A Taste of Gilded Splendor: A Review of The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook

Sugar Plums, Silver Spoons & Society Sweets

Picture it: Fifth Avenue aglow with gaslight, carriages clattering past mansions trimmed in holly, and inside — tables groaning under the weight of whipped cream cakes, candied fruits, and gingerbread so delicately spiced it could make a Vanderbilt weep. This, dear reader, is the world Becky Libourel Diamond invites us into with The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook: Cookies and Treats from America’s Golden Era.

It’s not merely a cookbook. It’s a gilded invitation to a holiday season where sugar was status, and dessert was a declaration of taste, wealth, and social standing.

What Exactly Is a Sugar Plum? (Hint: Not a Plum)

While most Americans know sugar plums from Clement Clarke Moore’s A Visit from St. Nicholas — “while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads” — few have ever actually tasted one. And spoiler: they’re not sugar-dusted produce masquerading as dessert. These dainty delights were once the crown jewels of Victorian confectionery, painstakingly layered with nuts, spices, and dried fruits, then rolled into orbs of opulence.

As Diamond quips, sugar plums “were the epitome of holiday indulgence — a treat so labor-intensive, they practically required a staff.” Naturally, they fell out of favor once the 20th century arrived with its factory-made fudge and time-saving shortcuts. But in this book, they pirouette back into the spotlight, ready to reclaim their place on your holiday table.

A Cookbook That Reads Like a Christmas Novel

Reading The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is like stepping into a snow globe of America’s most extravagant era. Diamond doesn’t just share recipes — she resurrects the world of the Astors, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Rockefellers, where holiday menus were as curated as a Tiffany window display.

Each chapter is laced with historical anecdotes, vintage illustrations, and culinary lore. You’ll learn how railroad tycoons dined, how club luncheons were orchestrated, and how even cookies could be a flex of social power. It’s Downton Abbey meets The Joy of Cooking, with a generous dusting of nutmeg and swirls of whipped cream.

Gingerbread Worthy of the Livingstons

As one descended from the Livingstons, Van Rensselaers, Schuylers, and Van de Cordts (pedigree only, not purse strings), I found this book especially evocative. It painted a vivid picture of what Christmas might have looked like in my own family’s parlors — an era where elegance and culinary artistry were inseparable, and holiday tables were both a display of taste and status.

Naturally, I made the gingerbread. Diamond’s recipe (Section: Cookies, Page 7) is soft, spiced, and fragrant — the kind of cookie that would have been served on a silver tray beside bone china teacups and a roaring hearth. We decorated a few, paired them with coffee and tea, and promptly declared them a new family tradition–or perhaps one lost through generations.

From Brown Sugar Cookies to Whipped Cream Cakes

Diamond’s collection includes dozens of other decadent desserts that once graced the tables of America’s elite. From brown sugar cookies and lemon gingerbread to festive candies and towering cakes, each recipe is a portal to a more indulgent time.

And lest you think it’s all Christmas, the book also includes treats for Hanukkah and New Year’s, making it a culturally rich and versatile addition to your holiday kitchen.

Why This Cookbook Belongs in Your Holiday Arsenal

• Historically rich: Each recipe is paired with fascinating context and period illustrations.
• Visually stunning: The photography is lush, nostalgic, and Pinterest-worthy.
• Approachable elegance: Diamond adapts 19th-century recipes for modern kitchens without losing their charm.
• Perfect gift: With a foreword by Chef Walter Staib of A Taste of History, it’s ideal for bakers, history buffs, and anyone who dreams of a more glamorous Christmas.

Bake Like a Baroness: Holiday Glamour Revived

Ah, the holidays — when sugar plums pirouette, gingerbread dons its finest attire, and even the cakes seem to curtsy beneath clouds of whipped cream. Becky Libourel Diamond’s The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook is no mere recipe collection; it’s a gilded passport to a season where dessert was a declaration of status and every sweet had a story. From Astor silver to Livingston linens, the book evokes an era when culinary artistry was as essential to holiday gatherings as the parlor’s velvet drapes.

So let the sugar plums dance, the whipped cream rise, and your holiday table shimmer with the splendor of yesteryear. This season, may your baking be as rich in history as it is in butter — and may your guests leave wondering if they’ve just dined Christmas with the Carnegies.