There’s one holiday cookie that outshines the rest in America this year, according to a new report from Target.
The retail giant shared its data on the most popular holiday cookie in each U.S. state Monday. Target created the review by analyzing cookie sales at stores across the country from November 1 to December 6, 2025.
The research identified three cookies as shoppers’ top picks: sugar, gingerbread and shortbread. Gingerbread, however, stood out from the rest, topping the list in 76 percent of US states.
Gingerbread cookies were the most popular from the Midwest to the South, spanning across 38 states, including California, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Ohio, Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada.
Sugar cookies came in second, topping the list in eight states: Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Trailing behind in third place were the shortbread cookies. The buttery treat was a fan-favorite in four states: Kansas, Maine, Montana, and New Jersey.
Target’s report comes as the retailer is preparing for the busy holiday season. In fact, the brand recently expanded its next-day delivery of online orders to more markets throughout the U.S. This means that shoppers will be able to receive their purchases the day after they’ve ordered in about 30 metro areas.
Part of the reason for the service expansion, Target explained, is to “make holiday shopping quicker and easier.”
“Most items eligible for shipping at Target are eligible for next-day delivery,” Target’s release, shared last week, reads. “That includes hundreds of thousands of items — 85 percent of what we sell in Target stores.”
The expansion of Target’s delivery service also comes one month after it announced a billion-dollar plan to revamp stores. Incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke said the company will invest about $5 billion in upgrades next year, which is a roughly $1 billion increase year-on-year.
The money will go toward improving stores, updating product selection, and strengthening Target’s website and digital systems. “Mission 1 through 10 is to get back to growth for us,” Fiddelke told reporters in a call, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Shoppers have complained recently about messy stores, empty shelves, and less exciting products, the outlet reported. However, Target said it wants to fix those issues through better store experiences, more appealing merchandise, and updated technology.
Executives also said the additional investment is necessary after the company logged its 12th consecutive quarter of weak or falling sales.