 The relationship between the two origins is murky; it is likely that both recipes share a common German root, although the origin and name of "Amerikaner" in Germany is also unclear.Purported explanations include a corruption of the word "Ammoniumhydrogencarbonat" (ammonium bicarbonate, a leavening agent), or that the cookie was (re)introduced to Germany by American GIs in the 1950s.German "Amerikaner" are often frosted entirely in white frosting.