This 150-Year-Old Cookie Recipe Is a Family Heirloom (2024)

I am culinary-trained, but baking has always been a passion of mine. I come from a long-line of top-notch bakers, so I always say that it’s in my genes. That also means I have some pretty good cookie recipes in my arsenal.

None of them have a date attached to them, but maybe that’s part of the allure of the 150-Year Old Cookie recipe posted on Reddit awhile back. The skeptic in me had a hard time believing that a cookie with only three ingredients was worth eating. I put on my apron to see what all the fuss was about and here’s what I learned.

How Do You Make 150-Year-Old Cookies?

The creator responsible for sharing the recipe on Reddit, Nolyn’s Kitchen, claimed that the cookie was an old family favorite. I can see why. The ingredients are few and the method is simple. Combine softened butter with brown sugar and self-rising flour. Mix everything with your hands, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Divide the dough into 25 equal-sized balls and bake until golden.

How It Went When I Made Them

After a quick review of the recipe, I gathered my ingredients (all of which I conveniently had in my fridge and pantry) and got to work. Once my butter was softened, I added it to a bowl along with brown sugar and self-rising flour.

I used my hands, as instructed, to mix everything together which was fun and satisfying. If you have kids, let them do this part (but make sure they wash their hands first—you should too), they’ll love squishing everything and watching the dough ball come together.

After a quick trip in the fridge to firm up a bit, I divided the dough into 25 equal-sized pieces, which came out to be about 15 grams each. That’s a pretty small cookie, but maybe that’s just by American standards.

Since there was no instruction regarding spacing on the baking sheet, I assumed more on a pan was better than fewer (this was not a good judgment call). I baked them at 310 F for about 18 minutes and when I went to retrieve my cookies, they had become a cohesive cookie sheet. They smelled great, but were flat as a pancake and stuck together and required a bit of bending and breaking in order to separate.

Make Your Own Self-Rising Flour With One Easy Trick

How Did They Taste?

Even though they looked awful, they tasted great. I’m a sucker for butter and these deliver big butter flavor! I enjoyed the crispy edges that reminded me of butterscotch and the chewy inside which complimented that crunch. The cookies felt surprisingly light and airy, but somehow satisfying. One of those small cookies was delicious and also plenty.

The Secret To Success

Simplicity is always a winner, especially when it comes to cooking and baking. The use of only three ingredients makes preparing these cookies approachable—a kind of “every day” cookie. It’s also the combination of those ingredients that make these cookies impressive. The butter, brown sugar and self-rising flour all work together to provide the flavor, texture, and structure these cookies need. Let’s not forget the ease of making them either! All you need is a bowl, your hands, a baking sheet, and an oven and you’re good to go!

Other Cookies We Love

Butterscotch Cookies
Peppermint Swirl Brownies
Orange Cookies With Glaze Recipe

Tips for Making 150 Year Old Cookies

Use unsalted butter—Self-rising flour is made with all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. You can expect between 300 to 350 grams of sodium per quarter cup of self-rising flour. That’s more than enough to flavor these cookies. Because of that, I recommend using unsalted butter for best results.

Sift your flour—Self-rising flour has a tendency to clump. To ensure your ingredients are evenly dispersed, consider sifting your flour before adding it to your dough. A simple fine-mesh strainer will help you get the job done.

Provide ample space for baking—Don’t make my mistake: give your cookies plenty of room on that cookie sheet for baking. At least 2 inches between them should allow enough space for spreading!

Decorate after baking—The recipe says to press the cookies with the back of a fork to make a simple decoration before baking. I found that to be quite frustrating since the cookies were so small and the dough was sticky which led to my fork getting stuck. A better method, I found, was to press the cookies after baking, right after removing them from the oven. I followed that with a little dusting of sparkling sugar, just for fun.

25 Days of Christmas Cookies

This 150-Year-Old Cookie Recipe Is a Family Heirloom (2024)

FAQs

What is the oldest cookie ever made? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

Who made the first cookie? ›

Cookies appear to have their origins in 7th century AD Persia, shortly after the use of sugar became relatively common in the region. They spread to Europe through the Muslim conquest of Spain. By the 14th century, they were common in all levels of society throughout Europe, from royal cuisine to street vendors.

What is a fortune cookie made of? ›

The ingredients (typically made with a base of flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil) are mixed in a large tank and squirted onto fast moving trays. These function like a conveyor belt and are heated to cook the dough. Cookies are compressed with round hot plates to shape and cook them.

What's the difference between a cookie and a biscuit? ›

Cookies are sweet, baked treats often made with sugar, flour, and additional ingredients like chocolate or nuts. They are soft and chewy, originating from the United States. In contrast, biscuits, popular in British and American cuisines, are flaky and buttery, served with savory dishes or enjoyed for breakfast.

What cookie was made in 1912? ›

The "Oreo Biscuit" was first developed and produced by the National Biscuit Company (today known as Nabisco) in 1912 at its Chelsea, New York City factory in the present-day Chelsea Market complex, located on Ninth Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets.

What cookie was not invented until 1938? ›

It wasn't until very recently, around 1938, that chocolate chip cookies were first invented. Unlike a lot of other things, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented by accident. During the 1930s, a chef named Ruth Graves Wakefield decided to give something different to her customers.

Who invented Oreos? ›

Just four years after the debut of the Hydrox, the Oreo arrived on the scene, and we have Nabisco food scientist Sam Porcello to thank for its creation.

What is cookie slang for? ›

The slang use of "cookie" to mean a person, "especially an attractive woman" is attested to in print since 1920. ... The word "cookies" is used to refer to the contents of the stomach, often in reference to vomiting (e.g., "pop your cookies" a 1960s expression, or "toss your cookies", a 1970s expression).

What cookie is America's favorite? ›

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Timeless Classic. It's no surprise that chocolate chip cookies consistently rank as one of the most beloved treats in the United States.

Can vegan eat cookies? ›

Like other baked goods, cookies are traditionally made using animal-based ingredients. Butter and eggs are the most common animal products found in cookies. In addition to butter, dairy can also make its way into store-bought cookies in the form of whey.

What cookie originated in medieval Scotland? ›

Shortbread has been attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots, who in the mid-16th century was said to be very fond of Petticoat Tails, a thin, crisp, buttery shortbread originally flavoured with caraway seeds. There are two theories regarding the name of these biscuits.

Can dogs eat fortune cookies? ›

Technically, yes, dogs can eat fortune cookies. Fortune cookies are basic foods with few ingredients, and it is safe to give them to your dog in most circ*mstances. However, fortune cookies are not necessarily good for dogs. Dogs do not need to eat processed foods and sugars.

What is a British cookie? ›

Unlike a chewier cookie, biscuits are made with a dough, they can be cut into any shape and their firmer, snappier and flatter constitution provides the perfect blank canvas for icing and decorating. In North America you might know our British biscuits as a cookie or cracker!

What are American biscuits called in England? ›

A Biscuit (U.S.) Is a Scone (U.K.)

A British biscuit is not remotely similar to the fluffy and filling American biscuits made famous in Southern American cuisine. The closest British equivalent to those buttery miracles is a scone, which ain't too bad either.

Why do they call bacon bacon? ›

The word is derived from the Proto-Germanic *bakkon, meaning "back meat". Meat from other animals, such as beef, lamb, chicken, goat, or turkey, may also be cut, cured, or otherwise prepared to resemble bacon, and may even be referred to as, for example, "turkey bacon".

How old can a cookie be? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months.

How old is the Oreo cookie? ›

Introduced: 1912

First introduced in the U.S. in 1912, Oreo has become the world's top selling cookie and is enjoyed in more than 100 countries. In markets around the world, Oreo comes in surprising local flavors, like blueberry and green tea ice cream, and fun shapes and forms.

What is the rarest ancient cookie? ›

Hollyberry Cookie, an Ancient Cookie of Defense class, is one of the hardest to find cookies in the game. Her position is prioritized to the Front by default.

What was the first type cookie? ›

First-party cookies, as mentioned above, are created directly by the website whenever a user visits the site. Generally speaking, most browsers accept first-party cookies by default, as their primary role is to allow customization and improve user experience.

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