Finals are right around the corner and stress is in the air but this December 4th you should take a much-needed break to celebrate National Cookie Day. It's the perfect opportunity to get away from studying and gather your friends to hunt for free cookies or to get cozy in the kitchen and bake up some delicious treats.
In case you've ever wondered about the background of this classic comfort food, the word cookie comes from the Dutch word koekje which means little cake. This supposedly originates from the Dutch practice of using small amounts of cake batter to test oven temperatures in preparation for baking a cake. They discovered these small bits of batter were actually tasty and just like little cakes. Check out the end of the article for more on the invention and evolution of the cookie.
To help get you ready for baking and eating some delicious cookies (or little cakes), here's a list of 10 mouth-watering recipes.
1. Chocolate Chip Cookie
Ease in with the classic chocolate chip cookie, sure to melt away any pain caused by your workload or the chilly wind outside.
2. Avocado Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie
Got half an avocado just chilling in your fridge? Try out this avocado dark chocolate chip cookie. It's vegan and contains 20 essential nutrients so you can be healthy AND eat a whole batch, right?
3. Oatmeal Cookie (and Facial)
This flourless oatmeal cookie recipe also doubles as a face mask, just in case you want two ways to treat yourself at the same time for the ultimate self-care.
4. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Kiss Cookie
One of the best dessert duos, peanut butter and chocolate, comes together in this peanut butter and chocolate kiss cookie. Rolling the little dough balls through sugar was my favorite part of baking these as a kid. Also, the way the Hershey's kiss gets melty when you put it on top — oof, my heart flutters a little.
5. The Snickerdoodle
Made with sugar, cinnamon spice, and everything nice, the snickerdoodle is ready to "snick" right into your heart this holiday season. It's perfect with a little bit of eggnog — if you're into that sort of thing.
6. Gingerbread Cookie
What better time is there to start baking the classic Christmas cookie? Have a gingerbread cookie bake-off with some friends and decorate them to your heart's desire!
7. White Chocolate Chip Matcha Cookie
If you've been looking for a way to incorporate matcha into everything, this white chocolate chip matcha cookie is your answer. This cookie brings the slightly bitter and unique vegetal flavor of matcha together with the creamy and sweet flavor of white chocolate chips, creating a match made in cookie heaven.
8. Italian Ricotta Cookie
With a ricotta cheese base, this Italian ricotta cookie is a light and fluffy go-to for anyone who doesn't like overly sweet desserts. Plus, good news: they're easy to make in bulk so you'll have plenty to go around... Or maybe that's bad news.
9. The Perfect Holiday Sugar Cookie
Get your icing and sprinkles ready, because baby it's cold outside, *cue music* , which means it's time to make some of the nicest holiday sugar cookies around.
10. The Sleazy S'mores Cookie
The best of both worlds collide with this sleazy s'mores cookie, one that you'll surely never forget. After all, whoever figured out how to put a s'mores inside of a cookie must be an actual food genius.
The Cheat: Trader Joe's Deep Dish Cookie
For a startlingly low $3.99 and zero prep or ingredient shopping, you can still celebrate National Cookie Day without having to go to any cookie shops or do any real baking. This one pound deep dish cookie from Trader Joe's is frighteningly large but it's the perfect easy option if you want to veg out on the couch. In fact, Trader Joe's claims that it serves up to 10 people - but from personal (and painful) experience, you can eat the whole thing yourself if you set your mind to it.
Pro tip: top it with some french vanilla ice cream and some berries to help cut through the richness. I also recommend pairing it with The Great British Baking Show - you'll feel a lot less left out when Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry get to eat a ton of delicious-looking baked goods.
P.S. Here's a Brief History of Cookies
If you're looking to become an even smarter cookie and drop some knowledge on your friends this National Cookie Day, I've got you covered with some facts about the sweet treat.
The invention of the treat itself dates back to 7th century Persia, however, and cookies became common in Europe by the 14th century. The historic cookie was famed for being a hard biscuit-like wafer known to travel particularly well as food for long journeys. The cookie we've all come to know and love in modern times, distinguished by its softer texture from both butter and sugar, wasn't common until the 18th century. But, oh boy, are we thankful it is.
Don't forget to keep your eye on the calendar as we get closer to December 4th. Gather your friends, your family, your neighbors, and even your enemies to celebrate this sweet holiday with some even sweeter treats. Happy National Cookie Day!