Farmhouse Magic Blog admits she is a passionate cookie cutter collector.
The photograph of the below round cookie cutter is the oldest cookie cutter in my collection. It belonged to a relative, who passed it on to my Dad, who passed it on to me.
It is most likely from the 1930’s or 1940’s and is made of aluminum with a green wooden handle.
Vintage Aluminum Cookie Cutter with Green Wooden Handle
I adore nature, so I have a collection of tin and copper leaf cookie cutters.
The large copper leaf measures about 6 1/4 by 5 1/4 inches. I don’t think I have ever used it because it makes too large a cookie.
It would be a great cookie for a bake sale or to be individually packaged.
Large cookie cutters also make nice cut-outs for rice cereal and marshmallow treats.
A Variety of Leaf Cookie Cutters
The leaf cookie cutters are photographed on a brown and ecru colored leaf placement from Pottery Barn.
Look what arrived in the mail today, a squirrel cookie cutter! This squirrel cookie cutter is for a craft project I will be working on.
Tin Squirrel Cookie Cutter
History of Cookie Cutters
Baking cookies goes back many years. The first cookies were made with zesty spices such as ginger, cinnamon and black pepper. The cookie dough was probably very similar to a gingerbread recipe.
Gingerbread men were first cut out of dough during the time of Queen Elizabeth. She apparently gave these gingerbread men as gifts.
The old folk tale of Hansel and Gretel helped spread the idea of gingerbread houses. If you remember the tale, the children came to the home of the evil witch and started to nibble on her cottage made of gingerbread, pastries, and candy.
Squirrel and Acorn Tin Cookie Cutters
The more detailed the cookie cutter design, the more desirable it becomes.
If you look at very old vintage cookie cutters you will notice they do not have handles.
Instead, there are holes in the back to push out the cookie once it is pressed.
I found this tin copper colored gingerbread man at a secondhand store for only .50 cents. It is still in the package and probably dates back to the 1960’s or the 1970’s.
I have fond memories of using this same cookie cutter while making Christmas cookies with my Mom.
I remember the dough was difficult to work with and the gingerbread men got all stretched out with long, long legs. What fun we had that day!
Aluminum Gingerbread Man from the 1970’s
Pumpkin Cookie Press
The photograph on the left is of a ceramic cookie press shaped like a jack-o-lantern.
In theory it should be easier to use a cookie press than a cookie cutter.
You get a bit of cookie dough, roll it into a ball and then press it with a cookie press.
However, sometimes if the dough is too warm, it sticks to the cookie press.
This next photograph shows a collection of fall themed cookie cutters made of bright plastic. The box has never even been opened.
The red plastic cookie cutter is of a Thanksgiving turkey.
Plastic Fall Themed Cookie Cutters
Bunny, Cat and Snow Flake Tin Cookie Cutters
The photographs on today’s blog represents just a part of my cookie cutter collection.
What great memories we build when we get together with family to make and decorate cookies for the holidays.