Inside Pittsburgh’s wedding cookie table tradition

Did you know about Pittsburgh’s wedding cookie tables? Learn about how this tradition started and how you can enjoy it, wedding or not.

If you’ve ever been to a wedding in Pittsburgh, you know that another nickname for the city could be Cookietown! One of the proudest celebration traditions in Pittsburgh is the “cookie table” that has become a staple of weddings throughout the city and its surrounding areas.

But where did this unique (and uniquely delicious) tradition come from? How do you make a proper Pittsburgh cookie table? And perhaps most importantly, if you don’t have a wedding coming up any time soon, where can you enjoy some of the delicious cookies beloved by Pittsburghers of all ages? Let’s have a look and find out.

Wedding cake, wedding cookie, or both?

So, what exactly is a “Pittsburgh cookie table?” Although cookie tables can vary, the key elements are surprisingly consistent. One thing to know straight off the bat is that a cookie table is not a replacement for a wedding cake. Nor are the couple who have just been married obligated to slice into a giant cookie and feed each other chocolate chips in front of their guests (although there’s also no rule against doing that, if you want to).

A Pittsburgh cookie table is an additional dessert station, usually served alongside or immediately after the wedding cake. A cookie table typically features a wide variety of different types of cookies. While there’s no official number of flavors or styles, most will have at least three different varieties, and sometimes many, many more. The cookies are laid out buffet-style, and guests can help themselves to as many as they like.

In terms of what type of cookies to place on your cookie table, the sky’s the limit! From American classics like buckeyes and good old-fashioned chocolate chip to Italian wedding cookies, because “wedding” is right there in the name, to social-media-friendly peach sandwich cookies, any type of cookie is welcome on a cookie table. In fact, in recent years, many couples have taken it a step beyond cookies and also added mini cheesecakes, cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, and more to their cookie table. Some cookie tables also feature decorations (beyond the decorative value of cookies themselves, that is), such as flowers, photos of the couple, or electric tea lights.

From across the Atlantic to a table near you

Now, while anyone with a sweet tooth can agree that a cookie table is a great addition to any occasion, it’s also a uniquely Pittsburgh (and, according to some sources, Youngstown, Ohio) element of weddings. But where did it start? Why does Pittsburgh love cookie tables—and, perhaps more importantly, why doesn’t everywhere else have them?

The origins of the Pittsburgh cookie table have never been formally documented, but several theories exist. Some, such as Heather Davis, a Pittsburgh wedding planner interviewed for Pennsylvania Weddings, say that cookie tables began during the Great Depression, when many couples couldn’t afford to serve their guests a traditional wedding cake, and cookies were a more affordable sweet treat.

There are also reasons to trace the beginnings of the table to Pittsburgh’s immigrant communities. Cookie tables are more than welcome at any and all Pittsburgh weddings, but are most popular when one or both of the newlyweds is of Italian, Polish, German, or Scandinavian descent. Immigrants from these countries settled in large numbers in Pittsburgh in the first half of the twentieth century, bringing their culinary traditions with them. In addition to wedding cookie tables, their legacy is evident in classic Pittsburgh treats like Primanti Bros sandwiches and the city’s long-standing love affair with pierogies.

While Italian wedding cookies are well-known across the United States, they also have a delicious cousin in the form of Polish almond crescents. Additionally, Danish wedding cookies are a beloved tradition in Scandinavian-American communities. These treats can also be found at many wedding cookie tables, and, moreover, the idea that cookies are a crucial part of a wedding reception may have helped establish the tradition of the cookie table.

Why wait for a wedding?

If all this talk of cookie tables has gotten your sweet tooth intrigued, that’s totally understandable. But what if you don’t have a wedding to attend any time soon? Don’t worry. There are plenty of spots across Steel City to get your cookie fix—whether or not anyone is being joined in matrimony.

For a taste of tradition, Prantl’s Bakery has been serving up sweetness in the Pittsburgh area for over a century. Not only is it home to cookies worthy of any cookie table, including seasonal variations, Prantl’s also makes the famous Pittsburgh burnt almond torte, which has been voted “America’s best cake” by the Huffington Post. On the other hand, Nancy B’s Bakery has a short but sweet menu that’s almost entirely cookies! Cookie tables are a house specialty for Nancy B’s, with by-the-dozen options for traditional favorites like thumbprints, ladylocks, snickerdoodles, and classic chocolate chip. In fact, Nancy B’s chocolate chip cookies have been voted the best in Pennsylvania!

Any hockey fans craving cookies? You might want to consider checking out the official bakery of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pastries a la Carte. Pastries a la Carte offers cookies from Russian tea cookies to raspberry shortbreads, including the famous Alfie’s French Cremes, in wedding-sized or individual quantities—perfect for a Penguins game watch party!

Other popular options for cookies, served in a wedding table or otherwise, include Moio’s Italian Pastry Shop, just outside Pittsburgh in Monroeville. This decades-old family-run bakery sells handmade Italian cookies by the dozen, to share or enjoy just for yourself. Or, for a bakery that mostly does one thing and does it well, Good L’Oven Cookie Shop is a cookie-lover’s haven, as the name suggests, with single cookies available as an anytime treat.

Whether you’re planning a wedding and need a lengthy cookie table (the longest ever was made in 2019 in Monongahela, and contained nearly 89,000 cookies) or are looking for a way to treat yourself after a long day, Pittsburgh’s the place to be for cookies. Just remember, whatever the cookie occasion, Pennsylvania is also one of the top dairy-producing states in the country, so be sure to grab a glass of milk for dunking!

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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