National Homemade Cookies Day
Cookies are fun and easy to make, so why not bake a batch to enjoy and share with family and friends on National Homemade Cookies Day!
A delicious and comforting treat, perhaps homemade cookies brings back memories of mom baking cookies that were enjoyed with a tall and refreshing glass of milk. Or maybe homemade cookies weren’t a part of childhood, but this is the perfect opportunity to include them now in honor of National Homemade Cookies Day!
History of National Homemade Cookies Day
Homemade cookies have a history that dates several centuries – back to when everything that was eaten was ‘homemade’. The idea for cookies may have developed from making little cakes that were smaller and perhaps they were originally made to test the temperature of the oven before putting the full sized cake in to bake.
This may have originated in Persia, which is modern-day Iran, sometime around the 7th century AD. The growth of the popularity of cookies was likely two-fold. The first has to do with the way that the use of sugar was able to spread around the world. The second is that it was likely discovered that cookies were more convenient for travel and they would also bake faster than a full sized cake.
By the 14th century, homemade cookies were rather common throughout the continent of Europe as well as in England. In fact, one cookie that is still beloved today was made popular about this time: the shortbread cookie. Made from butter, sugar and flour, this recipe was simple and flavorful. Mary, Queen of Scots is credited with making this cookie more well-known and well-loved.
Since the industrial revolution, the homemade cookie has often taken a backseat to the more convenient versions of cookies that are made in factories. National Homemade Cookie Day was established to bring back the beauty and simplicity of celebrating cookies that are made at home. Perhaps homemade cookies are not yet a lost art, and raising awareness and promoting homemade cookies will help to ensure that it never becomes so!
And since the date falls at a time when the weather is somewhat mild, no one will complain about turning the oven on. Without a doubt, this is the perfect time to enjoy and celebrate National Homemade Cookie Day!
National Homemade Cookies Day Timeline
7th Century AD
Historians believe that cookies were invented around this time in Persia.[1]
12th Century AD
Shortbread cookies originate in Scotland and eventually become commonplace under the influence of Mary Queen of Scots.[2]
14th Century AD
Cookbooks from the Renaissance era are filled with many different types of homemade cookie recipes.[3]
1600
Cookies are introduced to America
English and Dutch settlers in the New World brought recipes for homemade cookies with them.[4]
1930s
Chocolate Chip Cookie is invented
Ruth Wakefield runs the Toll House restaurant in Massachusetts and invents the recipe that was meant to be served with ice cream.[5]
How to Celebrate National Homemade Cookies Day
A variety of delicious and enjoyable ideas can be found for celebrating National Homemade Cookie Day! Consider some of these ways to have fun and enjoy the day–or come up with some of your own creative ideas:
Make Homemade Cookies
Of course, the most appropriate activity of the day is settling into the kitchen to whip up a batch (or several batches!) of homemade cookies. Choose from fan-favorite recipes like chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal cookies.
Or, get a bit more adventurous and creative with unique recipes such as lavender lemon shortbread cookies or cutout sugar cookies cut into cute shapes and decorated with amazing icing.
Perhaps there are those who make homemade cookies on the regular, so just making them doesn’t necessarily make this day special. In that case, this is a time to level up by creating new recipes for homemade cookies or altering recipes to make them your very own. Try adding unique ingredients from the herb garden to combine sweet with savory. Or implement special decorations like colored sprinkles or frosting that will bring out the very best in homemade cookies.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to National Homemade Cookie Day!
Share Homemade Cookies
Sure, homemade cookies are delicious to bake and then eat fresh out of the oven. But an even more beautiful way to celebrate is to brighten someone else’s by surprising them with their own homemade cookies. Become the “Homemade Cookie Fairy” and begin delivering bags or boxes filled with these delicious treats. Offer them to coworkers, neighbors, friends, family members, school teachers and just about anyone else!
Learn Fun Facts About Homemade Cookies
In celebration of the day, learn some fun facts and bits of trivia to share with friends and coworkers while promoting the benefits and enjoyment of National Homemade Cookie Day:
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Cookie Monster’s cookies aren’t real cookies
Cookie Monster, the character from the kids’ show, Sesame Street, often throws many cookies in his mouth. But they are actually painted rice cakes, which have a tendency to crumble well but aren’t damaging to the Muppets in the same way real cookies might be.
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The world’s largest homemade cookie was over 100 feet wide
Baked in 2003 and weighing over 400,000 pounds, this cookie was baked in Flat Rock, North Carolina and required the building of a special oven. The cookie baking project functioned as a promotional event to raise money for a Folk Artists’ Foundation museum. Now that’s one big cookie!
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The word “cookie” comes from the Dutch language
Settlers called little cakes by the term “koejkes”, which is simply a diminutive of the word cake.
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Single women used to eat gingerbread cookies for marriage luck
To improve their chances of finding a man to marry, English women used to eat gingerbread cookies, in the shape of men of course.
Support a Local Homemade Cookie Baker
Not feeling up to making your own homemade cookies? That’s okay! Plenty of people love baking and have even gone into the cottage industry of business by baking their own cakes, cupcakes and homemade cookies. Ask around or do an online search to find a homemade cookie baker in the local area and then put in a special order for National Homemade Cookie Day.
Host a Homemade Cookie Bake-off
Get together with a few friends, or grab some coworkers after the office closes, and arrange for a homemade cookie bake off challenge. If a large kitchen is available with several ovens, then perhaps they could all be made at the same time.
If not, choose a classic type of homemade cookie, like chocolate chip or oatmeal, and have several different people bake their best version home and bring them into work. Then, have a judging panel choose which homemade cookies are the winners in honor of National Homemade Cookie Day.
National Homemade Cookies Day FAQs
How long are homemade cookies good for?
Keep homemade cookies at room temperature for 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for 2-3 months.[1]
Why do homemade cookies get hard?
When cookies are exposed to air, their moisture evaporates leaving them stiff and crumbly.[2]
Where to buy homemade cookies?
Many local bakeries all over the world offer homemade cookies for sale. Those who want to order them online might try using Etsy.[3]
Should homemade cookies be refrigerated?
Cookies can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container, but they can also be stored at room temperature.[4]
Can you mail homemade cookies?
While it is possible to mail homemade cookies, consider choosing expedited service so they don’t go stale before arrival.
