The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →No cookie is required, and no source establishes a universal favorite. For the familiar U.S. version of the tradition, leave chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk on Christmas Eve. HISTORY names Oreos and classic chocolate chip as popular choices. A family favorite or a treat with local meaning is just as reasonable.
How to choose the cookie
Pick based on your household rather than on any ranking of cookie styles. The factors below are the ones that actually change the choice.
| Factor | Question to ask | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| Family tradition | What have the children always found on the plate? | Keeps the ritual recognizable from year to year. |
| Child preference | Which cookie will the children actually notice and eat? | A treat that gets eaten is more likely to be remembered than one that goes untouched. |
| Convenience | Store-bought pack or homemade batch? | A ready-to-serve pack of chocolate chip cookies needs no baking; homemade lets you add a family recipe. |
| Regional or cultural meaning | Does your family have a local Christmas dessert? | Ties the treat to a place. Regional options are covered below. |
| Dietary needs | Do any children or guests have allergies or restrictions? | Choose a cookie everyone at the table can safely eat, or set out a second option. |
The familiar U.S. version
HISTORY describes leaving cookies and milk for Santa as a well-established U.S. custom. Its article, written by Sarah Pruitt and first published December 8, 2015 (updated March 2, 2025), says: “Today in the United States, leaving out a plate of cookies (Oreos and classic chocolate chip are popular choices) and a glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve is a well-established tradition among children.” That describes what many families do. It does not make any one cookie the correct one.
Where the custom comes from
The custom’s exact origin is hard to establish. The explanations below are theories, and sources present them that way. Together they show a practice with several possible roots rather than a single documented beginning.
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A Depression-era habit of generosity
HISTORY says the practice took off in the 1930s, when some parents used it to teach generosity and gratitude during the Great Depression. This is an account of how the custom spread and why some parents embraced it, not proof of when it first began.
A possible stocking-gift lineage
HISTORY also describes an older theory that links the custom to earlier traditions of gifts placed in stockings. It is offered as a possible lineage, not as conclusive proof of origin.
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Victorian hospitality
NPR reporting by Kylie Mohr, carried by KPBS on December 22, 2015, says the custom is difficult to trace and notes possible influence from Victorian-era hospitality, where guests were offered food and drink after a journey.
An 1896 magazine account
The same NPR report records an 1896 magazine account in which children planned to leave Santa milk and cookies. The account shows the idea was already in print by 1896. It does not establish when children first began doing it.
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Food historian and dessert author Michael Krondl, quoted in the NPR report, offers a more conversational explanation: “After a long trip, Santa probably wants some Scotch. But what is a wholesome snack, similar to what you would give to a child that comes visiting? Milk and cookies.” His remark is humorous and informal, not a scholarly finding about the custom’s origin.
The cinnamon-roll claim
You may see the claim that Santa prefers cinnamon rolls. It traces to a December 13, 2016 press release from Cinnabon, distributed through PR Newswire under the title “Move Over Milk & Cookies, Santa Has a New Favorite Snack.” The release reports the following:
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| Item | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Issuer | Cinnabon, a company that sells cinnamon rolls |
| Date | December 13, 2016 |
| Sample | More than 600 professional Santa insights, with input from Santa communities and additional votes from Santas at NYC Santacon |
| Top result | 54% of surveyed Santas favored a warm cinnamon roll |
| Second result | 37% favored chocolate chip cookies |
Because the survey was commissioned and published by a cinnamon-roll seller, and drew on a sample of professional Santas rather than families, it does not show what Santa or children prefer in general. It is a dated, sponsored result. No independent, current statistic was identified that establishes one universally preferred cookie.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Treats beyond cookies
Cookies are the common American choice, but the Christmas Eve offering varies. HISTORY describes British and Australian children leaving mince pies, Swedish children leaving rice porridge, and carrots and hay for animals in some traditions. Dairy Farmers of Canada, in an article dated December 9, 2019, suggests regional desserts for Canadian households. The table lists both sets of examples and their sources.
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| Place | Treat or offering | Named source |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom and Australia | Mince pies, as described by children leaving them out | HISTORY (Sarah Pruitt) |
| Sweden | Rice porridge | HISTORY (Sarah Pruitt) |
| Some traditions | Carrots and hay for animals | HISTORY (Sarah Pruitt) |
| Prince Edward Island, Canada | Plum pudding | Dairy Farmers of Canada (December 9, 2019) |
| Quebec, Canada | Sugar pie | Dairy Farmers of Canada (December 9, 2019) |
| Ontario, Canada | Butter tarts | Dairy Farmers of Canada (December 9, 2019) |
| British Columbia, Canada | Nanaimo Bar Pie | Dairy Farmers of Canada (December 9, 2019) |
The Canadian entries are suggestions from one industry article. They are not a record of what households in those provinces leave out each year.
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