Texas' Favorite Christmas Cookie: Haystacks, Study Finds

The most commonly searched Christmas cookie in Texas might surprise you.

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With the holidays in full swing, 'tis the season for Christmas cookies. The sweet tradition is strong in many American households, but a recent study revealed different states also have different cookie preferences.

Analysts from WordUnscrambler.pro, an online word unscrambling tool, used Google Trends and marketing tool Ahrefs to study the top trending Christmas cookies in each U.S. state, and the corresponding number of searches. The study was conducted using searches logged between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9, 2025.

In Texas, the most-searched cookie might surprise you: Haystacks.

How do you make a haystack cookie?

Haystack cookies are crunchy, no-bake treats typically made by combining melted chocolate or butterscotch with chow mein noodles or potato sticks, and sometimes peanuts. They’re called “haystack” cookies because when the ingredients settle into a mound shape, some think they resemble a haystack.

America's top trending Christmas cookies

1. Christmas gingerbread cookies (218,400 searches)
2. Italian Christmas cookies (204,000 searches)
3. Christmas sugar cookies (117,600 searches)
4. Shortbread Christmas cookies (79,200 searches)
5. Christmas butter cookies (78,000 searches)
6. Pillsbury Christmas cookies (68,000 searches)
7. Chocolate Christmas cookies (66,000 searches)
8. Gluten free Christmas cookies (54,000 searches)
9. German Christmas cookies (52,000 searches)
10. M&M Christmas cookies (51,600 searches)

See all 50 states' favorite cookies, according to search trends

• Alabama - M&M cookies
• Alaska - Italian cookies
• Arizona - Hershey kiss cookies
• Arkansas - Sugar cookies
• California - Greek cookies
• Colorado - Butter spritz cookies
• Connecticut - Peppermint cookies
• Delaware - No bake cookies
• Florida - Pinwheel cookies
• Georgia - Candy cane cookies
• Hawaii - Gingerbread cookies
• Idaho - Peppermint chocolate cookies
• Illinois - Chocolate cookies
• Indiana - Gluten free cookies
• Iowa - M&M cookies
• Kansas - Snickerdoodle cookies
• Kentucky - Chocolate crinkle cookies
• Louisiana - Italian cookies
• Maine - Christmas crack cookies
• Maryland - Kitchen sink Christmas cookies
• Massachusetts - Christmas sprinkle cookies
• Michigan - Chocolate crinkle cookies
• Minnesota - Peanut butter kiss cookies
• Mississippi - Shortbread Christmas cookies
• Missouri - Kitchen sink Christmas cookies
• Montana - Christmas crack cookies
• Nebraska - Christmas monster cookies
• Nevada - Snowball cookies
• New Hampshire - Gluten free Christmas cookies
• New Jersey - Snickerdoodle cookies
• New Mexico - Snowball cookies
• New York - Linzer tart cookies
• North Carolina - Snickerdoodle cookies
• North Dakota - Christmas crack cookies
• Ohio - Candy cane cookies
• Oklahoma - Christmas kitchen sink cookies
• Oregon - Pinwheel cookies
• Pennsylvania - Hershey kiss cookies
• Rhode Island - Grinch cookies
• South Carolina - Christmas kitchen sink cookies
• South Dakota - Butter spritz cookies
• Tennessee - M&M Christmas cookies
• Texas - Haystack cookies
• Utah - Christmas sugar cookie
• Vermont - German Christmas cookies
• Virginia - Shortbread Christmas cookies
• Washington - Butterscotch cookies
• West Virginia - Pillsbury Christmas cookies
• Wisconsin - No bake Christmas cookies
• Wyoming - Christmas crinkle cookies