National Cookie Cutter Day
NATIONAL COOKIE CUTTER DAY
As the calendar turns to December, holiday baking kicks into high gear--making December 1 the perfect time to celebrate National Cookie Cutter Day. These humble kitchen tools hold a special place in holiday traditions, transforming simple dough into festive stars, gingerbread figures, and intricate snowflakes. And that's all before decorating!
#NationalCookieCutterDay
Cookie cutters date back centuries, with early versions carved from wood or forged from tin by tinsmiths in Europe and North America. Early cookie-shaping relied on press-molding where dough was pressed into carved wooden relief boards. Eventually, cookie cutters transitioned to open-frame metal outlines allowing bakers to cut thin dough quickly without sticking. Legend attributes gingerbread man cookie cutters to Queen Elizabeth I, who instructed her court bakers to make gingerbread figures resembling visiting foreign dignitaries. Today, cookie cutters are available in a variety of plastic and metal designs that present endless decorating options.
Mesopotamia & Egypt
Bakers used clay and wooden press molds to stamp decorative patterns onto ceremonial honey cakes and bread offerings for religious rituals.
European Medieval Guilds
European craftsmen intricately carved wooden blocks (Springerle and Speculaas molds) to imprint detailed scenes into gingerbread and spiced dough.
Traveling Tinsmiths
Tinsmiths in North America and Europe shaped leftover scrap metal into outline cutters with thin handles, creating durable heirloom shapes like heart-in-hand and animals.
Industrialization
Companies like Dover and Hallmark commercialized cookie cutters by manufacturing uniform aluminum and copper sets sold through catalogs and dry-goods stores. Affordability was still limited to those who owned bakeries and wealthier people.
Plastic Expansion
Plastic injection molding allowed mass-production of affordable cookie cutters. Companies process brands like Educational Products and Tupperware to allow cookie cutters to become household staples.
National Cookie Cutter Day falls on the first day of National Cookie Cutter Week. That means you have an entire week to try different cookie recipes and different cookie cutter shapes! Here are a few more ideas to help you celebrate:
WAYS TO CELECRATE NATIONAL COOKIE CUTTER DAY
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Gather friends or family to roll out sugar cookie or gingerbread dough, break out your favorite shapes, and set up a decorating station complete with icing, sprinkles, and sanding sugars.
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Cookie cutters aren't just for dough! Use them to shape pancakes, cut out festive fruit or sandwich slices, or use them as stencils for holiday paper crafts and ornaments.
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Swap unique shapes with neighbors, colleagues, or friends to refresh your collection for the holiday season without buying new ones.
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Learn about antique and vintage cookie cutter collectors! These highly sought-after kitchen collectibles and play an important part in our culinary history. Learn why antique enthusiasts use National Cookie Cutter Day to feature rare, hand-soldered tin, copper, and early plastic cutters.
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Share recipes, cookie cutter fails and successes on social media using the hashtag #NationalCookieCutterDay.
HISTORY BEHIND NATIONAL COOKIE CUTTER DAY
National Cookie Cutter Day was established in 2015 by Zak Bell, CEO of the lifestyle design brand Jon Marc Collection. The day was created to honor the creative role cookie cutters play in holiday baking traditions and family gatherings. Thanks to support of networks like the Cookie Cutter Collectors Club (CCCC), National Cookie Cutter Day gained widespread popularity online through the support of food bloggers, baking supply brands, and craft communities to launch seasonal cookie-decorating challenges.
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