cross bun: Cjorsch, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chocolate cake: Tracy Hunter, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mooncake: Lybil BER, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Boxty: さえぼー, CC0, source
- Angel wings: Marcin Floryan, CC BY 2.5, source
- Shortbread: User:Dave souza, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Qatayef: Fjmustak, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Glogg: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ma'amoul: fugzu, CC BY 2.0, source
- Christmas cake: Martin Belam, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Buñuelo: Klenje, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Babka: Hanina at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source