Did you know? Today, November 24th is Fairy Bread Day!
Hold on… what’s FAIRY BREAD?
A favourite childhood treat in Australia, that’s what! Right up there with a sugar sandwich (yup – white bread, butter and sugar, a VERY occasional treat), fairy bread was something you got to eat rarely – mostly at birthday parties. It’s basically three simple ingredients which make magic when they are combined.
1. Bread. White bread. Preferably store bought and preferably square so it cuts nicely into triangle shapes. No fancy bread allowed (no sourdough, no artisinal loaves – just plain, white supermarket bread).
2. Butter. Preferably very thickly spread. This is hard to do when the bread is really fresh and (sssh!) it’s actually easier to make with margarine. This is most likely how I enjoyed this treat as a child (margarine was the spread of choice back then). But if your butter is soft enough and your bread is *just* fresh enough without being too fresh, you’ll strike the perfect balance!
3. 100s & 1000s (Hundreds and Thousands). No, North Americans, NOT sprinkles. YOU use the term “sprinkles” to cover all shapes and sizes. The long “jimmies” are what we call sprinkles (rainbow or chocolate). The topping of fairy bread is also known as “nonpareils” but DEFINITELY NOT “sprinkles”. The term 100s & 1000s is so common in Australia that when I was growing up, the labels for Tupperware containers even included a label for them!
Here in Canada, you CAN get 100s & 1000s in the grocery store but they’re not the same – notably, they are duller colours and they are smaller. Sweetapolita does a version that’s just like you buy in Australia!
Ok, so what’s Fairy Bread DAY?
According to the Fairy Bread Day website:
Back on November 24th, 2014, founder Adam Schell jokingly said over a slice of Fairy Bread, “There should be a day to celebrate this!”, “Well mate, why don’t you make one?” was his friend’s response. And as simple as that, Fairy Bread Day has been celebrated on November 24th ever since.
An irresistible slice of nostalgia, reminiscent of simpler times, Fairy Bread Day is a celebration of Aussie culture. From teachers to tradies, young and old, Fairy Bread Day is now celebrated all around Australia and even around the world, with ex-pats relishing in a slice of home!
In Australia, Fairy Bread Day is sponsored by “Australia’s leading sprinkle connoisseur”, Dollar Sweets, and over the years, it’s evolved to become not only a celebration of the iconic childhood treat but also a support to Australian charities. Between 2020 and 2023, more than $114k was raised to support Australia’s online mental health service for youth, ReachOut. In 2023, Fairy Bread Day announced a new partnership with The Pyjama Foundation, which empowers children in foster care with the tools they need to build a brighter future.
How am I celebrating Fairy Bread Day this year?
This year, I’m celebrating with Fairy Bread Cookies – simple butter cookies with a quick fondant icing (tinted yellow to look like butter) and topped with 100s and 1000s (non pareils). Aren’t they cute?
And so easy to make!
I’ve used a triangle-shaped cookie cutter (affiliate link) here but you could easily use a square cutter (affiliate link) and cut them in halves to make triangles. Mine are 5cm (2-inch) long but you could make them any size – even slice of bread-size if you like! Just be sure to adjust the baking time if you make them larger.
Fairy Bread Cookies
Cookies to celebrate Fairy Bread Day (November 24th)
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 57g (1/4 cup/ 4 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 113g (3/4 cup) all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the fondant icing:
- 120g (3/4 cups) icing sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon egg white (approx. 1/2 an egg white)
- yellow food colouring
To decorate:
- 100s and 1000s
- rainbow sprinkles/ nonpareils
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Mix the butter and sugar together in a bowl with electric hand beaters at high speed until pale in colour and creamy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla, then continue to beat until combined.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and baking powder, mixing until the flour is just combined.
- With the speed still low, add the milk and beat until the dough starts to clump together.
- Gather the dough together with your hands into a disk. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface or in between two large sheets of parchment paper and roll the dough until it’s roughly 1/3-inch thick.
- Cover the dough with parchment paper, place on a baking tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Use a 5cm (2-inch) square rectangular cookie cutter to cut out 12 cookies OR a 5cm (2-inch_ half square triangle cutter to cut out 24 cookies (you might need to gather scraps and re-roll the dough a couple of times), cut them into halves to make 2 triangles and place them on the baking trays roughly 1-inch apart.
- Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes until lightly golden all over.
- Remove from the oven and use an offset spatula to remove the cookies from the trays and place them on wire cooling racks.
- Allow the cookies to completely cool before you ice them.
Make the cookies
Make the fondant icing
- Mix the icing sugar and the milk together. It might not look like it's going to be enough liquid but don't be tempted to add more.
- When you think you can't mix anymore, add the egg white and continue to mix until the icing is thick and glossy.
- Add the food colouring and mix until combined.
- Use a small offset spatula to spread a thin layer of the fondant icing (about 1/2 teaspoon) over the entire surface of a few cookies at a time.
- Sprinkle the top of the cookies lightly with the 100s and 1000s and allow to set.
- Continue in this manner until all the cookies are iced.
Ice and decorate the cookies
Notes
Cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Mardi's Sweetapolita Storefront -
Sweetapolita Rainbow Classic Nonpareils on Amazon
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Cuisinart 5-speed hand mixer
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Bakeware Set – 2 Aluminum Sheet Pan – Half Size (13" x 18")
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Cooling Rack Baking Rack Twin Set
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Square Cookie Cutters, 5-piece set
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45/90 Degree Triangle Cookie Cutter Set - 5 inch, 4 inch, 3 inch, 2 inch - Half Square Right Angle Triangle Geometric Frame Plaque Cookie Cutters Shapes Molds - Stainless Steel
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Ateco Offset Spatula
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PaperChef Natural Release Coated Non-Stick Culinary Parchment Paper
Want more sprinkles (and a discount) this holiday season? Shop my Sweetapolita store!
Click here and use EATLIVTRAVWRITE to get 15% off!
Want to know more about Fairy Bread?
Fairy Bread: The Australian treat the rest of us can’t understand (I’m quoted in this!)
Bread, Butter, 100’s & 1000’s – Fairy Bread, we love you
A peek into Australian Fairy Bread history
Happy Fairy Bread Day (to all those who celebrate!)
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Happy Fairy Bread Day (to all those who celebrate!)Please note: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This means that if you click over and purchase something, I will receive a very small percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you). This post also contains affiliate links for Sweetapolita (aka: the BEST sprinkles!). Thank you in advance!
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Buy my books! In the French kitchen with kids and French Food for Everyone: le goûter (after school snacks), le dîner (dinner) and le petit déjeuner (breakfast) are out now!
Click here for details and how to order!
All very true, Mardi … but, but…
Butter is better. I know, I know … a subjective thing but even cold butter can be “pressed” onto the fresh white bread if you’re a little patient.
Nice thing to do and charity benefits. Excellent.
For sure but for softness factor marg is always “ready”, you know?