Christmas Cookie Traditions Through the Ages
In the heart of the festive season, Christmas cookies have become a beloved tradition across the globe. These sweet treats, including gingerbread, krumkakes, reposteria, springerle, and sugar cookies, among others, have origins that can be traced back to medieval Europe.
The art of cookie decorating can be traced as far back as the 14th century in Switzerland with springerle cookies, which were made using intricately carved wooden molds to impress Biblical designs. This reflects an early artistic and religious tradition in Christmas baking.
Lebkuchen, a form of gingerbread, was crafted into decorative shapes and sugar-decorated; it originated in Medieval Germany and spread as a popular Christmas cookie tradition. Pepparkakor, a Swedish spiced cookie similar to gingerbread, also developed from Northern European baking traditions related to spices and holiday celebrations.
Krumkake, a Norwegian thin waffle cookie rolled into a cone, and pepparkakor became integral to Nordic Christmas customs, all linked to spice trade and regional baking culture.
Dutch and German settlers in the 17th century introduced cookie cutters, molds, and decorated cookie traditions to America, laying the foundation for popular Christmas cookie culture, including sugar cookies and gingerbread figures widely made today.
While not Christmas cookies but related to ancient festive baking, Mesopotamian kleicha cookies trace back to Sumerian times and show the deep historical roots of spiced or filled pastries in religious and celebratory contexts.
The spread of Christmas cookie traditions globally reflects European diaspora and cultural exchange, merging local ingredients and customs with these baked goods, evolving into diverse regional Christmas cookies worldwide.
By the late 1800s or early 20th century, cookie cutters started being imported to the United States from Germany. Gingerbread cookies, initially not associated with Christmas, gained their holiday significance in America.
Today, sugar cookies are the most popular version of decorated Christmas cookies. In Sweden, pepparkakor cookies are thin gingersnap-type cookies cut into flowers or hearts. Peppermint Spritz Cookies and Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies are other types of cookies that can be baked for the holiday season.
In a nod to this rich heritage, Pennsylvania adopted the Nazareth sugar cookies as its official state cookie in 2001. Although the term "repostería" does not appear explicitly in Christmas cookie history, it generally refers to Spanish or Latin American pastry traditions which also have roots in European and Moorish baking influences.
Thus, the global tradition of Christmas cookies is a layered cultural heritage starting with medieval European cookie molds and gingerbread, nurtured by Scandinavian and Germanic baking, and propagated internationally largely by European settlers. This year, as you bite into a Christmas cookie, remember the history and traditions that have made these treats a cherished part of the holiday season.
- The historical roots of decorated cookies, such as springerle and Lebkuchen, can be traced back to medieval Europe, indicating a connection between the art of cookie decorating and religious traditions in Christmas baking.
- Over the centuries, Christmas cookie traditions have evolved and adapted, incorporating elements from diverse regional baking cultures, reflecting the influence of spice trade and European diaspora, ultimately leading to various food-and-drink recipes enjoyed for the holiday season across home-and-garden tables worldwide.
