9 Delightful Facts About Christmas Cookies That Will Sweeten Your Holidays

1. Medieval Cookie Couture

Treat your taste buds to a medieval feast with a twist: Christmas cookies back then were luxurious concoctions containing exotic ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, all baked to impress the royals and resemble their courtiers. But seriously: Medieval Europeans reserved these pricey spices for special occasions like Christmas feasts, and gingerbread men can even be traced back to Queen Elizabeth I as she moulded cookies into the shapes of her favourite courtiers. Sugar? Psh, they used molasses as a sweetener, leaving us with spicy, snappy gingerbread we enjoy today.
Source => history.com

2. Zeus, Meet Gingerbread!

Before Zeus could say "Kringle my ginger!", the Greeks were whipping up gingerbread in 2400 BC, and royal English courts gave life to gingerbread dignitaries: The scrumptious journey of gingerbread cookies began in ancient Greece, gained momentum when Queen Elizabeth I artfully molded them into the shapes of visiting nobles, and finally led to the fantastical gingerbread houses made famous by the Brothers Grimm's Hansel and Gretel. The largest gingerbread house to date, measuring 40,000 cubic feet, needed 4,000 bricks and probably the equivalent in willpower to avoid munching on it.
Source => pbs.org

Did you know "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" carolers were like the original trick-or-treaters? Discover the fascinating history behind this beloved song and its connection to demanding figgy pudding! 🎶🎄🍮

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-Carols

3. Dutch Cookie Pioneers

Before Santa's elves swapped their wooden shoes for fuzzy North Pole boots, they were dropping a little "cookie" knowledge on the land of the free and the home of the brave: Christmas cookies made their American debut when Dutch settlers brought them to New Amsterdam (now New York) in the 1620s. In fact, "cookie" is derived from the Dutch word "koekje," which translates to "little cake," making these sweet treats the perfect accompaniment for your festive feasting. Tip your Santa hat to those Dutch pioneers for passing along this scrumptious holiday tradition!
Source => reddit.com

4. Crusader Spice Girls

Before the Crusaders spiced up their lives like wannabe Ginger Spice Girls, they were traveling the world during the Crusades, making us all rich with flavor: As they brought back exotic spices like pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg from the Middle East, these flavor enhancers were used in mincemeat pies and various dishes, symbolizing wealth and luxury during extravagant Christmas feasts, eventually leading to the association of specific spices with holiday celebrations.
Source => smithsonianmag.com

5. Sand Castle Cookies

Who needs sand castles when you can have sand cookies? Feast your eyes upon the crumbly, delightful saboteurs of the cookie world: French sable cookies, hailing from Sablé-sur-Sarthe since the 1600s, owe their name to their sandy texture, and are crafted with salted butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, all-purpose flour, and icing sugar for a simply irresistible treat.
Source => veggiedesserts.com

6. Colossal Cookie Craze

Once upon a colossal cookie craze, a band of baking enthusiasts conquered the gastronomic world with an edible Goliath that had a sweet tooth quaking in its boots: The world's largest gingerbread man was crafted on November 9, 2009, in Oslo, Norway by the baking masters at IKEA Furuset, tipping the scales at an indigestible 651 kg (1,435 lb 3 oz) and combining delightful ingredients like wheat flour, sugar, syrup, and spices in one enormous, record-breaking treat.
Source => guinnessworldrecords.com

7. Fairy Tale Cookie Houses

Before Hansel and Gretel nibbled their way into culinary history, something magical was cooking in a forest of sugared dreams: Christmas cookies got their iconic association with gingerbread houses thanks to the 1812 Brothers Grimm fairy tale, where our adventurous siblings chanced upon a confectionery abode and became the envy of every sweet tooth with each delectable bite.
Source => pbs.org

8. Oven-Free Christmas Spirit

If you thought you needed an oven to participate in the Christmas cookie spirit, think again! Christmas has been "baking" things up, trading ovens for bowls and adding a cinematic Captain Crunch to the mix: Cornflake wreath cookies are loved throughout the USA, using cornflakes, melted marshmallows, and green food coloring to bring holiday cheer to the table in just 20 minutes without touching an oven dial. Their festive glow-up includes mini red chocolate candies as holly berries and a Twizzler's pull-and-peel to tie it all together!
Source => thefirstyearblog.com

9. Global Doughy Delights

Deck the halls with doughs of holly, baking pastries jolly: from the German Zimtsterne to Scottish shortbread, Christmas cookie traditions truly span the globe, with many countries harboring their own unique recipes, including various scrumptious flour-free options. But alas, as much as one might want to believe, there isn't a breadcrumb of evidence suggesting 17th-century France as the birthplace of gluten-free Christmas cookies with their famed macarons.
Source => miglutenfreegal.com