The United States acquired the Panama Canal. The Wright brothers made the first sustained flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The San Francisco earthquake destroyed about four square miles and left 500 people dead. America declared war on Germany, entering World War I. This was the face of the world in the 1900s.
With soldiers off to war, care packages from home often included cookies. One favorite was sturdy enough to withstand travel.
This is the third installment in the Tasting History blog series. Come along as we discover the most popular cookies of each decade. We began in the 1880s and are advancing through the decades. Eeach monthly post contains a recipe to try—all in the name of historical research, of course.
Did you miss the first post? Either jump in where we are or start at the beginning.
Most Popular Cookie of the 1900s | Tasting History, part 3
Researching past foods is both a hobby and necessity for me as a western historical romance author. When the characters in the Montana Gold series dine, I need to know what is on their plates. Do you share my love of historical recipes? Stick around and see if you can guess the name of the most popular cookie of the 1900s, according to Betty Crocker.
This cookie is thought to have evolved from a certain kind of cake that British and Scottish men carried when they went off to war. Consuming the cakes provided bursts of energy important for battle. The cakes started out as plain flatbread, but acquired nuts and raisins in the Middle Ages to improve the taste.
The first written recipe for this cookie came from Fannie Merritt Farmer, an American/Canadian cooking expert, in 1896. These cookies were presented as a health food because of their wholesome ingredients.
Have you guessed? Betty Crocker’s most popular cookie of the 1900s is the oatmeal cookie. They are believed to have evolved from the humble oat cake. Not particularly fond of oatmeal cookies? You might be surprised. After baking the historical recipe below (adapted to modern times), I had a change of heart. The recipe differs from modern iterations because molasses sweetens it as well as sugar. If you’ve read the Little House books by Laura Ingalls (and if you haven’t, you should), you know the importance of molasses in the pioneer kitchen. Refined sugar was a costly treat, and molasses was a staple.
The cookies spread thin while baking but are soft and pliable. The taste seemed much improved from the modern version, I must say. I didn’t mind the raisins, surprisingly, since I usually don’t care for them in cookies. I noticed the same thing with a cookie popular in the 1880s that also contained molasses. I suspect there’s a theme here. In the future, when I make oatmeal cookies, I’ll use molasses.
Oatmeal Cookie
Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup molasses
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup chopped nuts (I recommend walnuts)
1 cup raisins
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix the butter, molasses, sugar, and eggs well. Stir the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend. Stir in the oats, nuts, and raisins.
Drop the dough by rounded teaspoons 2” apart. (They will spread.) Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a rack for cooling.
Makes 6 dozen scrumptious cookies.
Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales “written” in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. The same elements–romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy–appear in all her books.
Learn more about Janalyn Voigt at her website.
Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, the Montana Gold western historical romance series explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west. Step back in time to a simpler day. Fall in love with the West.
