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Cookies are one of the dessert staples that you just can’t imagine a world without.
But how much do you know about the history of the cookie? Who invented such a delicious and classic treat? Where did the cookie get its current name?
We love cookies almost as much as we love brownies, so we’ve compiled a short list of fun facts about cookies so we can all learn more about this favorite all-American baked good.
(Or, read our related article: 10 Amazing Facts About Brownies)!
Cookie Fact #1
It’s believed the first cookies date back to 7th century AD Persia, when sugar became commonly available in the region.
The cookie craze spread throughout Europe and by the 14th century, they were a commonly enjoyed treat.
Cookie Fact #2
Early on, one of the most popular cookies was called a “jumble.” The word “cookie” comes from the Dutch word koekje, meaning
“small cake.” In the 19th century, the British started calling them biscuits.
Cookie Fact #3
It’s commonly believed that the first chocolate chip cookie was created by accident. According to the story, in the 1930s, Ruth Wakefield, inventor of the Toll House Cookie, added pieces of a chocolate bar into her cookie batter, thinking the chocolate would melt. When it didn’t, chocolate chip cookies were born!
Not everyone believes this story, though! Wakefield was an expert baker with a household arts college degree, after all. According to one interview, the chocolate chip cookie was invented
after much testing and experimenting during one of Wakefield’s college food-chemistry classes.
