The Most Popular Cookie in Every State

Though they aren’t official state cookies (yet!), all those amber waves of grain make for some pretty incredible treats. We’ve collected the best of our sweet land of liberty—the most searched-for, iconic or just downright delicious recipes from home cooks in every state.

Southern Tea Cakes

There were nine children in our family and Mother had to stretch the budget, so she made these often for dessert. I loved them when I was a child, and they're still a special treat. In fact, I've never met anyone who doesn't like these cookies. They're so simple and quick to make.

Alaska: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

My husband loves homemade treats, and these easy peanut butter oatmeal cookies are probably his favorite. The wheat flour and oats give these cookies a distinctive flavor.

Mexican Chocolate Walnut-Cherry Biscotti

I love to combine flavors and spices from different cultures. These cookies have ground cinnamon in them, which is a classic flavor in Mexican chocolate. They are very crunchy and are loaded with maraschino cherries and toasted walnuts. —Nancy C. Evans, Phoenix, Arizona

Arkansas: Cherry Chocolate Nut Cookies

Each Christmas, I make about 600 cookies to share with family and friends. The holidays wouldn't be the same without several batches of these colorful goodies. —Sybil Brown, Highland, California

Chocolate Butterscotch Haystacks

My grandmother used to make this haystacks recipe to give to my cousin Vonnie and me when our parents didn't want us to have any more sweets. —Christine Schwester, Divide, Colorado

Date-Nut Pinwheels

Pinwheel cookies with dates and walnuts are a family treasure. There are a few steps when prepping, so I sometimes freeze the dough and bake the cookies later. —Frieda Whiteley, Lisbon, Connecticut

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

Chocolate, pistachios and cranberries make a dramatic, delicious trio. Introducing the cranberries to this recipe added tartness, texture and color, too. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware

Chocolate Orange Rounds

I send these chocolate orange cookies to family and friends in other areas of the country. The two-tone treats deliver a citrusy taste of the Sunshine State. —Geordyth Sullivan, Cutler Bay, Florida

Georgia: Pistachio Cream Cheese Cookies

My son-in-law is a big fan of pistachios. He looks forward to these buttery cookies at holiday time, but I make them for him more than just once a year. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Idaho: Big Soft Ginger Cookies

These nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho

Illinois: Surprise Meringues

There's a nice chocolaty surprise inside these sweet kisses. They're my husband's top choice each Christmas.—Tami Henke, Lockport, Illinois

Popcorn Cookies

It's so much fun to surprise people with the crushed popcorn in these yummy cookies. They're definitely a distinctive cookie on the holiday tray.—Leigh Anne Preston, Palmyra, Indiana

Peanut Butter Pie Cookies

I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but my favorite—peanut butter pie—is tough to eat on the go. I dreamed up these cookies to get my favorite flavor combo in a bite-size package. They can be made ahead and taken to any holiday gathering. —Ashley Moyna, Elkader, Iowa

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Dotted with cranberries, orange zest and vanilla chips, these cookies are so colorful and fun to eat. They look lovely on a dessert tray and would be a great addition to your Christmas cookie lineup. —Pat Habiger, Spearville, Kansas

Fudge Bonbon Cookies

These fudgy favorites are double delights—the cookies are flavored with both chocolate chips and chocolate kisses. Drizzled with white chocolate on top, they're fancy enough for a buffet table. —Janice Smith, Cynthiana, Kentucky

Pecan Tassies

These pecan tassies are very good for parties and special occasions. You'll probably want to double the recipe, because they'll disappear in a hurry! —Joy Corie, Ruston, Louisiana

Ginger Cranberry Pinwheels

Here's a nice Christmas cookie with a cheery shape. They're so much fun to make and even more fun to eat. —Laurel Doughty, Fryeburg, Maine

Italian Pignoli Cookies

Cookies are the crown jewels of Italian confections. I can’t let a holiday go by without baking these traditional almond cookies rolled in mild pine nuts.—Maria Regakis, Somerville, Massachusetts

Michigan: Cherry No-Bake Cookies

I always loved my no-bake cookie recipe, but I was never able to place at the fair with it. So I mixed in some maraschino cherries, added almond extract and voila! I won a blue ribbon at the county fair in 2010. —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan

Red Velvet Spritz Cookies

I had never come across a red velvet spritz recipe, so I decided to create one. The hint of cocoa makes these taste like red velvet cake. Add peppermint flavoring for a little extra kick. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Mississippi: Butterfinger Cookies

These terrific cookies featuring a favorite candy don't last long—make a double batch! —Carol Kitchens, Ridgeland, Mississippi

Cherry Pistachio Cookies

Dried cherries, crunchy nuts, bits of orange, white chocolate—there's a lot to love in this cookie! It's very different from any I've had before. —Kathy Harding, Richmond, Missouri

Go Bananas Whoopie Pies

I love anything with peanut butter, so when I saw this recipe for soft banana cookies with a yummy peanut butter filling, I had to make them. Use a cookie scoop to keep them nicely rounded and all the same size. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana

Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

I needed a new holiday cookie, so I tweaked an old 4-H recipe. This updated oatmeal cookie with cranberries and nuts is my family’s all-time favorite. —Tammy Hoggatt, Omaha, Nebraska

Jumbo Brownie Cookies

Take these deeply fudgy cookies to a party, and you're sure to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them over-the-top good. —Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada

Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire

Tender Italian Sugar Cookies

These traditional Italian cookies are moist and tender. —Weda Mosellie, Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Mole New Mexican Wedding Cookies

Heat and sweet is such an amazing combination. I added chili powder and chocolate chips to give a new twist to traditional Mexican cookies. They melt in your mouth, and then the spice hits you. I just love them. — Marla Clark, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Rainbow Cookies

I always bake these cookies two weeks ahead. That allows enough time for mellowing, leaving them moist and full of almond flavor. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Here's proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter blossom cookies are an easy family favorite and never fails to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina

Frosted Cashew Cookies

We savor these cookies at Christmas, but they're special year-round with coffee or tucked into a lunchbox. I won a ribbon with these cookies at my county fair. —Sheila Wyum, Rutland, North Dakota

Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Bites

My son Micah and I love peanut butter cups, so we made them into a new treat. We entered these peanut butter no bake cookies in a creative baking contest and won first place! —Autumn Emigh, Gahanna, Ohio

Cherry Biscochitos

I discovered the wonderful anise flavor of biscochitos, which are traditional cookies of New Mexico. I created my own version with maraschino cherries and fresh cranberries. —Mary Shivers, Ada, Oklahoma

Oregon's Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookie

Oregon has an abundance of nuts, and these nutty cookies are popular with the ladies at my craft club. Growing up during the Depression, my mother taught us to use what was available and said, "It doesn't have to be expensive to be good." She was right! —Selmer Looney, Eugene, Oregon

Pizzelle

This recipe was adapted from one that my Italian-born mother and grandmother followed. They used old irons on a gas stove, but now we have the convenience of electric pizzelle irons. These delectable cookies are still a traditional treat in our family. —Elizabeth Schwartz, Trevorton, Pennsylvania

Soft Blueberry Button Cookies

I have fond memories of picking blueberries and enjoying icy cold lemonade at my aunt’s house. This cookie is an attempt to marry those two flavors and memories. —Renee Murby, Johnston, Rhode Island

Contest-Winning Chocolate Mint Cookies

My dad sandwiches mint patties between two tender chocolate cookies to create these chewy treats. The blend of chocolate and mint is a big hit at our house. Best of all, these cookies are easy and fun to make. —Christina Burbage, Spartanburg, South Carolina

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

I'm a busy mother of two young children. I work in our school office and help my husband on our hog and cattle farm. When I find time to bake a treat, I like it to be special. The creamy filling gives traditional peanut butter cookies a new twist. —Debbie Kokes, Tabor, South Dakota

Cream Cheese Turtle Cups

Sometimes the best thing about a cookie is the memories made. My daughter and I love to make and eat these “turtles.” —Lesa Renner, Kingsport, Tennessee

Mexican Wedding Cookies

As part of a Mexican tradition, I tucked these sugar-dusted Mexican wedding cookies into small gift boxes for the guests at my sister's wedding. Most folks said the cookies never made it home! We bake them around the holidays too. —Sarita Johnston, San Antonio, Texas

Pumpkin Cookies with Penuche Frosting

These caramel-frosted pumpkin cookies are as much a part of our holiday as mistletoe and carols! They are a great way to use our home-canned pumpkin. —Priscilla Anderson, Salt Lake City, Utah

Chewy Maple Cookies

My husband, Bob, and I have a small sugaring operation with Bob's father. I love to put some of our syrup to use in these golden cookies. —Reba Legrand, Jericho, Vermont

Butter Cookies

This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia

Apricot-Filled Cookies

The recipe for these rich, buttery cookies originally called for dates. Apricots have long been my favorite fruit, so using them as a substitute seemed natural. —Bonnie Waliezer, Brush Prairie, Washington

Trail Mix Cookie Cups

My granddaughter helped create these cookie cups for the first time by using ingredients from my pantry and fridge. We used trail mix to jazz them up. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia

Wisconsin: Cherry Kiss Cookies

Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies look super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin

Wyoming Cowboy Cookies

These cookies are very popular here in Wyoming. Mix up a batch for your crew and see why! —Patsy Steenbock, Shoshoni, Wyoming