Google Shares the Top Trending Recipe Searches of 2020
From "sourdough bread" to "whipped coffee," these were the recipes Americans were determined to find in this highly unusual year.
Food style and photography/Getty
The recipes we search for over the course of a year probably say more about us than we might like to admit; our shifting culinary interests and obsessions tell a story about our lives. And as true as that is for each of us individually, it may be even more so for us collectively.
So what recipes did we search for in 2020, the highly unusual year that was, way more than we did in regular old 2019?
Google has the 411. The tech giant has released the results of its Year in Search for 2020, an annual look back at the trillions of searches that defined the past year. After compiling the data on the queries typed into Google search boxes across the U.S., the company broke down its trending search terms down by category to reveal the top trending recipe searches of 2020 (those that had the highest spikes in traffic over a sustained period in 2020 as compared to 2019).
And the 10 top trending recipe searches for 2020 were …
Sourdough bread: I mean, you probably suspected this would be on the list based on the flood of photos on your feeds, especially in the spring, but it’s nice to have data to back your hunch. In case you missed the boat on the bragging-about-your-sourdough-bread trend, it’s not too late. Here’s a Sourdough Bread recipe to get started.
Whipped coffee: Whether you call it Dalgona coffee or whipped coffee, this frothy marvel, made by whipping together equal parts instant coffee, sugar and hot water and then adding the cloud-like mixture to either hot or cold milk, was a viral social media phenomenon — another thing with which many of us amused ourselves as we hunkered down at home.
Disney churro and Dole whip: Just because some theme parks were closed, that didn’t mean people stopped craving the treats they enjoyed during a day at a Disney amusement park. In the spring, Disney did its park-deprived fans a solid by releasing DIY recipes for two of its most beloved foods: Disney Parks Churro Bites and Disney Dole Whip.
DoubleTree cookie: DoubleTree by Hilton hotels famously greets their guests with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies upon check-in. In fact, more than 30 million of these cookies are consumed by hotel guests (and, as we previously noted, probably some workers) every year. In 2020, that meant a lot of homebound travelers were yearning for their warm, gooey treats. Thankfully, in April, the hotel chain shared its DoubleTree Signature Cookie Recipe for the first time. And clearly, people searched for it. Suite!
IKEA meatball: Are we seeing a theme here? In April, the DIY furniture giant shared an at-home recipe for the iconic Swedish meatballs it serves in its store restaurants. “Missing your IKEA meatball fix? We’ve created a recipe for you to recreate this delicious dish in the comfort of your own home,” IKEA U.K. tweeted, along with an image showing step-by-step directions. It wasn’t the exact recipe for the meatballs you’d get in the stores, IKEA later said, but it was close enough for Googlers to seek out, apparently. No Allen wrench needed.
Chaffle: Um … sorry, did you just ask what a chaffle is? It’s a low-carb — keto friendly! — waffle made out of cheese and eggs. Cheese + Waffle = Chaffle. And while the chaffle phenomenon started at least as far back as late 2019, it apparently hit peak search in 2020. (Maybe it gained steam with all our New Year’s diet resolutions?) In theory, a chaffle may sound less than appealing, at least for those not following a keto diet, but in practice, once you look at a recipe, it actually sounds pretty good.
Hamburger bun: I’m not really sure why people were searching for hamburger bun recipes more in 2020 than in 2019, but hey, we’re happy to help. Here’s a recipe. And while we’re at it, here are a slew of recipes for burgers of all kinds to slip between those buns. You’re welcome.
Egg salad sandwich: Again, I have no ready explanation for the sudden trendiness of the humble (yet noble) egg salad sandwich and widespread desire for a recipe, but I’m getting super hungry just thinking about one. If you are, too, try this or even this. There are so many ways to scratch the egg-salad itch.
Healthy banana bread: Now that Google mentions it, I do recall banana bread being a thing on my feed for a few minutes there. (Spring seems like a long time ago.) And it’s nice to know that people were looking for “healthy” recipes when it came time to use up those bananas in a year when overbuying food staples was common and totally understandable. We have a lot of banana bread recipes to choose from (here’s one with chocolate chips and one that may just be “the best” — plus hacks to lighten up your loaf!), but next time I make banana bread, I think I’ll try this recipe for Healthy Badass Banana Bread — because why just be “healthy” when you can be healthy and “badass?”
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