A Few Historical Christmas Cookies

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 For many people who celebrate Christmas, cookies and biscuits are linked to the holiday. In some families the holidays are the only time of the year these recipes made. Eating them evokes memories of families and culture in a unique way. In my family it was sugar cookies, cut in holiday shapes and decorated with frosting and sprinkles.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but mere a sampling of recipes from the 18th through the 20th century with links to the cookbooks online. It’s also limited to English, American, and German traditions. Many other Christian cultures have their own favorite Christmas cookies.

1728 from A Collection of Above Three Hundred Receipts in Cookery, Physick and Surgery by Kettilby, Mary


1796 from American Cookery by Amelia Simmons
This recipe calls for potash, an early leavening more commonly found in 19th century recipes. If you’d like to try these cookies, just substitute baking soda for the pearl ash.
 

1845 from The New England Economical Housekeeper, and Family Receipt Book by Mrs. E. A. Howland

Christmas Cookies


1873 from German National Cookery for English Kitchens by Anne Letitia Schiller 

Two kinds of Lebkuchen

1915 from The Fun of Cooking: a Story for Boys And Girls by Caroline French Benton
I’d never made gingerbread by this method: melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in molasses, then add the dry ingredients. I’d seen contestants on the Great British Bake Off use this method so I gave it a try. It was very good, although the next time I made it I might add a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. The amount of flour is not clearly stated, but it took about six cups for me to get the right consistency.

Gingerbread Men
 


ca. 1950 My mother's Sugar Cookies
This was the most important Christmas cookie recipe from my childhood. I don’t know when my mother first started using this recipe, but she definitely made this cookies every Christmas. Thought the recipe calls them ‘plain’, we decorated them with frosting and sprinkles and the fun decorative things that kid’s love.
Plain Sugar Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
Cream butter and sugar. Mix dry ingredients. Add egg to milk and stir in alternatively with dry ingredients to form a smooth dough. Roll thin, cut out, and bake at 375° until lightly browned and crisp.


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