Come December, even novice bakers break out the cookie cutters and the red and green sprinkles. Christmas cookies are more than mere sweets: they are gifts, mementos of childhood, and, often, markers of the baker's specific heritage and beliefs. This year, in the interest of expanding our repertoire, we asked pastry chef Nick Malgieri to share a few of his favorite Christmas cookie recipes from around the world. He came back with a fascinating selection, ranging from delicate, crescent-shaped Austrian vanillekipferl to buttery Argentine alfajores filled with dulce de leche. And, yes, there are even all-American sugar cookies decked out in bright-green icing and silvery baubles. Take a look at all of the cookies in our gallery »