A Short Sweet & Spicy History of Gingerbread
Did you know that gingerbread has been around for thousands of years? While it was very different from the gingerbread we make today, it just shows how important this one confection has been through history.
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Gingerbread Origins
Dating back nearly 5000 years, ginger was first used in China and India where it was cultivated for medicinal and culinary use. This modern herbalist favorite spread westward via the Silk Road and Spice Route to the Roman Empire and Northern Africa.
In the West, ginger was used in incense and perfume, to mask the flavor of preserved meats, make “off” meats more palatable, and support immunity and gastrointestinal health. In the court of King Henry VIII (1509-1547), ginger was added to wine as an enjoyable digestif. By the Middle Ages ginger was being candied and eaten as sweetmeats.
A Spicy Ginger Crumble
The original European gingerbread recipes from Ancient Greece were quite simple and very rich in pungent, warming, ginger!
In fact, early gingerbread was simply breadcrumbs mixed with spices and wine. This crumbly culinary treat was eaten with the fingers or a spoon. (Try making your own version with the Yuletide Sugar & Spice Sprinkle!)
Run, Run, as Fast as You Can…The Gingerbread Man
Over time gingerbread took on more solid forms ranging from soft breads to hard cookies. By the late Middle Ages, the often highly decorated cookies were staples at Medieval Fairs (the Funnel Cake of their time!). The shapes and designs of the cookies changed over the course of the year and included flowers, birds, and leaves.
The gingerbread man shape likely first came into use during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). The Queen’s gingerbreader—yes, she had a baker specifically for gingerbread!—created cookies shaped like her dinner guests which the Queen presented as sweet and unique tokens.
“An I had but one penny in the world,
thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.”
~William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Love’s Labour’s Lost
The Invention of the Gingerbread House
The idea for crafting tiny houses out of gingerbread developed in 16th Century Germany. In fact, the home of the Wicked Witch in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel is a gingerbread house. While this tale was published in 1812, it likely had much earlier origins, possibly dating back to a Baltic tale from 1315.
Eventually, the gingerbread cookie became associated with Yuletide. It took the form of highly decorated cookie houses, silly gingerbread folk, and even intricately iced snowflakes. Today, Gingerbread Festivals take place around the world, with artisans creating holiday masterpieces for the public to enjoy.
One of our family’s favorite Winter holiday activities is visiting Gingerbread displays. We’re always impressed with the decorating talent of the Gingerbread Artists. And having attempted numerous times to create our own gingerbread houses, we are impressed with the skill it takes to build these remarkable structures.
Fun Family Activity: Make a Village
If you’re up for the challenge of making your own gingerbread village from scratch, the place to start is with the small book Making Gingerbread Houses by Rhonda Massingham Hart.
In it you’ll find all the instructions you’ll need for making your own gingerbread, icing, and frosting. She even includes blueprints templates for a variety of structures and easy-to-follow tips for assembly and decoration.
In the past, we’ve used commercially prepared, pre-cut kits. Next time, though, we’ll try the recipes and templates in Making Gingerbread Houses to craft our village! I enjoyed reading this book so much I wrote a short review for you.
While Making Gingerbread Houses is out of print, Amazon has a Kindle version. This makes it very easy to resize and print the templates!
German Gingerbread: Lebkuchen
Why gingerbread became such a popular traditional Yuletide treat, we’ll never know for sure. But one German city has capitalized on its popularity. Since the 14th Century, Nürnberg (Nuremberg) has produced some of the finest Lebkuchen (leb-kuh-xen) in the world.
These soft, spiced, nutty ginger cookie-cakes are crafted by Lebkuchen Bakers who must follow the strict Guild Guidelines in place since 1645! In fact, only Lebkuchen baked within the Nürnberg limits can be called Nürnberg Lebkuchen.
The classic Lebkuchen feature honey, citrus peel, ground nuts, and the classic Yuletide spices—ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, anise, and allspice.
The Oldest Lebkuchen Bakery in Nürnberg
Tracing its roots back hundreds of years, Wicklein bakery has been producing Nürnberg Lebkuchen since 1615! Wicklein still uses today the family recipes that have been handed down through the generations. But you don’t have to go to Germany to experience the exquisite flavor of Wicklein’s sustainably sourced gingerbread! They are sold around the world, and you can have them delivered to your door by Amazon. I suggest the Assorted or Chocolate Coated (my fav)!
More About Gingerbread
- Making Gingerbread Houses (a book review)
- Yuletide Sugar and Spice Sprinkle
- Warm Ginger Cookies Essential Oil Blend
Do you love gingerbread? Have you tried Lebkuchen? I’d love to hear what you think about gingerbread! Please let us know in the comments below!
General References
Avey, T. (2013). The History of Gingerbread. PBS’s The History Kitchen.com. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/food/the-history-kitchen/history-gingerbread/
Bode, A.M., Dong, Z. (2011). The amazing and mighty ginger. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clincal Aspects, 2nd Ed. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
Hart, R.M. (1996). Making Gingerbread Houses. Storey Publishing, LLC.
Hopman, E.E. (2023). The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas. Destiny Books.
O’Connor, K. (n.d.) Ginger and Gingerbread. Horniman Museum & Gardens. Retrieved from https://www.horniman.ac.uk/story/ginger-and-gingerbread/
Smith College Writers. (n.d.) Hansel and Gretel (1812) by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Climate in Arts & History. Retrieved from https://www.science.smith.edu/climatelit/hansel-and-gretel/
Waxman, O.B. (2016). The Surprising Reasons Why Gingerbread Men Became a Holiday Classic. Time.com. Retrieved from https://time.com/4602913/gingerbread-men-history/
Chris P | Author, Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skin Care Formulator
Chris (“Mom”) enjoys formulating bespoke aromatherapy, skin care, and herbal products to support her family, pets, friends, and clients. She also loves experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. An avid reader, writer, and lifetime learner, Chris enthusiastically explores research rabbit holes and then writes about her discoveries.💚 (Learn more >>)
