December 18, Is National Bake Cookies Day!

Here's an awesome excuse to fall off the diet! December 18, is National Bake Cookies Day. We teach our kids to follow the rules right? Well, then. Do what any self-respecting parent or grandparent should do in this case and bring on the sugar. Woo-hoo! It is cookie baking time, There isn't really a better time than the Christmas holidays to whip up all your favorite cookies with family and friends. So, enjoy the quality time and fellowship,

How National Baking Cookies Day Got Started

No one knows the exact origin. The national celebration got kicked off as people around the country symotaniously started baking cookies for things like charities, bake sales, and mere family time. So December 18 was dubbed the official Bake Cookies Day, and the rest is history. It coincides with people merrily baking cookies for bake sales, charity drives, and sharing delightful treats with friends and family.

Fun Cookie Facts

Believe it or not, the earliest documented cookie dates all the way back to 7th-century Persia! It took 10 more centuries before they would arrive in America and they weren't called cookies when they got here. The cookie was introduced to America in the 17th century and originally they were called koekje's, which is Dutch for 'small cake.' More than likely bad pronunciations through the years is how we went from koekje, to cooky and then finally cookie. Amelia Simmons created the first cookie recipes in the U.S. and included them in her cookbook, "American Cookery. " The book was published in 1796, and included two recipes ‘Cookies’ and ‘Christmas Cookie.’

In 1938 Sue Brides and Ruth Graves Wakefield tried something new while teaching a baking class at their in-house Massachusetts cooking school. The duo added chocolate flacks to their batter and the result was the first chocolate chip cookie! Since Sue and Ruth broke the mold, there's no limit to the type of ingredients one could add to make the ultimate cookie. The sky is the limit and that's how the cookie crumbles!