- This page is about edible cookies. For other uses, see Cookie (disambiguation)
In the United States of America and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat baked cake (British English biscuit). Its name comes from the Dutch word koekje which means "little cake". Cookies were first made from little pieces of cake batter that were cooked separately in order to test oven temperature. The ancestor of the cookie is said to have come from Persia according to many sources. (example) 2
They can be baked until crisp or only long enough that they stay soft, depending on the type of cookie. Cookies are made in a vast variety of styles, using an array of possible ingredients including sugars, spices, chocolate, butter, peanut butter, nuts or dried fruits. Some types of cookies are:
At the beginning of the year, Girl Scouts in the United States sell Girl Scout cookies. The types of cookie vary from council to council.
See also Cookie Monster, cookie cutter.