Americans prefer chocolate chip cookies more than three-to-one

America often seems like a nation divided, whether it's Republicans versus Democrats, Yankees versus Red Sox fans, or rap versus country music. But there is one thing we agree on: our favorite cookie.

A recent survey showed that Americans prefer chocolate chip cookies more than three-to-one over other cookie types. Fifty-three percent of adults polled named chocolate chip cookies as their favorite. Peanut butter came in a distant second, with 16 percent naming it their favorite. Oatmeal cookies came in third at 15 percent, and sugar or shortbread cookies were fourth at 11 percent. Five percent of respondents named "other" as their favorite.

The survey, commissioned by Downtown Cookie Co., was conducted in August by Impulse Research and released today in recognition of National Cookie Month, which begins October 1.

Of the 1,033 men and women polled, chocolate chip cookies were the clear winner regardless of gender (men and women both named it their favorite), politics (Republicans, Democrats and Independents named it their favorite), age, and regional differences.

"There are lots of fancy cookies out there, but across the board, across the country, people still prefer authentic chocolate chip cookies," said Dan Guerrera, founder of Downtown Cookie Co. "They want the real, homemade taste they grew up with."

Guerrera should know. Downtown Cookie Co.'s chocolate chip walnut cookie was named "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" by New York magazine in its 2009 "Best of New York" issue. "It's because we keep it simple and use real ingredients like butter, brown sugar and chocolate chips," he said. "Also, Downtown cookies are made to order without preservatives so they always taste fresh."

Downtown Cookie Co., located in New York City, was founded in August 2008 by Dan Guerrera, fulfilling his desire to replicate the dense, delicious cookies his mother made in his youth. In little more than a year, the company has grown from a one-man operation - Guerrera in a tiny kitchen in his West Village apartment baking for family and friends - to a team of people fulfilling orders in a large commercial kitchen. Downtown Cookie Co. cookies are made to order and available in six varieties, including chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate-chip, ginger, jam shortbread, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter. Downtown Cookie Co. also ships its cookies anywhere in the United States. For more information or to place your order, visit downtowncookieco.com, and look for Downtown Cookie Co. on Facebook.