Czech Christmas Cookies (Cukroví) & Trdelník

At Christmas, Czech homes produce elaborate platters of cukroví — dozens of varieties of intricate biscuits including vanilla crescents (vanilkové rohlíčky), linzer cookies (linecké), coconut balls, and walnut crescents. It's a national tradition taken with great seriousness. At Christmas markets, trdelník — sweet spiral pastry dough wrapped around a wooden cylinder and roasted over coals, then rolled in cinnamon sugar — fills the air with irresistible aroma.