Top ‘unique’ Christmas cookies by state, according to Google

LOS ANGELES - Sugar, thumbprint and gingerbread; these are some of the more common cookie recipes some may think of during the holidays. 

While those classic flavors are tried and true and Santa certainly seems to like them, some Americans like to shake things up during the holidays and venture to try a more unique cookie recipe. 

Google gathered the top "uniquely searched Christmas cookie" trends from the past week.

Christmas cookies map

Christmas cookie history

Preparing loads of cookies during the holiday season dates back to the Middle Ages, according to History.com. 

Spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon and other exotic sweets like dried fruits were only just becoming widely used. 

With these ingredients, in addition to sugar, butter and lard, medieval cooks could create delectable desserts, and they were also quite expensive. 

During Christmas time, families would splurge a bit to get these ingredients to create an easily-shared dessert such as cookies to gift to their friends and family. 

Some of the first cookies associated with the holidays were sugar or spice (kind of like gingerbread but not exactly). 

FILE - Homemade Christmas cookies are in a box. Photo: Silas Stein/dpa (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Santa and cookies

In the United States, leaving out milk and cookies for Santa was a tradition that began during the Great Depression, according to History.com. 

Even during times of economic hardship, parents believed in teaching their children to be generous and show thanks. 

The roots of this holiday tradition date back to ancient Norse mythology. 

Odin, a Norse god, had an eight-legged horse named Sleipner. During the Christmas season, children would leave out food for Sleipner hoping Odin would stop by during his travels and leave gifts in return. 

This tradition evolved over the years into the ones we see today.