Great Moments in Cookie History

5th century B.c.—Golden Age Greeks make mention of honey cakes, similar to cookies, sprinkled with spices. Also, early records of Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and Aztecs indicate that small, cookie-like cakes are used in religious ceremonies.

4th century B.C.—Dates are used in southern Mesopotamia to make sweetmeats, small confections similar to cookies. Even earlier, Egyptians use small cakes for live sacrifices to the gods. Later, Germanic tribes also use cookies sacrificially during hard times, when an ox cannot be spared.