The rules of holiday cookies, according to over 6,000 bakers

Bakers are generally an affable and generous group, but they have no shortage of opinions — especially when it comes to holiday cookies. How many cookies belong on a platter? What cookies are musts, and which are no-gos? Over 6,000 bakers, from (almost) every state in America, provided the answers to these questions and more in our 2025 Holiday Cookie Survey. Here’s what they had to say.

The right bakes, the perfect amounts 

Bakers seem to agree that it’s not the holidays unless you bake more than one type of cookie (only 5% make just one). But just how many more? 35% of bakers stick to two or three, but 59% percent make four or more different types every year. A small, elite coterie (7%) bake more than 10 different styles of cookies every year. (If you’re one of those, please reach out. I want to be your friend.)

But what kind of cookies are they baking? Classic roll-out sugar cookies were ranked as absolutely essential by the most bakers, followed closely by gingerbread cookies and chocolate crinkle cookies (who knew?). Surprisingly, Linzer cookies ranked low, perhaps because they’re a little fussy?

Who do people bake for?  

It’s no surprise that 77% of bakers report that they make holiday cookies for their family. But it’s nice to see that 66% of them also make cookies for themselves. (Eating cookies is self-care.) A full half of the respondents make cookies to give away as holiday gifts.

The great chocolate chip cookie debate 

Does the classic chocolate chip cookie belong on the holiday cookie plate? The hosts of our podcast, Things Bakers Know, have weighed in (it’s a hard no), and now the rest of America has spoken. And it’s a tie! 50.99% of bakers think chocolate chip cookies are not a holiday cookie, barely edging out the 49% who think they are. Consider this a green light to put them out at your holiday party — at most you’ll offend only half of your guests.

Homemade or bust 

Do store-bought cookies belong on a cookie platter? In a landslide, bakers said no. “When did it become acceptable to bring store-bought cookies to a cookie exchange?” wrote one baker. “If they aren’t homemade, save them for another season,” wrote another. Some other bakers were more lenient, with one writing that “chocolate-dipped Oreos, if they are dipped at home, should count as homemade.” (If you disagree but still like the idea of chocolate-dipped Oreos, we have a recipe for you.)

And keep things sweet 

Cheese straws, spiced nuts, rosemary crackers — feel free to put all of these on a charcuterie board, but don’t put them on the cookie platter. (This according to 65% of bakers, who voted that the cookie plate should always be kept sweet.)

Fudge: yes. Fruitcake? No.  

Which non-cookie holiday treats are acceptable on a cookie platter — and which are absolutely not? Apparently fudge is welcome (50% of bakers labeled it “essential”), followed closely by chocolate bark. Most unwelcome are fruitcake (40% of bakers call it “abominable”) and popcorn balls. 

Baking > eating 

What drives bakers to pull out the mixer and soften the butter? It’s not decorating, that’s for sure — only 2% of bakers identified that as the best part of the process. Unsurprisingly (this is a baker’s survey, after all) it’s the mere act of baking that most bakers (44%) enjoy most, even more than eating the cookies (which only 17% like most). Although it has to be said that 37% of bakers found this question too difficult to answer, choosing instead “don’t make me choose.”  

Survey says: It’s time to start your holiday cookies! Our official survival guide has all the recipes and intel you need.

Cover photo by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Yekaterina Boytsova.