Cookie Jar Materials

So, which cookie jar material is right for you? Well, that all depends. Do you foresee yourself collecting jars or using them? Do you have children, pets or clumsy people running about the house? What, if anything, will you store inside? Do you plan on keeping this piece for a long time to come? These are some of the questions you'll need to ask yourself before determining a material.

Nowadays, cookie jars are commonly available in materials such as glass, plastic, ceramic and porcelain. However, when decorative cookie jars first appeared on the American scene in the early '30s, they were primarily made of pottery stoneware and glass. People were seeking a way to keep cookies fresh while they were stored in a container to prevent dry cookies from getting moist and moist cookies from drying out. These receptacles soon found their way across the country as handy, efficient storage containers that also added flair to a kitchen's decor.

While cookie jars have been made in several different mediums such as metal, glass, wood, and plastic, it's the ceramic jars that usually capture the most attention, as many of these ceramic jars are made of earthenware. Very few cookie jars are made of porcelain - a more expensive ceramic material that's thicker and more durable than earthenware and which, if poured thin enough, can appear translucent.

Both modern-looking and antique glass cookie jars can be found in clear, tinted, colored or painted options. Some are sculptured or hobnobbed, while others are simple and plain. Plastic cookie jars, of course, remain the one kind that is the most durable and unbreakable. While great for the risks of little hands and wagging tails, plastic does tend to show its age rather quickly in that the colors can fade or yellow and the material, itself, can split with continued use over time.

Whatever material you choose, you're sure to enjoy many happy thoughts each time you see your striking cookie jar in whatever shape, color, or theme you desire.