What Is The Oldest Type Of Cookie In The World?

Especially during the holiday season, it's hard to imagine an era before cookies. After all, the practice of baking spans well over 10,000 years, and even the tradition of leaving cookies out for Santa traces to medieval times. Yet the first cookie – defined as a small, sweet, and relatively flat baked treat — must have emerged at some point. So where does it fall on the sweet treat timeline?

Well, the crown for the oldest cookie is debated. The word itself has only been in use for around three centuries – although pastries of such a composition date back well over a millennium. Some believe the oldest renditions stem from the western Chinese region of Xinjiang. There, remarkably preserved jam-topped sweets were unearthed in an 1,300 year old tomb, likely crafted as a ceremonial offering. Research has revealed that the baked goods were made of wheat, a now unknown sweetener, then rolled out thin, meaning the sweet certainly fit the modern-day cookie definition. The cookie type was discovered in the 1910s, with most of its qualities remaining a mystery.

Curiously, another early cookie showed up approximately simultaneously in what's now modern-day Italy. Dating back to the 8th century, pizzelles are more definitively deemed the oldest cookie type. Known for their intricate, waffle-like designs and crispy texture, this baked good continues to hold popularity worldwide. So bite into one of these sweets, and know you're tasting a storied legacy.

It's believed pizzelles were first created in Colcullo, Italy. This town is located in the Abruzzo region (one of Giada De Laurentiis' favorite food destinations) and is still known for its bread and pasta-making culture. According to legend, the hamlet was infested by snakes, so when the reptiles cleared, local residents celebrated by crafting the ornate cookies. Today, pizzelles continue to be a cornerstone of special celebrations in Italy, such as Easter and Christmas.

The pastry consists of a straightforward egg, sugar, flour, and fat dough, which likely evolved from a Roman baked good named a crustule. Producers incorporate various flavors into the mix; anise is the most popular pizzelle option, but citrus, nut, chocolate, and vanilla options are all crafted, too.

Yet the cookie's most distinct characteristic is its shape; you'll need to brush up on pizzelle-making tips to properly form the sweet treat. Traditionally, the cookies are made with a carved cast iron press, which bears a unique commemorative design like a family crest, wedding remembrance, or a festive motif. Manufacturers continue to employ unique iron-presses to craft the recognizable cookie. You'll find them packaged and sold in Italy, the U.S., and elsewhere, especially around the holiday season. It's a delicious cookie type, with a tradition that dates back centuries.