RS Vacations – Big Bear Lake, CA

The history of the cookie goes back 10,000 years when Neolithic farmers used to bake food comprising of grain and water paste on hot stones. Cookies are believed to be the descendants of this food.

The origin of Christmas cookies lies in Medieval European recipes. Lebkuchen (gingerbread) was probably the first cake/cookie to be traditionally related with Christmas. The baking of cookies spread all over Europe by 1500. Most every house made or baked cookies in great amounts, which were generally either Lebkuchen or buttery Spritz Cookies. The people of Sweden preferred Papparkakor (spicy ginger and black-pepper delights), while the Norwegians took to the liking of Krumkake (thin lemon and cardamom-scented wafers). So it is seen that the cookies of one place were different in form and shape from another.

The earliest examples of Christmas cookies in the United States were brought by the Dutch in the early 17th century. Due to a wide range of cheap imported products from Germany between 1871 and 1906 following a change to importation laws, cookie cutters became available in American markets. These imported cookies cutters often depicted highly stylized images with subjects designed to hang on Christmas trees. Due to the availability of these utensils, recipes began to appear in cookbooks designed to use them.

Since the 1930’s, children have been leaving a plate of cookies out for Santa Claus and over the years, giving gifts of cookies to friends and neighbors and cookie exchange parties have become more popular over the years.

This year, why not get together with friends or family and have a cookie baking party? You will have fun and leave with delicious cookies to share. YUM!

RS Vacations wishes you Happy Baking!