Ballotpedia Holiday Cookie election, 2020

Incumbent Chocolate chip cookie and challenger Sugar cookie ran in the runoff election for Official Holiday Cookie from December 16 to December 22.

Sugar Cookie won the election with 56.3% of the vote, and was immediately sworn into office.

Ballotpedia held a general election for Official 2020 Holiday Cookie from December 14th to December 16th. The filing deadline for this election was December 11, 2020.

2020 runoff election results

Official Holiday Cookie, Runoff election, 2020
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Sugar cookie	56.3%	202
	Nonpartisan	Chocolate chip cookie Incumbent	43.7%	157
Total Votes				359
Source: Ballotpedia.org

Runoff Candidate profiles

The candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Chocolate chip cookie

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: The chocolate chip cookie was invented by Ruth Wakefield. The recipe first appeared in print in 1938. The cookie was originally created to accompany ice cream. Wakefield sold the recipe and naming rights to Toll House in 1939. There are several variations of the story behind how the cookie was created but according to a profile in The New Yorker, Wakefield intentionally developed the chocolate chip cookie herself, contrary to several creation myths stating that the cookie was created accidentally. Since it's creation the cookie has grown in popularity and according to The New Yorker has become an American staple, similar to the "the hot dog, the grilled-cheese sandwich, and the milkshake."

Key messages

• I've been proudly representing the voters since my election in 2019, and am well set up for a successful second term.

• How can voters go wrong with chocolate chip? Answer: They can't.

• If it ain't broke. Don't fix it.

Sugar cookie

Incumbent: No

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: As one might guess, sugar is a crucial ingredient in this simple recipe, joining flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda or baking powder. They can be molded or cut into a variety of festive shapes.

Key messages

• This is the only cookie that can easily be decorated at a kid's decorating party, which is an imperative activity for creating Christmas cheer.

• Easily able to represent all shapes, sizes, and colors

2020 General election candidates and election results

Official Holiday Cookie, General election, 2020
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Chocolate chip cookie Incumbent	18.7%	57
	Nonpartisan	Sugar cookie	16.4%	50
	Nonpartisan	Gingerbread cookie	15.7%	48
	Nonpartisan	Peanut butter blossom	15.7%	48
	Nonpartisan	Snickerdoodle	14.1%	43
	Nonpartisan	Chocolate peppermint bark cookie	12.1%	37
Total Votes				283
Source: Ballotpedia.org

General election candidates

The candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Chocolate peppermint bark cookie

Incumbent: No

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: According to Epicurious, chocolate peppermint bark cookies contain a shortbread base with "dark chocolate, chopped peppermint candies, and a drizzle of white chocolate" topping.

Key messages

• I'm a playful minty treat for your holiday parties!

• What's not to love?

Gingerbread cookie

Incumbent: No

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: The term gingerbread has been applied to desserts containing honey, treacle or molasses. According to PBS, gingerbread cookies, as we know them now, have been around since the 15th century. However, the recipe for the gingerbread used to build gingerbread houses can be traced back to Greece in 2400 BC.

Gingerbread cookies have a role in historical U.S. politics. PBS states that "The cookies were sometimes used to sway Virginia voters to favor one candidate over another." Additionally, Mary Ball Washington, the mother of the first president of the United States, served the Marquis de Lafayette gingerbread cookies, which led to her recipe being renamed Gingerbread Lafayette.

Key messages

• The only cookie tradition dating back to 2400 BC

• You want your elected cookie to have integrity. I have a proven record of structural integrity. Have you ever tried to build a house with a Peanut Butter Blossom?

• A quintessential classic, no matter where you are, the scent of these baking transports you back to your Grandmother’s kitchen.

Peanut butter blossom

Incumbent: No

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: The peanut butter blossom cookie is a peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss on top. According to a Huffington Post piece on the history of this cookie, it came into existence on accident. "Ohio resident Freda Smith intended to make a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and after mixing part of the dough, realized her pantry was without chocolate chips. So, she grabbed a bag of Hershey’s Kisses instead and baked them atop the nutty confection." In 1957, Smith submitted the cookie into the ninth annual Pillsbury Bake-off and placed second.

Key messages

• The 1999 Hall of Fame inductee cookie

• The cookie kids choose first! (And eat top-first.)

Snickerdoodle

Incumbent: No

Political office: Ballotpedia's 2020 Holiday Cookie

Biography: Snickerdoodles are a cinnamon cookie with a characteristically cracked surface. Dutch-German immigrants are credited with bringing the cookie to the United States. The cookie became popular in the U.S. in 1891 when New York City cooking teacher Cornelia “Nellie” Campbell Bedford published her recipe in a local newspaper. According to Anne Byrn, author of American Cookie, this article led to the cookie being "discussed in newspaper columns daily for the next year." MyRecipes writes that since Bedford's publication, "the snickerdoodle has been a staple of American baking."

There is uncertainty over how the snickerdoodle got its name. The Joy of Cooking credits the German word schneckennudel, which is translated to mean snail noodles for the cookie's name. While an article in Grit says the name "comes from a New England tradition of fanciful, whimsical cookie names."

Key messages

• I'm the cracked top cinnamon cookie you grew up with!

• The official holiday cookie should be one you have fond memories of. Why not choose what MyRecipes calls, "the staple of American baking?"

• Like taking a long soak in the tub, only delicious!

Noteworthy endorsements

If you are aware of any endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Polls

Most-clicked holiday cookies

General Mills released a report on the “most-clicked” holiday cookies across the U.S., in every state.

Most popular cookies in America

Nestle Toll House released the results of a nationwide consumer survey regarding the most popular cookies in each state. This poll was not holiday specific. Of the candidates, chocolate chip appeared as a state favorite in 20 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin.

Debates and candidate forums

If you are aware of debates or candidate forums that should be included, please email us.

Potential impact on cookie sales

While no data is available on how this election may affect ingredient sales, the results could impact the seasonal packaged cookie market. According to Packaged Facts' U.S. Food Market Outlook 2019, retail dollar sales of all packaged cookies totaled $11 billion in 2018 and increased at a compound annual growth rate of 2% between 2013 and 2018, though there is no breakdown available by type of cookie.

"	Packaged Facts’ research reveals that taste is the biggest driver of choice, and consumers continue to seek out products that offer new exciting tastes and experiences. Some consumers, especially younger people, want even more indulgent, decadent, and unique choices. Darker chocolates, double and triple chocolate, stuffed cookies, richer cream fillings, and frostings are all part of the decadently delicious cookie landscape.	”
—Packaged Facts

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