Kansas residents are the most emotional people in the country Holiday BakersI racked up over 18 hours of holiday baking time during the holiday season.
The results came from a survey of 5,000 Americans evenly divided across all 50 states, examining trends, habits and attitudes toward holiday baking this year.
It found that people in The Sunflower State said they would spend 18 hours and 36 minutes traveling in the coming weeks – four hours more than the national average (14 hours and 12 minutes).
Tennessee boasts some of the most confident bakers when it comes to preparing holiday treats. Respondents were asked to rate their skills out of 10, and Tennesseans gave themselves a 7.4, the highest score in the country.
The dumbest bakers live in California and Wisconsin, with their baking efficiency at a modest 5.9 in both states.
The survey, conducted by Pillsbury Baking and conducted by Talker Research, also examined the popularity of giving baked goods as gifts this holiday season.
Forty percent of Americans, regardless of what state they live in, said they are Giving Baked Goods as Gifts This Year – People are most likely to give homemade treats as gifts in Montana (52%), the highest of any state.
It feels good to receive baked goods – 62% of respondents said it was the best gift to receive. And it’s been especially well received in Virginia, where 72% of respondents agreed they were the top gift.
“It’s heartwarming to see holiday baking being cherished as a tradition across the country,” said Eric Mills, director of marketing for Pillsbury Baking. “We’re honored to be a part of these festive moments — from gifting cookies to loved ones to baking brownies for cozy movie nights, baking recipes together is one of the loveliest ways to celebrate this season “
Fifty-six percent of West Virginians describe their kitchen as “cluttered” during the holiday season, compared to the national average of 45%.
People from South Carolina love to play holiday music while cooking, while Texans are most likely to play it while dancing.
The biggest gingerbread house-builders are Utah residents, while Minnesotans were the most likely to check out the holiday bake sale in person this year.
The magic of the holidays spills over into the ingredients, too, with seven out of 10 respondents saying holiday-themed dishes always taste better than normal dishes.
When it comes to America’s favorite holidays, the country is divided. Twenty-two states chose pie as their most favorite holiday treat, while 17 states said cookies were their favorite holiday dessert.
Four states were evenly tied between pie and cookies, while three states chose cheesecake. Oregon was divided between pie and fudge.
Thirty-four percent of Americans still leave baked treats for Santa, and of those who do, cookies were the most popular choice for St. Nick.
When it comes to holiday treats this year, respondents crowned snowmen as the best shape to eat (44%), followed by gingerbread men (42%) and candy canes (41%) .
“It’s gratifying to see holiday baking traditions connect with new generations who are eager to recreate the festive memories they grew up with,” Mills said. “There is so much joy in cooking together, and we are proud to help keep these traditions alive in a way that brings families together to create new memories in the holiday kitchen.”
Holiday Baking Awards 2024
- Largest Cookie Decorator – Kentucky
- Largest Eggshell Drinker – Vermont
- Largest Gingerbread House Builders – Utah
- Most Likely to Go to a Bake Sale – Minnesota
- Roast Chestnuts – Massachusetts
- Most Likely to Bake for a Shelter or Charity – New Jersey
- Thinks They Can Taste the Most of the Magic of the Holidays – Hawaii and Illinois
- Thinks holiday tree-shaped cookies taste better than spherical ones – California
- Most Likely to Take Cookies to a Neighbor – Utah
- Say eating holiday dishes makes them feel more festive – Iowa and Minnesota
- Most Dedicated Bakers – Kansas
- Most Confident Bakers – Tennessee
- The Most Humble Bakers – California and Wisconsin
- Give the gift of baked goods this holiday season – Montana
- Most excited to receive baked goods as a gift – Virginia
- Most Likely to Play Holiday Music While Baking – South Carolina
- Most Likely to Dance While Baking – Texas
- A secret ingredient – most likely to be sworn in by Georgia and Mississippi
- More likely to say they rated store-bought as homemade – Georgia
- Most Likely to Describe Their Kitchen as Chaos – West Virginia
