My most important relationship with cookies has been eating them.

In medieval Europe, bakers used small amounts of cake batter to test the heat of their ovens. These "test cakes" would bake quickly, allowing the bakers to determine if the oven was ready for larger batches of bread or cakes.

These small test cakes were the early ancestors of modern cookies, called "koekje" in Dutch.

As most of you know, the word koek comes from the Middle Dutch word, koke, and that Koekje is a diminutive.

Koekje is the word meaning "little cake" and the origin of our favorite daily word, cookie.

The Dutch were instrumental in popularizing koekjes, as they were expert traders and bakers during the 17th century. They brought their baking traditions to the Americas, introducing "koekjes" and along with the English who brought "jumbles and macroons" to what would become modern cookies in the United States.

The history of the cookie begins in 7th-century Persia, where the cultivation of sugar allowed bakers to create small, sweet pastries like kolucheh and nan-e berenji for celebrations and daily enjoyment.

These early cookies, made with sugar, nuts, and spices, spread through trade routes and the expansion of the Islamic Empire, influencing culinary traditions across the Mediterranean.

By the 10th century, cookies reached Europe via Spain and the Crusades, evolving into regional specialties like British biscuits, Italian biscotti, and German lebkuchen.

During the Renaissance and the Age of Exploration, expanding trade made sugar and spices more accessible, leading to the widespread popularity of cookies in Europe and their introduction to the Americas by colonists.

By the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution enabled the mass production of cookies, transforming them from a luxury into an every-hour treat.

The first known cookbook, "American Cookery" (1796), included small early sweet baked cakes resembling the first cookies. By the 19th century, more cookie recipes were appearing in American cookbooks, with regional and cultural influences shaping their variety and popularity.

We have a great tradition of baking cookies at home and during the holidays (right now) with over 70% of homes baking something and most likely cookies.

Most likely they are making my favorite word, cookies.

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This time of year for me is all about making cookies in shapes!

Sugar cookies are super easy to make, a blast to shape and quick to bake. You can eat them straight, or dress them up with pretty sugar, frosting, chocolate or jam. This is a versatile, simple crisp sugar cookie recipe to which you can add cinnamon, cardamom or another spice of your choice.

See the Easy Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe here!

Sometimes GF (gluten free) is as good or better. And like I mentioned I enjoy cutting the shapes....

See the GF Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe here!

The precise origin of Melting Moments is difficult to pinpoint, but they are thought to have emerged in the early 20th century, likely in Europe. These cookies belong to a broader family of buttery, shortbread-like cookies, which were popular in many European countries during that time. The name "Melting Moments" reflects the cookie's texture, which is light, crumbly, and delicate—so soft that it "melts" in your mouth.

A classic Melting Moments cookie typically has the following characteristics:

The dough with its Shortbread-like base, is rich in butter, making it crumbly and soft, with a light texture that melts in the mouth.

In many versions, a sweet buttercream filling is used, sometimes flavored with vanilla, lemon, or raspberry.

While the base is traditionally quite simple, variations may incorporate lemon zest, chocolate, or other flavorings. So you can dress it up or down.

See the Melting Moments Cookie Recipe here!

This is a cookie I grew up with....

Adapted from Kristina Cho's cookbook "Mooncakes & Milk Bread"—a delicious cookbook and nice to look—one i really like.

See the Almond Cookie Recipe here!

Tina mentioned this one over dinner and I was all for trying it. The first attempt wasn't perfect, but it was good! Going to keep on making it until it is perfect.

And, wow, simple! Mix, bake you are done. Seems like a complete chill in the refrigerator makes it better.

See the Basque Cheesecake Recipe here!

A great vehicle to carry sesame seeds to your best (taste) buds!

The best thing about these cookies, well a lot of cookies, is there is just enough mixing to make it seem like you are doing something. And in the end you are rewarded with a cookie!

These cookies are enjoyed in various cultures around the world, especially in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, where sesame seeds have been a staple ingredient for centuries.

Sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) are one of the oldest oilseed crops in the world, with a history dating back more than 4,000 years. Native to South Asia, sesame plants were cultivated in ancient civilizations in India, Mesopotamia, and Egypt.

See the Sesame Crisps Recipe here!

Somehow they are the perfect combination of roasting and salt. If I could I would eat them by the bagful!

The nose tells you wonderful things. Toasted black sesame has a distinct and to me, a distinctly different aroma from white sesame.

I love both!

This is just right, perfect really; salted and toasted sesame seeds are the bomb (that is so 80s).

To the mouth, the tongue first gets this wonderful, pleasant salty hit, and then the toasted sesame comes thru in the bite. It's good!

Shop now for Wadaman Salty Roasted Black Sesame Seeds!!

Just a few years back Bev sent this to me to share with you. She told me there are many versions out there of her recipe. This one is the "real" one.

"I developed this cookie recipe years ago when I was food editor at the Chicago Sun-Times. I haven't changed it, but the ingredients get better every year."
-- Bev

The chocolate chip cookie was invented in the 1930s by Ruth Wakefield, who accidentally created the iconic treat by adding chopped-up pieces of Nestle chocolate to her cookie dough. With the support of Nestle, the recipe spread across the U.S. and became a classic cookie.

See the easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe from Bev Bennett here!

There is not way to explain how amazing these are in the morning with a good cup of breakfast tea. Delicate enough for tea, classic enough to cut into holiday cookie shapes for Santa.

The use of citrus fruits in cooking and baking can be traced back to ancient civilizations, though citrus was initially used more for its medicinal and preservation properties than as a flavoring in desserts.

The 18th and 19th centuries marked the period when citrus began to be more widely incorporated into everyday cookie recipes, especially with the growth of European trade and the expansion of citrus cultivation in the Americas and Europe.

By the 18th century, lemon and orange were becoming more common in the kitchens of Europe and the American colonies. Sugar cookies, shortbread, and other simple cookies sometimes included citrus zest for added flavor. In England, lemon shortbread became a popular variation of traditional shortbread. Citrus-flavored cookies began to appear in cookbooks in both Europe and the United States by the mid-1800s.

After World War II, the rise of commercialized ingredients like lemon extract, lime extract, and orange zest powders made it easier for home bakers to create citrus-flavored cookies without having to rely on fresh fruit. This contributed to the growing popularity of citrus-flavored cookies, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, when pre-packaged cookie dough became more common, and people sought ways to experiment with new flavors.

Shop now for Olive Oil Orange Cookie Recipe!

Natural orange oil is ideal for use in sauces, dressings, soups, glazes, whipped cream and frostings. It can also be used in sweets and hard candies plus it pairs beautifully with chocolate.

Boyajian has dedicated 25 years to the pursuit of the finest sources for their natural extracts. The result has been a line of consistently superior products that are relied on by home cooks and professional chefs alike.

Unlike common supermarket varieties, Boyajian orange oil is undiluted and unadulterated.

Because of its remarkable intensity, only a few drops of oil are required to replace zest or peel.

Shop now for Boyajian Orange Oil!

Biscotti, the iconic Italian cookie, has a long and fascinating history that dates back to ancient times.

The word "biscotti" comes from the Latin "bis" (twice) and "coctus" (cooked), meaning "twice-baked." This refers to the traditional method of baking these cookies. The origins of biscotti trace back to ancient Rome, where a similar cookie called "biscuits" (or "panis biscotus") was created. These early biscuits were made from a simple mixture of flour, water, and sometimes honey, and were baked twice to dry them out and preserve them for long journeys, particularly for soldiers or travelers.

Biscotti, as we know them today, evolved in Tuscany during the 14th century. These cookies were enriched with sugar and eggs, making them more of a treat than a simple survival food. The famous Tuscan version of biscotti is called Cantucci, which typically contains almonds. The cookies were still baked twice, giving them their characteristic crunch.

While traditional Cantucci biscotti remained plain or occasionally flavored with nuts or dried fruit, dipping biscotti in chocolate became popular much later, particularly in the 20th century.

The practice of dipping biscotti in chocolate emerged in the 20th century as an addition to traditional recipes. As chocolate became more widely available and affordable, it was incorporated into a variety of baked goods, including biscotti.

See the Dipped Pistachio & Cherry Biscotti Recipe here!

The Cinnamon Jumbles cookie is a lesser-known but deliciously spiced treat that has its roots in European baking traditions, particularly from England and America.

The word "jumble" is believed to have originated in England during the 16th century. The term itself was originally used to describe a baked good that was made by shaping dough into a twisted or knotted form, often sweetened with sugar and spiced with ingredients like cinnamon or ginger. Jumbles were a popular treat among the English nobility and were often part of festive banquets or feasts.

Jumbles were brought to the American colonies by English settlers in the 17th century. In early American cookbooks, jumbles were often referred to as "twist" cookies or "knot" cookies. They were frequently flavored with spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, reflecting the abundant use of spices in early colonial cooking. By the 19th century, jumbles became even more widespread, particularly in New England.

In the 20th century, the cinnamon jumble evolved into the cinnamon-flavored cookie we know today, especially in the United States. The modern cinnamon jumbles are typically round, soft, and chewy, often coated with a cinnamon-sugar mixture that gives them a delightful spiced crunch on the outside. The cookies are often prepared for holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving, where cinnamon and other spices are traditionally used in desserts.

See the Cinnamon Jumbles Recipe here!

A couple of weeks ago it seemed like this cake was the most popular cake on the internet. It compelled me to think about it and want to make it.

And then, as if by magic a reliable (great) chef sent a recipe via his email newsletter. What great timing.

My first attempt was successful, though I think practice will make it better. I can't wait to make it again.

See the Gateau Invisible aux Pommes - Apple Cake Recipe here!

This easy and classic cookie is fabulous year round and dressed up with fancy sugar for the holidays! Plan to make the dough the day before and then chill overnight.

The "crinkle" cookie, with its cracked appearance, likely stems from a long tradition of cookie and biscuit recipes from Europe, particularly from Eastern Europe and Germany.

The crinkled texture in cookies can be traced back to American bakers in the 1940s and 1950s, when cookies like the Peanut Butter Crinkle (a variation of the peanut butter cookie that cracks as it bakes) and the Chocolate Crinkle Cookie emerged. These cookies usually involve rolling dough into balls, coating them in powdered sugar, and baking at a high temperature, which causes the dough to expand and crack.

The specific version of the crinkle cookie made with cocoa powder and coated in powdered sugar to create the crackled effect is believed to have been developed in America. The chocolate crinkle cookie as we know it today likely gained its popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, during a time when cocoa powder was widely used in home baking and chocolate-flavored desserts were very much in vogue.

See the Chocolate Cocoa Crinkle Cookies Recipe here!