Maral Sarkhoshian and her baker husband, Hovsep, specialize in baklava and snail-shaped tahini cookies that tout layers of pastry crammed with a terrific sesame filling, browned and crispy at the base, tender and flaky up top.

Miami native Jamie Cantor worked at The French Laundry before launching a cookie company that developed into a full-scale Culver City shoppe. Her small but effective discs include a chewy Signature Cookie that combines oats, Zante currants, granola, chocolate chips and walnuts.

Around Christmas, Glendale native Na Young Ma bakes Zimsterne, chewy star-shaped cookies with Swedish provenance that incorporate almond flour, oats, cardamom, orange peel, cinnamon and icing.