Whether you call yourself a foodie, food snob, baker, chef, or just someone who loves to cook— if you thrive in the kitchen, this time of year is less about the shopping and decorating, and more about the dining and cooking.

What with the parties, the company, and the cookie exchanges, it’s a perfect excuse to bake every fun treat that crosses your path.

The wonderful food magazine Gourmet has recently closed up shop, but they published an online retrospective of their best cookie recipes since 1941.

The article is not just a collection of super tested recipes, but also a fascinating look at American baking history. Some highlights:

• When soldiers returned home after World War I, they had a taste for European-styled cookies
• Delicate lace cookies became fashionable in the 1950’s, especially among ladies who lunched
• The cookies that were popular in the 70’s took advantage of the new popularity of food processors, allowing cooks to try more labor-intensive recipes


Gorgeous little macaron style sandwich cookies

• The global expansion of our palates started to express itself in the 90’s, when cookie recipes called for anise, thyme, chile, espresso, fig and other exotic ingredients
• The last few years have presented cookie recipes that are more ambitious, as the availability of new tools and expert advice guide home cooks through techniques that were previously only familiar to professionals, like macerated fruit and off-set spatulas

(Bookmark the Glittering Lemon Sandwich Cookies, pictured right, which would be gorgeous at a baby or wedding shower!)

It is a shame to see such a great food resource like Gourmet fall victim to the general decline in print publishing… but how lucky we are to still get access to collections of recipes like this!