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
FAQs
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”.
How many cookies do Americans eat in a lifetime? ›
Cookie Trivia: Eating and Baking Cookies
The average American eats 35,000 cookies in a lifetime. 95.2 percent of U.S. households consume cookies. Half the cookies baked in American homes each year are chocolate chip. Baking burns 168 – 348 calories an hour, (according the Livestrong Foundation and My Fitness Pal.)
What is the average price range for a single cookie? ›
The cost of a cookie can vary widely depending on where you are located, the type of cookie, and where you purchase it from. In general, a basic cookie can cost anywhere from $0.50 to $3.00 USD, while more specialized or gourmet cookies can cost anywhere from $3.00 to $10.00 USD or more.
Are cookies that are baked in square or rectangular pans and are cut into 1x2 inches bars? ›
Bar cookies are usually baked in a square or rectangular pan, just like a cake, and then cut into bars. They may be layered, with different bases, filings, toppings, or they may be cake like with all ingredients mixed together. Brownie are a popular bar cookie.
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.
What cookie was invented in 1912? ›
On this day in 1912, Oreo cookies were first developed and produced by Nabisco in New York City. It's time to celebrate the iconic crunchy chocolate sandwich cookie with the sweet vanilla cream filling that Americans have enjoyed for over one hundred years. March 6th is National Oreo Cookie Day!
Is it okay to eat 10 cookies a day? ›
Eating 10 cookies in a day might not be the healthiest choice you can make, but it won't make you fat. However, if you eat 10 cookies per day for a daysss, don't exercise and eat other unhealthy, sugary, fatty foods, you'll see the results on your body.
Is it safe to eat 2 cookies a day? ›
There may be some exceptions, but for the most part, most diets recommend limiting your intake of cookies to one or two per day.
What is the most eaten cookie in the world? ›
Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.
How much should I sell a dozen homemade cookies for? ›
Many simple cookies sell for between $2.00 and $5.00 each, but it's not uncommon to see a dozen cookies cost $55 or more depending on the time and ingredients that went into making them. Some people charge $10 or more per cookie because of their decorative, custom designs.
Don't price anything under $1.
You will have to sell a lot more to reach your fundraising goal and create more change to deal with. Try to keep items priced at even dollar amounts, like $2, $5, or more, instead of pricing at $1.50.
What is a good price to charge for homemade cookies? ›
You need to adjust your price accordingly to stay profitable and competitive. A good starting point for pricing homemade cookies is usually between $1 to $2 per cookie, but the final number may vary depending on your location, your target demographic, and the uniqueness of your cookies.
Why bake cookies on upside down pan? ›
“The metal sides acts as a heat conductor and those cookies placed close to the edge can over bake because they bake faster than those placed in the middle of the baking sheet,” said Usher. “Baking on the bottom of the pan can help prevent this from happening.”
What is a dropped cookie? ›
a cookie made by dropping batter from a spoon onto a cookie sheet for baking.
What type of cookie is rich and buttery in flavor? ›
With a distinctive crisp and flaky texture, butter cookies are rich and sweet. They also are easily flavored, leading to modern variations that include chocolate, vanilla, and coconut.
When was the first cookie made? ›
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.
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? ›
Pure Vanilla Cookie, an Ancient Cookie of Healing class, is one of the hardest to find cookies in the game. His position is prioritized to the Rear by default. His in-game description reads as: "There are not many Cookies on Earthbread who could inspire hope as Pure Vanilla Cookie did.
