At some time in history somebody thought that circles were just too common a shape for all cookies. Cookie Cutters were the solution, but how did they evolve? Here are just a few bits of information on the history of cookie cutters for your enjoyment.
Today's cookie cutter was not invented by one sinlge person, but instead has evolved over hundreds of years. In fact, you can go back as early as 2000 B.C. to find ancient Egyptian wooden or ceramic baking molds that were used to make biscuits or cakes. Even way back at that time they yearned for a bit more creativity, though pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles were still a ways off!
Fast forward to the 16th century and we see the popularity of the gingerbread man start to rise. written history accounts for the first gingerbread cookies appearing in Queen Elizabeth I's court in England. Apparently she had these cookies made as miniature, edible replicas of some of her more extinguished guests. Off with their heads! (and legs and arms... and gumdrop buttons.) As these gingerbread cookies started to become popular orders from bake shops in the 1600's, shops started using tin cutters to expedite the process of producing them.
As Europeans migrated to America, so did some of their trends and customs, including the gingerbread man cookies and the cookie cutters used to make them. It wasn't long before American metal workers started manufacturing the cutters (in multiple forms and sizes) and making them available to the general public. By the 1800's tin cookie cutters were being sold from shops and peddlers.
By the mid 1800's industrial machinery had developed in both Europe and the United States to the point that all sorts of products were moved from being made by hand to created in factories. By the turn of the century several companies were creating and distributing cookie cutters in this fashion, offering them in catalogs, advertising them, and even importing them from across the ocean.
While tin had been the main material for producing cookie cutters, they started being made from other materials as they became more available. During the first half of the 20th century we saw aluminum and plastic being used.
Cookie cutters kept on growing in popularity as more designs were created. During the 1970's and into the 1980's more women became domestic and worked on their own projects at home, including decorated cookies. During this time we also saw growth in spendable income, allowing people to spend more on such hobbies. As with many other products, there was a trend during the last quarter of the century to make manufacturing less expensive, and more cookie cutters were being made in the likes of China and Malaysia. However, cookie cutter production somehow survived being moved completely out of country and there are still several cutters being produced in America.
Now you can find cookie cutters in just about any shape or size. Copper is now a popular material for cookie cutters, but tin and plastic are still the most commonly found. If you can't find a particular shape, there are cookie cutter companies that will create a custom shape for you. Likewise, you can purchase your own kit to design and make your own cutter.
While cookie cutters are being bought for the obvious purpose of cutting out cookies, there is also a lot of people that search for, bid on, and buy cookies simply to collect them. There is even an official Cookie Cutter Collectors Club (CCCC) that meets regularly and has a big following. There are at least a couple of Cookie Cutter Museums, and enthusiasts even enjoy a "National Cookie Cutter Week" (started by the CCCC) during the first week of December. Of course this marks the beginning of the biggest time of the year for decorating cookies: the Christmas season. Even if you don't care for the holiday, who can resist biting into a yellow frosted star cookie?
About The Author:
This article was compiled by Mike Summers of Karen's Cookies. Mike and Karen have been working in the Cookie Decorating industry for several years. Visit www.KarensCookies.net to learn more about cookie decorating and cookie cutters, including tutorials, videos, ideas, and links to many other cookie decorating resources.
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