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November 21st is National Gingerbread Day, a time for a bit of gingerbread history and some tasty recipes (below).
Gingerbread cookies are examples of rolled cookies, a.k.a. cutout cookies (there are 11 basic types of cookies).
While they are most often considered cookies for Thanksgiving and Christmas, there’s no reason why they can’t be enjoyed year-round, like their “siblings” ginger cookies and gingersnaps.
The different types of ginger cookies and the history of gingerbread follow.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> The history of gingerbread.
> The history of gingerbread men.
> The history of gingerbread houses.
> The different types of ginger cookies.
> The history of cookies.
> The year’s 44 cookie holidays. (National Gingerbread Day is June 5th.)
> The year’s 11 ginger-related holidays.
> The 10 basic styles of cookies.
> The different varieties of of cookies: a photo glossary.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF GINGER COOKIES
There are ginger cookies, gingersnaps, and gingerbread.
A ginger cookie is a soft, molasses-type cookie that is flavored with ginger and other spices. It is similar in texture to the traditional German Christmas cookie known as Lebkuchen (see the fourth bullet). It is larger than, and otherwise differs from, a gingersnap.
A gingersnap is a thin, plain round cookie with a hard, smooth texture like a gingerbread cookie. Like gingerbread, gingersnaps break with a “snap.” Gingersnaps contain a larger amount of ginger, and thus are spicier, than chewier ginger cookies.
Gingerbread is a fancier affair, the most firm variety. The primary spices are ground ginger and cinnamon, which are typically supported by allspice, ground cloves, and nutmeg. Artisan varieties can also include cardamom, coriander, and/or white/black pepper. Although round gingerbread cookies are available (including jumbo and chocolate-coated varieties), gingerbread is often cut into special shapes (cottages, flowers, hearts, horses, people, trees, etc., along with 3-D constructions such as houses and carousels). It is usually hand-decorated with icing and candies. Monks made the first gingerbread for holidays and festivals. The tale of Hansel and Gretel, published in 1812 (as part of Grimm’s Fairy Tales), vastly increased the popularity of gingerbread cookies and other treats, such as gingerbread Christmas cards. Gingerbread men and animals became popular Christmas tree ornaments. Nürnberger (Nurenberg) was established as the “gingerbread capital”‡‡‡.
Lebkuchen (photo #7) is a bit different. The primary spices are cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. These are often complemented by allspice, anise, coriander, star anise, and sometimes fennel, mace, and or white pepper. The dough also contains nuts—almonds, hazelnuts, or walnuts—and candied orange or lemon peel. Note that most imported Lebkuchen has a relatively low nut content, ranging from zero to 25%. The latter is the bare minimum required by German regulations to be considered Nürnberger Lebkuchen, a designation protected by EU law. Artisanal lebkuchen bakeries in Nuremberg opt for at least 40% nuts.
THE HISTORY OF GINGERBREAD
Crusaders returning from the Holy Land‡ (1095-1291) brought ginger and other spices.
Prior to the 15th century, “gingerbread” referred to preserved ginger*. At that time, ginger was found to have medicinal qualities† and the dried and ground spice began to be used in cakes and cookies.
The spice ginger, zingiber in Latin, became gingerbras in Old French, gingerbread in Medieval English, and Ingwer in German. What we call gingerbread cookies are the German spice cookies known as Lebkuchen‡‡.
Lebkuchen has its roots in the honey cakes (Honigkuchen) baked in ancient Egypt as offerings to the gods. However, the Lebkuchen that emerged in the Middle Ages was created for holidays and festivals by Franconian monks in the 13th century, in the region of Bavaria.
Nuremberg, the second-largest city in Bavaria (after its capital, Munich) became the center for Lebkuchen production for two reasons. The forests around the city provided a wealth of honey, the sweetener; and the city was located at the crossroads of the ancient spice trade routes [source].
With the growth of the German guilds (not unlike today’s unions), only Lebkuchen Guild members could bake gingerbread [for sale], except during Christmas, when anyone could bake it.
The Medieval German Lebkuchen Guild transformed gingerbread into a highly-decorated art, crafting fancy shapes, decorated with sugar and gold.
Gingerbread cookies were (and are) traditionally made in shapes—flowers, hearts, trees, and so forth. They vary by size and can be iced and decorated. But they weren’t making gingerbread men!
The honor for that invention probably goes to Queen Elizabeth I—or more precisely, an unnamed palace baker who toiled during her reign (1558 to 1603). Her Majesty bestowed “portrait” gingerbread cookies upon important court visitors, decorated in their likenesses.
The tale of Hansel and Gretel, published in 1812 (as part of Grimm’s Fairy Tales—you can read them here), vastly increased the popularity of gingerbread cookies and other treats, such as gingerbread houses, and gingerbread Christmas cards. Gingerbread men and animals became popular Christmas tree ornaments.
Today, you can make everything from gingerbread bar cookies to gingerbread whoopie pies to cookies that look like tiny gingerbread houses (photo #5), and entire gingerbread villages.
> The history of gingerbread.
> The history of the gingerbread house.
> The history of cookies.
> A glossary of delicious cookies.
> The history of ginger.
GINGERBREAD RECIPES
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cake
Gingerbread Cookie Dip & Spread
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Gingerbread Bars With Cream Cheese Icing
Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Gingerbread Latte
Gingerbread Lemon Cinnamon Bars
Gingerbread Leprechaun Cookies
Gingerbread Men In A Sleigh
Gingerbread Mustard
Gingerbread Muffins
Gingerbread Rim Cookies For Cups & Mugs
Gingerbread Skeletons For Halloween
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies With Lemon Cream Filling
Ginger Cookies (Lebkuchen)
Ginger Snaps
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Waffles
Mini Gingerbread Eggnog Cheesecakes
Valentine Gingerbread Men
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[1] Mash-up: Gingerbread cookies + gingerbread cake = gingerbread house (photo © Bruna Branco | Unsplash).
[2] A simple but elegant gingerbread house, with only royal icing. The gumdrops and other candies are to dazzle kids (photo © Ian | Stock Xchange).
[3] Queen Elizabeth I was first to introduce the concept of gingerbread men, having them decorated to look like her favorite courtiers (photo © Aleksandra Tanasiienko | Unsplash).
[4] Beyond gingerbread men: Christmas trees, mini-houses, reindeer, plus bells, candy canes, Christmas cards, gift boxes, horses, polar bears, stars, sweaters, whatever you fancy (photo © Lydia Matzal | Unsplash).
[5] Gingerbread rim cookies. Here’s the recipe (photo © Solutions | Blair).
[6] It’s not just for the holidays. Decorate gingerbread people with skeletons, Valentine hearts, leprechaun outfits, bathing suits, anything (photo © Grandma’s Molasses | Facebook).
[7] Chocolate-covered Lebkuchen from America’s best producer, Leckerlee (photo © Leckerlee).
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*Preserved ginger is the root peeled, cooked, preserved in sugar syrup, and then chopped and used in desserts. The sugar syrup, which absorbs ginger flavor, can be used separately.
†Homeopathically, the volatile oils in ginger, gingerols and shogaols, help with digestion, gas, and cramping; relieve nausea; help to reduce inflammation and fever; help prevent blood clots; make ginger a natural decongestant and antihistamine and may also help lower LDL cholesterol, among other things. But that’s no reason to eat too many cookies!
‡In addition, Europeans discovered sugar and coffee in the Middle East, which were then largely foreign commodities, along with rice and varieties of fruits (among other foodstuffs). They also brought back cotton cloth for clothing and sheets, mattresses, glass mirrors, wheelbarrows, and writing paper,all of which helped to improve the standard of living in Europe. Algebra and many other forms of modern math were carried home by the Crusaders, along with the game of chess [source].
‡‡There are different types of Lebkuchen. Here’s more about them.
‡‡‡While gingerbread was produced all over Germany, Nuremberg established itself as the “gingerbread capital” in the Middle Ages (from the 14th century onwards). This was possible due to its strategic location at the intersection of major medieval trade routes, providing easy access to exotic spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. In addition, the surrounding forests offered ample honey (sugar was exteremely expensive), and a specialized guild of Lebküchner (gingerbread makers) emerged to produce the cookies.
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