National Gingerbread Cookie Day Date in the current year: November 21, 2024

The term “gingerbread” can refer to various baked goods, varying from moist loaf cakes to crisp cookies. What all these baked goods have in common is that they are flavored with ginger and other spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Gingerbread has been known in Europe since around the 11th century. One of the earliest references to gingerbread is dated 1380; it mentions Toruń gingerbread, which is baked in the Polish city of Toruń to this day. Gingerbread was a popular treat at fairs and festivals in Medieval Europe.

Gingerbread cookies (or gingerbread biscuits, as they are known in British English) have been known since at least the 15th century. The first documented instance of gingerbread men was at the court of Queen Elizabeth I. She requested to make biscuits that bore resemblance to some of her important guests, such as foreign dignitaries.

Gingerbread biscuits were widely sold in town square markets, pharmacies and monasteries in 17th-century England. They were brought to the Americas by European settlers, who replaced the sugar in the recipe with molasses because it was cheaper. As a result, American gingerbread cookies are softer than their European counterparts. American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, considered the first officially published American cookbook, contained seven different gingerbread recipes.

Modern gingerbread cookies come in all shapes and sizes. Gingerbread men are probably the most typical ones, but other shapes are also fairly popular. Gingerbread cookies are often decorated with royal icing. In the United States, they are one of the most popular baked treats during the holiday season because their rich, spicy flavor is associated with comfort and warmth.

The origins of National Gingerbread Cookie Day are unclear, but don’t let this stop you from celebrating this amazing holiday. Invite your friends over to bake, decorate and, of course, enjoy gingerbread cookies together. If you’re not in the mood for baking, you can pick up some gingerbread cookies at your local bakery and enjoy them with a glass of milk, a cup of tea or coffee, or a mug of hot mulled cider.

To make things more interesting, you can host a gingerbread design contest or throw a gingerbread-themed party. And don’t forget to snap a photo of your cookies and post them on social media with the hashtags #GingerbreadCookieDay and #NationalGingerbreadCookieDay to spread the word about the holiday and encourage others to get into festive spirit by baking and eating delicious cookies.

National Gingerbread Cookie Day is not the only holiday dedicated the deliciousness that is gingerbread. If you love gingerbread and other baked goods flavored with ginger, don’t forget to celebrate National Gingersnap Day on June 1, National Gingerbread Day on June 5, and National Gingerbread House Day on December 12.