I don't know about you guys, but Christmas cookies don't stand a chance in my house. There are a number of giant sweet tooth-havers in my home, and they are very opinionated.
I, on the other hand, take joy in baking but little to none in actually eating the stuff. Still, I'm a little terrified and mesmerized by how my family can go to town on some cookies. There's such a big selection out there today, but there's something to be said for the OGs.
That's what made me want to go back in time and check out some older recipes. I went back in history and found recipes from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and used my cookie-loving family as the taste testers.
1930s: Icebox Cookies
We started out with Icebox Cookies. Made with simple Depression-era ingredients, the batter could be made in a pinch, put in the icebox, and then baked later on. That makes this recipe the predecessor to break-and-bake, and it's similarly satisfying.
These cookies were pretty easy to make. Simply throw together all the ingredients in a bowl, then mix well. I decided to make mine into a little log shape, hoping to easily slice pieces off and bake. After spending some time in the fridge, they were better fit for breaking apart into chunks and baking.
A little burnt around the edges, but overall great for anyone who loves a crunchy cookie. These cookies turned out to be the nuttiest tasting of the bunch.
1940s: Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies
Frosted Chocolate Drop Cookies are a simple mid-century recipe that gives you frosted cookies without the headache! Mid-Century Menu offers up a recipe originally by The Electric Company Home Service Bureau from 1940.
This batter was really easy to throw together. It definitely comes together as more of a liquid batter than a doughy one, so be prepared for spread when laying it out on baking sheets. You may feel skeptical, but the texture of these cookies is well worth it.
While the cookies bake, get the frosting together. Frost them while they're still warm for the ultimate chocolatey treat. I found that these soft, chewy cookies were a little more cakey than doughy, but that made them highly coveted in my house.
1950s: Snowballs
Our family has a recipe that's similar enough to the Nestle Snowball recipe from the 1950s that we were intrigued to try. They're super easy to throw together and great for an impromptu treat.
I halved the original recipe because by batch three of cookies, there were more than should be circulating in any one household. The dough was a little tackier than I'd expected, though I don't know if that would be the case with a full batch.
The snowballs didn't quite keep their ball shape, but they were so yummy nonetheless. The chocolate taste overpowered the nut flavor in my batch, but that was no problem for the cookie monsters in my home.
1960s: Oatmeal Carmelitas
I was excited for the Oatmeal Carmelitas because they were so different from any of the other recipes. I also know oatmeal cookies are a hot commodity in my house, so I had a good feeling going into this one. The recipe by Erlyce Larson of Kennedy, Minnesota, won Pillsbury's 1967 Bake-Off contest.
This cookie is a three-step process. First, mix together ingredients for the crust and bake it. Work on that gooey caramel center so it's ready to pour on the warm crust. Top with more of that crust and bake.
These cookies definitely get the award for best smelling. My whole house smelled like oatmeal combined with chocolate and caramel, and while I can't appreciate sweet tastes, those are smells I can definitely support. They also had everyone very eager for these to come out of the oven, but they still needed one to two hours in the fridge before they were ready to eat.
1970s: Cornflake Cookies
I know what you're thinking: cornflakes in a cookie? But it's the real deal, and it's really delicious. Many foodies remember growing up in the '70s with these cookies in rotation, and this recipe explains why.
Oats and cornflakes make for a thick batter, but it blends together surprisingly well. Like the chocolate cookies, you'll want to put a little more space between these cookies since they'll spread while they bake.
I was totally shocked that out of all the cookies I made, the cornflake cookies were the runaway family favorite. They were moist but had a little crunch to them that made them delicious. I checked out the comments on the recipe and found people made so many tiny alterations to this recipe. A great recipe that's customizable? We're sold.
