List of cookies facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Cookies are yummy baked treats that are often small, flat, and sweet. In places like the United States, we call them "cookies," but in countries like the United Kingdom, they're usually called "biscuits." They're typically made with flour, eggs, sugar, and a type of fat like butter or oil. Then, they're baked until they're golden and delicious!

Awesome Cookies from Around the World
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Awesome Cookies from Around the World

There are so many different kinds of cookies, each with its own special taste and story! Let's explore some famous ones from all over the globe.

Cookies with Fun Shapes and Stories

Animal Crackers: A Zoo in a Box

Animal crackers come in many different animal shapes!

Imagine eating a lion, a tiger, or an elephant! That's what you get with Animal crackers. These small, crunchy cookies are baked in the shapes of different animals. They first became popular in the United States, especially in New York City. They're a super fun snack that lets you play with your food!

ANZAC Biscuits: A Taste of History

ANZAC biscuits are a popular treat in Australia and New Zealand.

The ANZAC biscuit has a special history from Australia and New Zealand. It's a sweet cookie made with rolled oats, flour, coconut, sugar, butter, and golden syrup. These biscuits are named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). They were often sent to soldiers during wartime because they stayed fresh for a long time. They are still a beloved treat today!

Fortune Cookies: A Sweet Surprise

What will your fortune cookie say?

Have you ever cracked open a cookie to find a secret message inside? That's a Fortune cookie! These sweet, folded cookies are famous in the United States. Inside each one, there's a small paper slip with a "fortune" – it might be a wise saying or a fun prediction about your future. It's always a fun surprise to see what your fortune will be!

Gingerbread Men: A Classic Character

Gingerbread men are often decorated with icing and candies.

The Gingerbread man is a classic cookie character from Europe. These cookies are made from gingerbread dough and shaped like flat little people. They are often decorated with icing for eyes, buttons, and smiles. Gingerbread is a spiced cookie, usually made with ginger and other warm spices. They are especially popular around Christmas time.

Stroopwafels: A Dutch Delight

Stroopwafels are delicious with a warm drink.

From the Netherlands comes the Stroopwafel, a truly unique cookie! It's like a waffle cookie made from two thin, crispy layers of baked batter. But the best part is the gooey, caramel-like syrup filling in the middle. They are often warmed over a cup of hot tea or coffee, making the syrup soft and extra delicious.

Cookies with Unique Flavors and Ingredients

Afghan Biscuits: A Crunchy Treat

Afghan biscuits are known for their chocolate and cornflake crunch.

The Afghan biscuit is a traditional cookie from New Zealand. It's made with cocoa powder, butter, flour, and a secret ingredient: cornflakes! This gives them a wonderful crunch. They are usually topped with chocolate icing and half a walnut. The name might sound exotic, but it probably comes from a color description, "Afghan Brown," from the 1920s.

Caramel Shortbread: Layers of Sweetness

Caramel shortbread is a rich, layered dessert.

Also known as Millionaire's Shortbread, this cookie is a real treat! Caramel shortbread is a rectangular cookie with amazing layers. It starts with a buttery shortbread base, then a layer of smooth caramel, and finally, a topping of rich chocolate. It's popular in Australia and Scotland, and once you taste it, you'll understand why it's called "Millionaire's"!

Chocolate Chip Cookies: An American Favorite

Warm chocolate chip cookies are a classic comfort food.

The Chocolate chip cookie is one of the most famous cookies in the United States. It's a "drop cookie," meaning the dough is dropped onto the baking sheet. Its main ingredients are flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and, of course, lots of chocolate chips! You can also find variations with nuts or oatmeal. It's a classic for a reason – everyone loves them!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: A Healthy Twist

Oatmeal raisin cookies are chewy and sweet.

Oatmeal raisin cookies are descendants of oat cakes, which were made in Scotland a very long time ago. These chewy cookies are made with oats, and somewhere along the way, sweet raisins were added to the mix. The first recorded recipe for an oatmeal raisin cookie was written in 1896 and was even thought of as a "health food" back then!

Peanut Butter Cookies: A Nutty Delight

Peanut butter cookies often have a criss-cross pattern.

If you love peanut butter, you'll love a Peanut butter cookie! These cookies feature peanut butter as a main ingredient, giving them a rich, nutty flavor and a soft, chewy texture. They are very popular in the United States. Often, bakers press a fork onto the top of the dough before baking to create a classic criss-cross pattern.

Cookies from Different Cultures

Alfajores: A South American Sandwich

Alfajores are often dusted with powdered sugar.

Alfajores are popular sweet treats in South America and the Philippines. They usually consist of two soft, round cookies joined together with a delicious filling. The most common filling is dulce de leche, a sweet caramel sauce, but sometimes jam is used too. They are often dusted with powdered sugar, making them look as good as they taste.

Basler Läckerli: A Swiss Spice Cookie

Basler Läckerli are traditional Swiss spice cookies.

From Basel, Switzerland, comes the Basler Läckerli. This is a traditional hard spice biscuit made with honey, almonds, candied fruit peels, and a cherry liqueur called Kirsch. The dough is cut into rectangles while it's still warm, and then a sweet sugar glaze is added on top. They are a chewy and flavorful treat!

Biscotti: Italian Crunchy Dippers

Biscotti are perfect for dipping in coffee or tea.

In Italy, Biscotti are a type of hard, almond-flavored cookie. The word "biscotti" actually means "twice-baked," which is how they get their famous crunch! They are traditionally served with vin santo, a sweet dessert wine, for dipping. Their firm texture makes them perfect for dunking into coffee, tea, or milk.

Macarons: Colorful French Delights

Macarons come in a rainbow of colors and flavors.

The Macaron is a beautiful and delicate meringue-based cookie from France (though some say it started in Italy!). It's made with egg whites, sugar, and almond flour. What makes them special is that two of these light, airy cookies are sandwiched together with a creamy filling like ganache, buttercream, or jam. They come in almost every color and flavor you can imagine!

Shortbread: A Scottish Classic

Shortbread is a rich, buttery cookie.

Shortbread is a very rich and buttery cookie from Scotland in the United Kingdom. It's made with just a few simple ingredients: white sugar, butter, and flour. The secret to its deliciousness is the high amount of butter, which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It's often shaped into rounds, fingers, or wedges and is a beloved tea-time treat.

Other Interesting Cookies

Black and White Cookies: Half and Half Fun

Black and white cookies offer two flavors in one.

The Black and white cookie is a popular treat in the United States, especially in New York City. It's a soft, cake-like cookie that's half-covered in vanilla icing and half-covered in chocolate icing. It looks like a half-moon, giving you the best of both chocolate and vanilla in one bite!

Butter Cookies: Simple and Sweet

Butter cookies are often found in decorative tins.

Butter cookies are simple yet delicious cookies, often associated with Denmark. They are known for their crisp texture, which comes from the perfect balance of butter, flour, and sugar. You'll often find them flavored with vanilla, chocolate, or coconut. They are a classic choice for a light, sweet snack.

Christmas Cookies: Festive Fun

Christmas cookies are a fun way to celebrate the holidays.

Christmas cookies are a big part of holiday traditions in Europe and many other places. These are sugar biscuits and cookies made from various types of dough. What makes them "Christmas" cookies is their festive shapes and decorations, which often relate to Christmas traditions. Think stars, trees, and Santa shapes, all decorated with colorful icing and sprinkles!

Sandwich Cookies: Double the Delight

Sandwich cookies are two cookies with a creamy filling.

A Sandwich cookie is exactly what it sounds like: two hard cookies with a soft, creamy filling in between! This popular style of cookie is found all over the world. The filling can be anything from vanilla cream to chocolate, fruit jam, or even peanut butter. It's like getting two cookies and a delicious surprise all in one!

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Aachener Printen are a type of gingerbread.
Abernethy biscuits were invented to help with digestion.
Acıbadem kurabiyesi are Turkish almond cookies.
Almond biscuits from Macau.
Amaretti di Saronno are Italian almond cookies.
Alfajores are popular in South America and the Philippines.
Aparon are Filipino wafers.
Apas are oblong-shaped wafers.
Apple cider cookies are flavored with apple cider.
Baci di dama are Italian sandwich cookies.
Ballokume is a traditional Albanian dessert.
Barquillo is a crispy rolled wafer pastry.
Barquiron is a barquillo filled with polvoron.
Bath Oliver biscuits are often eaten with cheese.
Berger Cookies are iconic in Baltimore.
Berner Haselnusslebkuchen is a Swiss hazelnut cake.
Berner Honiglebkuchen is a Swiss honey cookie.
Biscocho is a twice-baked bread from the Philippines.
A bowl of digestive biscuits.
Biscuit rolls are also known as "love letters."
Biscochitos are crispy butter cookies from New Mexico.
Boortsog are deep-fried dough pieces from Central Asia.
Bourbon biscuits are chocolate sandwich cookies.
Bredela are Christmas cookies from Alsace, France.
Broas are Filipino ladyfinger biscuits.
Butter pecan cookies are made with roasted pecans.
Carrot cake cookies taste like carrot cake.
Cat's tongue cookies are thin and crunchy.
Cavallucci are chewy anise biscuits from Italy.
Caycay are Filipino layered cookies.
Charcoal biscuits were originally made for stomach trouble.
Chocolate biscuits are coated in chocolate.
Chocolate-coated marshmallow treats are popular in Scotland.
Cowboy cookies are made with oats, chocolate chips, pecans, and coconuts.
Cuchuflís are barquillos filled with dulce de leche or chocolate.
Coconut macaroons are sweet cookies made with shredded coconut.
Cornish fairings are chewy ginger biscuits.
Coyotas are large, flat cookies from Mexico.
Cream crackers are savory biscuits often eaten with cheese.
Cuccidati are fig-stuffed cookies from Sicily.
Custard creams are vanilla-filled sandwich biscuits.
Digestive biscuits are semi-sweet and often eaten with tea.
Drabbelkoek is a crispy cookie from the Netherlands.
Dutch letters are filled with almond paste.
Empire biscuits have jam and icing.
Fig bars are filled with fig paste.
Finskepinner are long, almond-flavored biscuits.
Florentine biscuits have candied fruit and nuts.
Flour kurabiye are Turkish butter and flour cookies.
Fudge cookies have the flavor and texture of fudge.
Galletas de bato are flat, disc-shaped cookies.
Galletas de patatas are square biscuits from the Philippines.
Galletas del Carmen are crenelated disc-shaped cookies.
Garibaldi biscuits have currants sandwiched between two biscuits.
Gazelle ankles are crescent-shaped cookies from Morocco.
Ghorabiye are Iranian almond flour cookies.
Ghoriba are made with flour, sugar, butter, and almonds.
Ginger snaps are hard, spiced biscuits.
Filipino half-moon cookies are butter cookies.
Hamantaschen are triangular cookies filled with sweets.
Jacobina are thick square biscuits from the Philippines.
Jammie Dodgers have jam in the middle.
Joe Froggers are molasses and spice cookies from Massachusetts.
Jodenkoek are large, flat, round shortbread cookies.
Jumbles are simple cookie-like pastries.
Kaasstengels are cheese cookies from Indonesia.
Kahk are Egyptian cookies filled with dates or nuts.
Khapse are Tibetan cookies in various shapes.
Kichel are Jewish sweet crackers.
Kleicha is the national cookie of Iraq.
Koulourakia are Greek butter-based pastries.
Kourabiedes are Greek butter cookies with almonds.
Krumiri are Italian cookies shaped like bent cylinders.
Krumkake are Norwegian cookies cooked on a special iron.
Kue gapit is an Indonesian wafer cookie.
Kue satu is a traditional Indonesian mung bean cookie.
Lady Fingers are light sponge cakes.
Lebkuchen is a type of gingerbread from Germany.
Lengua de gato are very thin butter cookies from the Philippines.
Lincoln biscuits have a pattern of dots.
Linga are flat cookies with sesame seeds from the Philippines.
Ma'amoul are Arab filled pastries with dates or nuts.
Macaroons are made with egg whites and other ingredients like almond or coconut.
Malted milk biscuits are named for their malt and milk content.
Mamón tostado are twice-baked sponge cupcakes.
Mandelbrot is a type of cookie found in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine.
Maple leaf cream cookies have a maple-flavored filling.
Marie biscuits are rich cookies often eaten with tea.
Masa podrida are dry, crumbly shortbread cookies from the Philippines.
Nice biscuits are coconut-flavored plain biscuits.
Nocciolini di Canzo are small hazelnut flour biscuits.
Oat crisps are small, round, flat baked biscuits.
Otap is an oval-shaped puff pastry cookie from the Philippines.
Paciencia are Filipino meringue eggdrop cookies.
Paborita are Filipino disc-shaped biscuits.
Panellets are small marzipan cakes from Spain.
Paprenjak is a Croatian cookie known for containing pepper.
Party rings are circular cookies with colorful icing.
Petit-Beurre is a type of butter cookie from France.
Pepernoten are baked traditionally during Sinterklaas in the Netherlands.
Pignolo are soft, chewy cookies with pine nuts.
Piñata cookies are hollow and filled with candies.
Polvorón are very soft shortbread cookies from Spain.
Pineapple tarts are shortbread cookies with pineapple jam.
Pizzelle are waffle or wafer cookies from Italy.
Puto seco is a dry, powdery cookie from the Philippines.
Putri salju are crescent-shaped cookies coated in powdered sugar.
Rainbow cookies are layered almond-based cakes with jam and chocolate.
Reshteh Khoshkar is an Iranian fried cookie.
Ricciarelli are almond cookies from Siena, Italy.
Rich tea biscuits are sweet and ideal for dunking.
Roscas are Philippine cookies shaped like an elbow.
Rosettes are thin, deep-fried wafers from Scandinavia.
Rosquillos are Philippine cookies made from flour, eggs, and sugar.
Rum balls are made from ground biscuits with rum.
Russian tea cakes are coated in powdered sugar.
Semprong is a traditional Indonesian wafer snack.
Silvana is a frozen cookie from the Philippines.
Snickerdoodles are sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Speculaas are flat Christmas biscuits with spices.
Springerle are hard anise cookies with embossed designs.
Spritzgebäck are fragile, buttery Christmas cookies.
Sugar cookies are simple cookies often decorated with icing.
Tahini cookies are made with tahini, flour, sugar, and butter.
Tareco is a tough, disk-shaped biscuit from Brazil.
Teiglach are small, knotted Jewish pastries boiled in honey syrup.
Tirggel are very thin, hard, sweet Christmas biscuits from Switzerland.
Toruń gingerbread is a Polish gingerbread that can be filled.
Ube crinkles are Filipino cookies made from purple yam.
Ugoy-ugoy are Filipino rectangular layered biscuits.
Uraró are Filipino cookies made from arrowroot flour.
Vanillekipferl are crescent-shaped vanilla cookies from Austria.
Wafers are crisp, thin, flat biscuits.
Wibele are small, light cookies from Germany.