To make Ginger-bread

December 24, 2025December 24, 2025 Little DorritLeave a comment

I’m always fascinated by recipes that pop up over and over again throughout different cookbooks. Early cookbook authors copied from one another extensively, frequently reprinting recipes from other cookbooks word-for-word or with only a few minor alterations. The copied recipes are almost never attributed to their original authors, a practice that would be considered plagiarism today but was common at the time. I’ve found this exact gingerbread recipe in three 18th and 19th century cookbooks so far, and wouldn’t be surprised if it turns up in more.

Spice Roll

January 22, 2023January 21, 2023 Little Dorrit2 Comments

This recipe comes from The Settlement Cookbook, first published in 1901. The book was initially created as a charity cookbook to raise funds for the Jewish Settlement House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was so successful that the proceeds of the first two editions were enough to purchase a site for the new Settlement House. The cookbook presents a variety of recipes influenced by German, Eastern European, and Jewish cooking, reflecting the culinary traditions of the immigrants served by the Settlement House.

Braune Lebkuchen (Brown Gingerbread)

December 11, 2022October 12, 2024 Little Dorrit4 Comments

Lebkuchen is a type of gingerbread traditionally made in Germany. There are many different varieties of Lebkuchen, with different specialties in different regions, but they are typically made with honey and spices. This version is one of several Lebkuchen recipes in the 1803 cookbook Augsburgisches Kochbuch.

Gingerbread Pudding

October 17, 2021October 16, 2021 Little Dorrit1 Comment

I love gingerbread in pretty much any form, and I am beginning to develop a love of steamed puddings – so naturally I had to try this 1875 recipe for a steamed gingerbread pudding.

Broonie

February 21, 2021February 16, 2021 Little Dorrit2 Comments

Broonie is a traditional oatmeal gingerbread from the Orkney Islands in Scotland. This particular recipe comes from the folklorist F. Marian McNeill, who collected traditional recipes for her 1929 book The Scots Kitchen. Although she collected recipes from all over Scotland (I made another of her gingerbread recipes in this post), she was born and raised in Orkney, so broonie may have been familiar to her from her childhood.

Sour Milk Ginger Bread

December 20, 2020December 17, 2020 Little Dorrit1 Comment

This gingerbread comes from Foods That Will Win the War, a pamphlet and recipe book instructing cooks how to save food during World War I. Although the United States never had official rationing during the first World War, the U.S. Food Administration ran an aggressive propaganda campaign urging Americans not to waste food, especially wheat, meat, fats, and sugar. Gingerbread was perfect for this, since the use of molasses as a sweetener means that it can be made without any added sugar at all.

Fochabers Gingerbread

November 15, 2020November 14, 2020 Little Dorrit1 Comment

This traditional gingerbread from the town of Fochabers, Scotland, is packed with all sorts of goodies, including fruit, spices, and almonds. The most unusual ingredient, however, is beer.

Yorkshire Parkin

November 1, 2020October 12, 2024 Little DorritLeave a comment

Parkin is a type of oatmeal gingerbread traditionally made in northern England for Bonfire Night celebrations on November 5th.

Cocoa-nut Gingerbread

June 19, 2020August 25, 2020 Little DorritLeave a comment

I found this cookie recipe in Eliza Acton’s 1845 book Modern Cookery, In All Its Branches (available from archive.org). I wanted to try it because a) I love gingerbread and b) the combination of ingredients (shredded coconut, rice flour) seemed unusual.

History in the Making

recreating historic foods and crafts

Tag: gingerbread