December 02, 2020
National Cookie Day: Celebrate National Cookie Day 2020
If you’re a self-proclaimed cookie lover (or you have your very own Cookie Monster in your life), you’re going to want to set a reminder on your calendar for National Cookie Day. The holiday celebrated on December 4th is dedicated to one of the most diverse and beloved desserts in the world, the cookie.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to treat yourself to some fun and delicious treats on Cookie Day. There are plenty of ways to celebrate, whether you swing by the store to pick up a package of your favorite cookies on the way home or you decide to bake your own. Staying away from sweets? You can still surprise someone you love with a Cookie Day surprise by sending them a cookie delivery.
Plan ahead for National Cookie Day 2020 with this guide and don’t forget to set a reminder so you don’t forget to treat yourself. Read on to learn more about what cookie day is, when it’s celebrated, and the history of the holiday.
What Is National Cookie Day?
National Cookie Day is a U.S. holiday that celebrates this deliciously sweet baked treat. National Cookie Day is meant to be a holiday that’s observed solely for fun. There’s no specific way to celebrate or honor it—unlike many other holidays—but it can be a good opportunity to start family traditions or even just inject your day with a bit of innocent fun. Who doesn’t love to treat themselves to something sweet?
While National Cookie Day is technically an American holiday, many other countries have similar celebrations.
When Is National Cookie Day?
National Cookie Day is December 4th. On National Cookie Day 2020, the holiday falls on a Friday.
National Cookie Day is not to be confused with National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, which is on August 4th or National Oatmeal Cookie Day, which is celebrated on April 30th. However, you can celebrate those too, especially if those are your favorites!
National Cookie Day History
While cookies themselves have been enjoyed all over the world for centuries, the first National Cookie Day didn’t come until much later—1976 to be exact. The origin of National Cookie Day is a surprising one; it was first featured on Sesame Street’s calendar.
The original date was set as November 26, 1976. Then in 1980, in The Sesame Street Dictionary, Cookie Monster declared “Me proclaim today National Cookie Day!”. While that didn’t officially change the date, in 1987, Matt Nader, one of the founders of Blue Chip Cookie Company, proclaimed December 4th National Cookie Day.
Nowadays, Matt Nader’s National Cookie Day celebration stands as the widespread day for recognition of everyone’s favorite fresh-baked treat.
Other Cookie Celebrations
In addition to the overarching National Cookie Day we celebrate on December 4th, there are several other dates on which cookie lovers can rejoice:
National Oreo Cookie Day: March 6th
Oatmeal Cookie Day: April 30th
National Peanut Butter Cookie Day: June 12th
National Sugar Cookie Day: July 9th
National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day: August 4th
National Homemade Cookie Day: October 1st
And, if you really love cookies, you’ll be thrilled to know that October has been declared National Cookie Month. While these dates have all passed this year, don’t forget to set some reminders on your calendar for next year.
How to Celebrate National Cookie Day
Whether it’s the first time you’ve heard of the holiday or it’s one of your favorite annual traditions, there are plenty of ways to celebrate on December 4th. Here are a few of our favorite ideas for inspiration:
Order a Cookie Delivery
Ordering a cookie delivery for yourself, friends, employees, or clients is an excellent way to celebrate National Cookie Day while sharing the fun. A Cookie Day delivery is a great way to cheer someone up, congratulate them, or just let them know you’re thinking about them. No matter what, it’s sure to put a smile on their face.
You can order plain or decorated cookies as well as other types of cookie gifts including:
Cookie cakes
Chocolate-covered Oreo® cookies
Placing a Cookie Day delivery is quick and easy with ProFlowers, all you need to do is:
Select the cookie gift you want to send—we sell cookie baskets, Mrs. Fields® cookie tins, and more, all of which are perfect for sharing
Provide the delivery address and date you want them sent (on or before December 4th)
Enter your payment information and your delivery will be on its way
Your National Cookie Day order will be delivered straight to your doorstep, fresh and ready to enjoy. You can also order beautiful flower arrangements and vibrant plants from ProFlowers to go with your cookie delivery. We deliver to homes and offices all over the world, so you can celebrate Cookie Day with those you love near and far.
Bake Cookies at Home
Baking at home is a great way to relax and spend quality time with those you love, and what better way to spend a day full of joy and deliciousness? Here are a few ideas or baking at home to celebrate National Cookie Day:
Look up a new recipe to try. You can get as creative as you want or stick to a basic recipe like sugar cookies or peanut butter cookies. Plenty of well-known cookie dough companies have recipes on their packaging or even on their website, so you can easily find one that uses your favorite mix. You can also look up food bloggers, search Pinterest for cookie recipes, or even get creative and experiment with creating a new recipe that’s all your own.
Whip up a batch of your family’s traditional cookie recipe. You can make a small batch just for the family to enjoy for a National Cookie Day dessert, or bake a whole bunch and share them with the neighbors. Don’t know any family cookie recipes off the top of your head? Call up your mom or grandma and ask them if they have any on hand. If there aren’t any, look up cookie recipes from your culture and make one of those.
Make cookie ice cream sandwiches. Who says you have to stick to just cookies? Mix two of the best desserts by making your own cookie ice cream sandwiches at home. You can have fun mixing and matching flavors like sugar cookies with birthday cake ice cream, mint chocolate chip with (you guessed it) chocolate chip cookies, or peanut butter cookies with chocolate ice cream—the possibilities are virtually endless.
Host a cookie exchange. If you have National Cookie Day 2020 marked on your calendar, you can plan ahead and organize a cookie exchange. While you can’t necessarily gather in the kitchen with a bunch of friends, you can have everyone pre-bake cookies and drop off a wrapped-up batch on everyone else’s doorstep. Cookie exchanges are a great way to recognize Cookie Day because they allow you to try all different kinds.
Bake for charity. Make National Cookie Day meaningful by baking a bunch of cookies and selling them to friends, coworkers, and neighbors, and then taking that money and donating it to charity. You can choose your favorite nonprofit organization or choose a hunger-relief cause to contribute to. Set up contactless dropoff and have them leave the money under the mat or even better, send it to you via a payment app. It’s really as easy as that to do some good.
Have a cookie decorating contest. Get your kids in the spirit for National Cookie Day by having a cookie decorating contest at home or in your classroom. Pre-bake the cookies so all they have to do is decorate them and purchase a bunch of supplies (colorful icing, sprinkles, candies, etc.) so they can create their very best cookie creations. For older kids or even adults who want to have some delightful and delicious fun, you can use a timer to up the stakes.
Make gingerbread houses. Since National Cookie Day falls a few weeks before Christmas, why not get in the holiday spirit by making gingerbread people and houses. Decorate them with classic festive candies like gumdrops, peppermints, and more to create something that’s as artfully impressive as it is appetizing.
Do Cookie-Themed Crafts
Want to celebrate Cookie Day without giving the kids sweets? Organize some fun cookie-themed crafts that they can do instead. Cut out some cardboard circles or paint paper plates brown and let the kids decorate their own “cookies” with paint. This is a great activity for distance learning too, just have parents get supplies ahead of time.
Buy Your Favorite Cookies
Let’s be honest, most of us have a favorite type of cookie. Whether it’s a classic like chocolate chip or oatmeal, or if it’s a specific brand like Oreo, let yourself indulge today by picking up a package of your favorite cookies. Bring them home or into the office to share, or keep them to yourself—we won’t tell, eat as many cookies as you want!
Visit Your City’s Best-Rated Cookie Shop
Plan a fun Cookie Day outing with friends or family by taking a trip over to your city’s top-rated cookie shop or bakery. Looking up local top-rated lists, reading up on your favorite food blogger’s recommendations, or using review sites like Yelp, makes it easy to pinpoint your city’s best cookie shop.
To get a real taste of what they have to offer, order a few (or even a dozen) for the table to share so everyone gets a bite or two of each flavor. If you’re feeling daring, find their most adventurous flavor on the menu and give it a try, you never know when you’ll find a new favorite that takes you by surprise in the best way.
Find Somewhere Giving Out Free Cookies
Like any food-themed holiday—National Doughnut Day, National Pizza Day, and National Candy Day, for example—there are plenty of freebies and deals to be found on National Cookie Day. Some of the places giving out free goodies on National Cookie Day 2020 include:
Jack in the Box – free Oreo milkshake on certain orders (check your local restaurant for details)
BJ’s Brewhouse – free pizookie when you join their rewards program
Mrs. Fields – free cookie with your purchase (check to see if your local shop is offering this deal)
In addition to these cookie deals, you can check with local businesses and bakeries to see if they’re offering any Cookie Day specials.
Teach Kids About Cookie History
Whether you’re a teacher or parent, celebrating National Cookie Day 2020 by teaching your kids about the history of cookies can be a fun and interesting addition to baking. Research the history of cookies in general, like who invented cookies, where cookies originated from, and which types of cookies originated where. You can use this information to create a lesson plan, have kids give a mini-presentation about one of these topics, create a bingo or trivia game, or just to initiate an interesting dinner conversation.
Start Planning Your National Cookie Day Celebration
National Cookie Day might not be the most widely recognized holiday, but it is a great way to have some fun between the major holidays of the season. Plus it’s a good opportunity to perfect that holiday cookie recipe you’ve been wanting to try out before your annual potluck. No matter how you choose to spend Cookie Day, let yourself indulge in the spirit and the sweetness of the celebration.
Celebrate National Cookie Day and any other holiday or special occasion with festive and fresh cookies, flowers, or plants for delivery from ProFlowers.