Holidays & Entertaining The Most Searched Christmas Cookies—Did Your Favorite Make the Cut? Each state has a favorite Christmas cookie recipe, according to Google. By Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Instagram Website Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 23, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email In the days leading up to the Christmas holiday, people from all over the country search for various Christmas cookie recipes as they prepare to bake some of their favorite festive treats. Given the yearly frenzy around holiday cookies, Google released a color-coded map that shows the most uniquely searched cookie in each state. We're sharing the results along with some state-inspired cookie recipes you can try. How the Data Was Collected The cookies were divided into five categories—flavor, shape, substitute ingredients, internationally inspired, and other—and there were some clear winners in the bunch. To clarify, the reason why you won't see some favorites on the map below, such as chocolate chip cookies or gingerbread cookies, is because the data only encompasses queries that were over-represented in a state compared to the country as a whole. The Results Google The most popular uniquely searched cookie was actually something called "Christmas cookie fudge," which nabbed the top spot in six states. "Italian Christmas cookies" were close behind, reigning supreme in five states, with a similar search term—"Old Fashioned Italian Christmas Cookies"—taking the top spot in Washington, D.C. Other yummy but seemingly less popular confections, such as "Lemon Christmas Cookies" and "Oreo Christmas Cookies," only came out on top in one state each. Similarly, even though interest in plant-based food and recipes is on the rise, "Vegan Christmas Cookies" was the most uniquely searched cookie variety in only a single state—Washington. By contrast, "Keto Christmas Cookies" and "Gluten Free Christmas Cookies" came out on top in four states each, indicating that many Americans are taking diet into account as they prepare to celebrate the holidays. While the results did vary from state to state, there were some clear trends across different regions of the country. If you take a peek at the Northeast, for example, you'll notice that many states favored internationally inspired cookies, while those who live in the Midwest tend to prefer cookies made with alternative ingredients. Data-Driven Christmas Cookie Ideas Need some inspiration for your own batch of Christmas cookies? Scroll down to see some of our favorite holiday cookie recipes inspired by the Google data. 01 of 04 Sugar Cookies zoff-photo get the recipe Sugar cookies are some of the most popular cookies around, but "Christmas Sugar Cookies" only snagged the top slot in two states—Arkansas and Nevada. Still, since you really can't go wrong with a classic sugar cookie, check out this standard recipe that is straightforward, and downright delicious. What's more? This scrumptious dough can serve as the base for similar cookies like pecan logs. 02 of 04 Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Greg DuPree get the recipe This classic Christmas cookie recipe was the most uniquely searched one in Delaware and Illinois, but we're betting it's beloved well beyond those two states. Here, the chocolate cookies feature a pretty, snowy exterior because the dough is rolled in a generous dose of confectioners' sugar. Talk about a cute crowd-pleaser! 03 of 04 Italian Jam Cookies Dust the tops of these buttery, jam-filled cookies with confectioners’ sugar for a beautiful wintry effect. Get the recipe: Jam Sandwich Cookies. Raymond Hom get the recipe Since "Italian Christmas Cookies'' took the top spot in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, we'd be remiss not to include this simple yet tasty recipe for Italian jam sandwich cookies. These baked goods boast a shortbread cookie base stuffed with a flavorful jam. 04 of 04 Glazed Lemon Cookies Kana Okada get the recipe These cookies don't require a ton of ingredients, but they do call for lemon juice and lemon zest, which residents of Oregon (where "Lemon Christmas Cookies" came in number one) will likely appreciate. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit