Learn Which Christmas Cookie Illinois Can’t Resist—And Make It Yourself!

For many people cookies are a holiday must-have, and this year Illinoisans have been busy Googling their favorite recipes to make the season extra sweet.

Christmas Cookie Traditions

I must admit that for 11 months during the year I avoid my kitchen at all costs, but as soon as December hits, I can't wait to tie my apron on and bake some cookies!

I may loathe the disaster zone baking Christmas cookies creates in my kitchen, BUT I hate to think of celebrating Christmas without my family's favorite cookie recipes ever more!

When I was a kid, my mom would get together with her three sisters and make a TON of different Christmas cookies, and I would look forward to that day all season long. As I got older the tradition shifted for a few years to my mom, my sister-in-law and I getting together to bake, and now it's just me, my daughters, and my husband.

Since I'm the head baker now, I get to choose what recipes we make, and these 4 are always a must:

• Frosted sugar cookie cutouts
• "Santa's Favorite Cookies" (Basically red velvet cake mix and white chocolate chips)
• Almond bark pretzels
• Spritz

For as long as I can remember, homemade frosted sugar cookies and Spritz have always been a part of our family's Christmas feast, and apparently, most of Illinois agrees.

What Is Illinois' Favorite Christmas Cookie?

Word finding experts at Unscrambler recently analyzed Google Trends search data to determine which holiday cookie recipes people in each state were searching for the most, and they determined Illinois' fav cookie this year is...Spritz!

If you're unfamiliar with what a Spritz cookie is, they are buttery, bite-size pieces of deliciousness usually shaped like trees and stars and topped with some colored sugar. This recipe is a Scandinavian staple, so it's no surprise that so many people in Illinois, (and Wisconsin) love them so much.

I would love to share my family's beloved Spritz recipe with you, BUT my grandmother would likely come back to haunt me. Instead I will just say this recipe is pretty darn close.

Go forth, bake, and enjoy!