 A variety of decorated North American style Christmas cookies | |
| Type | Sugarbiscuits andcookies |
|---|---|
Christmas cookies orChristmas biscuits are traditionallysugar cookies orbiscuits (though other flavours may be used based on family traditions and individual preferences) cut into various shapes related toChristmas.
Modern Christmas cookies can trace their history to recipes fromMedieval Europe biscuits, when many modern ingredients such ascinnamon,ginger,black pepper,almonds anddried fruit were introduced into the west. By the 16th century Christmas biscuits had become popular across Europe, withLebkuchen being favoured in Germany andpepparkakor in Sweden, while in Norwaykrumkake were popular.[1]
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 cookie cutters often depicted highly stylised images with subjects designed to hang onChristmas trees. Due to the availability of these utensils, recipes began to appear in cookbooks designed to use them.[1] In the early 20th century, U.S. merchants were also importing decorated Lebkuchen cookies from Germany to be used as presents.[2]
In Canada and the United States, since the 1930s, children have left cookies andmilk on a table forSanta Claus onChristmas Eve, though many people simply consume the cookies themselves. The cookies are often cut into the shape ofcandy canes,reindeer,holly leaves, Christmas trees,stars, orangels.
Gingerbread has existed in some form since sugars and spices were brought back to Europe, from soldiers in theCrusades. However, it was not untilQueen Victoria andPrince Albert included it with a variety of other German Christmas traditions that the gingerbread cookies became primarily associated with Christmas.[3] Gingerbread cookies are also traditional inAlsace.
Bredele are Christmas cookies in theAlsatian cuisine of France.
Chocolate crinkles are Christmas cookies fromSaint Paul, Minnesota, United States. The cookie's name is derived from a crackle of its cookie because while baking the dough expands and flattens while the coated powdered sugar cracks, giving it a crinkle effect,[4][5][6][7] making it resemble asnowflake.[8][9] Thus, the cookie is an icon for a Christmas treat for it reminds one ofwinter due to its resemblance ofsoil covered withsnow.[10][11][12]
A traditional cookie which dates from theMiddle Ages in Norway,Fattigmann cookies are deep fried in unsalted fat.[13]
Kerstkransjes are traditional Christmas cookies fromthe Netherlands. They are round with a hole in the middle. The most usual type uses almond chips as decoration.
Krumkaker are traditional cookies from Norway. They were originally baked over open fires using decorative irons; however modern cooks use electric or stovetop irons to bake these wafer-thin biscuits.Krumkaker owe their name, which means "bent cake" or "twisted cake", to the fact that they are wrapped in a cone shape.
Pepparkakor are crisp, thingingersnap biscuits from Sweden, traditionally cut out in flower and heart shapes.[13]
Pfeffernüsse originate inScandinavia and date from medieval times when spices were used exclusively in holiday baking.[13]
Repostería is a Mexican type ofshortbread-like cookie that is lightly baked and dipped into a cinnamon sugar blend until the cinnamon sugar surrounds the cookie.[14] These are often served with coffee or hot spiced Mexican chocolate.
Sandbakelse are sugar cookies from nineteenth century Norway. The dough is pressed into tins, and then baked in an oven.
Springerle have been traditional Christmas cookies in south Germany (Bavaria andBaden-Württemberg) and Austria for centuries. They areanise-flavored cookies made from an egg-flour-sugardough. They are usually made in simple shapes, such as rectangles or circles.
After shaping, they usually have a picture or design pressed into the soft dough with specially carvedrolling pins or presses. After they are baked, the designs are sometimes colored if the intention is to use the cookies as decorations.[15]
Also calledAmish sugar cookies or Nazareth sugar cookies, the modernsugar cookie was created by theMoravians, who settled in theNazareth area from Germany during the mid-18th century.Pennsylvania adopted the Nazareth sugar cookie as the official state cookie in 2001.[15]
