Preceden

History of Cookies Timeline

(7th Century CE - Present)

Cookies, small sweet baked treats, trace their origins back to 7th-century Persia, where sugar was first widely used in baking. The word 'cookie' derives from the Dutch 'koekje,' meaning little cake. As trade routes spread baking techniques across Europe and eventually to the Americas, cookies evolved into countless regional varieties. The most famous milestone came in 1938 when Ruth Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts. Today, cookies remain one of the world's most beloved baked goods, with endless flavors and styles across cultures. Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins

Cookies originate in Persia

Jan 1, 600

Cookies appear to have their origins in 7th century AD Persia, shortly after the use of sugar became relatively common in the region. Early Persian bakers tested small amounts of cake batter in ovens, creating small, sweet baked goods that would eventually spread across the world.

Image source: Cookie

Cookies originate in Persia

Spread of cookies through Europe

Jan 1, 1300

By the 14th century, cookies were common at all levels of society throughout Europe, from royal cuisine to street vendors. Trade routes and travel helped spread the small sweet cakes across the continent.

First gingerbread men at the court of Elizabeth I

Jan 1, 1550 - Dec 31, 1599

The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread men was at the court of Elizabeth I of England during the 16th century. The queen had gingerbread figures made to resemble visiting dignitaries and members of her court.

Image source: Gingerbread man

First gingerbread men at the court of Elizabeth I

Modern butter-and-sugar creaming method emerges

Jan 1, 1700 - Dec 31, 1799

The modern form of cookies, based on creaming butter and sugar together before adding other ingredients, did not appear commonly until the 18th century. This technique produced lighter, sweeter cookies closer to those enjoyed today.

Dutch in New York provide cookies

Jan 1, 1703

The earliest reference to cookies in America is in 1703, when the Dutch in New York provided cookies for a funeral. Dutch settlers helped establish cookie baking traditions in colonial America.

Etymology and Language

Earliest Scottish usage of the word cookie

Jan 1, 1701

The word cookie dates from at least 1701 in Scottish usage, where it meant a plain bun rather than a thin baked good. Because of this meaning, it is not certain whether the Scottish word is the same word as the modern cookie.

Word cookie attested as small, flat, sweet cake

Jan 1, 1808

From 1808, the word cookie is attested in American English in the sense of a small, flat, sweet cake. This marked the firm establishment of the modern meaning of the word in the United States.

Industrialization and Commerce

Huntley & Palmers established

Jan 1, 1822

Huntley & Palmers was formed in 1822 in Reading, England. The firm became one of Britain's most famous biscuit manufacturers and played a leading role in turning cookies into mass-produced products.

Image source: Huntley & Palmers

Huntley & Palmers established

McVitie's established

Jan 1, 1830

McVitie's was formed in 1830 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It grew into one of Britain's best-known biscuit companies, contributing to the mass production of cookies and biscuits during the Industrial Revolution.

Image source: McVitie's

McVitie's established

Carr's established

Jan 1, 1831

Carr's was formed in 1831 in Carlisle, England. Together with firms like Huntley & Palmers and McVitie's, it embodied how the Industrial Revolution in Britain turned biscuits into products for the masses.

Image source: United Biscuits

Carr's established

Decorative biscuit tin invented by Huntley & Palmers

Jan 1, 1831

The decorative biscuit tin, invented by Huntley & Palmers in 1831, saw British cookies exported around the world. These attractive tins protected the biscuits on long voyages and became collectible items in their own right.

Image source: Biscuit tin

Decorative biscuit tin invented by Huntley & Palmers

Cadbury patents chocolate-coated cookie

Jan 1, 1891

In 1891, Cadbury filed a patent for a chocolate-coated cookie. This innovation helped combine two beloved confections and pointed toward the future of commercially produced chocolate cookies.

Image source: Cadbury

Cadbury patents chocolate-coated cookie

Modern Culture

Slang use of cookie for a person emerges

Jan 1, 1920

The slang use of the word cookie to mean a person, especially an attractive woman, has been attested to in print since 1920. This figurative use expanded the word well beyond its culinary origins.

Catchphrase 'that's the way the cookie crumbles' appears

Jan 1, 1955

The catchphrase 'that's the way the cookie crumbles,' meaning that's just the way things happen, is attested to in print in 1955. It became a popular idiomatic expression of resigned acceptance in English.

'Smart cookie' enters popular idiom

Jan 1, 1970

Among other slang terms featuring the word, 'smart cookie' describes someone who is clever and good at dealing with difficult situations, according to The Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms. It remains a common compliment today.

'Tough cookie' becomes common idiom

Jan 1, 1970

'Tough cookie' is another slang term built on the word cookie, describing a person who is strong, resilient, and not easily intimidated. Alongside 'smart cookie,' it shows how the word became a versatile metaphor for personality types.

Key Facts

  1. Cookies originated in 7th-century Persia, one of the first regions to cultivate and use sugar in baking, after which recipes spread through Muslim Spain and into Europe.
  2. The word 'cookie' comes from the Dutch word 'koekje' (little cake), brought to America by Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam during the 17th century.
  3. The chocolate chip cookie was accidentally invented in 1938 by Ruth Graves Wakefield at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts, and quickly became America's favorite cookie.
  4. In medieval Europe, bakers used small amounts of batter to test oven temperatures before baking cakes, creating early versions of what became known as biscuits and cookies.
  5. Hardtack-style cookies like biscotti were developed for long shelf life, making them ideal provisions for sailors and travelers on long journeys.

Source

This History of Cookies timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free