Maria Cookies (Galletas Maria)

Maria cookies, known widely as Galletas Maria, are a type of sweet biscuit similar to a rich tea biscuit. Although they are arguably most famous today in Spanish-speaking countries and Mexico, their origin dates back to 1874 in London. They were created by the English bakery Peek Freans to commemorate the marriage of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia to the Duke of Edinburgh.

Because the recipe is not trademarked and is considered a generic biscuit style, they are produced by numerous manufacturers globally. Major international food giants like Mondelēz International and PepsiCo produce them under various brand names such as Fontaneda or Gamesa. Manufacturing typically occurs locally or regionally within the markets they serve, spanning from Europe to Latin America and Southeast Asia.