Southwest
Pumpkin bread crushes the competition as fall favorites are revealed across America
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It’s finally starting to feel like fall in much of the country, and as people break out their sweaters and tune in to football, another festive favorite is returning.
“Every year there’s arguing over whether pumpkin as a fall flavor is dying or at least plateauing,” said Mike Kostyo, a Chicago food “trendologist” and vice president at food industry consulting company Menu Matters. “Overall, pumpkin and pumpkin spice are here to stay. It’s a seasonal favorite in the same way peppermint is for winter.”
‘Tis the season for pumpkin-flavored everything, but while demand is nearly universal, what people prefer it in depends on where in the U.S. they live.
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From breads and cookies to soup and seeds, pumpkin favorites vary state by state, according to an analysis of Google Trends by the blog Coffeeness.
The company analyzed more than 30 different pumpkin-based foods and drinks — including pumpkin ravioli and curry — comparing search interest across all 50 states over the past year. While tastes vary by region, a few items clearly dominate. In the Northeast, for example, pumpkin purveyors favor muffins, cookies and other seasonal sweets.
Pumpkin bread, muffins and cookies dominate kitchens nationwide as fall flavors return. (iStock)
Pumpkin bread was the No. 1 searched item in 20 states, particularly across the South and Midwest: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.
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Recipes for pumpkin bread date back to the 1830s, and experts trace its roots to early American settlers who adapted European spice breads and puddings using the gourd popular among Native American tribes.
Pumpkin bread is rising as the season’s star, while spiced lattes quietly keep their crown, the analysis found. (iStock)
Convenient, on-the-go pumpkin muffins followed as the top search in 11 states, including California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Pumpkin cookies were the favorite in Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Utah, the analysis found.
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“Some of what you’re seeing in the search trends reflect that people are cooking at home more,” Kostyo said. “That is partly because of pricing pressures, and it’s much cheaper to cook at home, but also because we’ve seen a general shift towards people cooking at home since the pandemic.”
He added that social media recipe sharing has boosted interest in homemade treats like breads and muffins.
Pumpkin soup was the top search term in Florida, Texas, New York and Michigan. (iStock)
A few states, however, prefer their pumpkin blended into a cozy soup.
Florida, Texas, New York and Michigan all favor the savory option. In some parts of the Lone Star State, recipes even include citrus zest for a Southwestern twist.
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In warmer climates such as Hawaii, Louisiana and Mississippi, nutrient-packed pumpkin seeds were the top searched item, beating out heavier baked goods.
Over the years, interest in savory pumpkin items has surged, according to Kostyo.
“It was a natural white space opportunity for pumpkin after every sweet beverage and dessert was pumpkin-ified,” he said. “It also reflected the fact that consumers kept asking for real pumpkin, not just pumpkin flavor, and real pumpkin on its own is actually savory.”
Pumpkin pie topped the list in only North Dakota and Wyoming, while the iconic pumpkin spice latte was No. 1 in just South Dakota.
Starbucks introduced the Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003, and it remains a top seller. (Christina Tkacik/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service)
Nonetheless, Starbucks announced that it saw its best Tuesday sales ever this year when it brought back the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Kostyo noted, proving that the seasonal favorite is far from fading. He said people likely aren’t searching for “pumpkin spice latte” because they already know where to find one.
Consumer psychology expert Matt Johnson noted that pumpkin’s appeal persists even in regions without a traditional fall season, like his home state of California.
“We’re dealing with something primarily psychological and cultural rather than environmental,” he told Fox News Digital.
“We’re not talking about a seasonal flavor preference, but rather a culturally constructed vibe that’s become deeply embedded in how Americans conceptualize autumn itself.”
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At least one person was critically injured in a house fire that erupted in Montebello early Thursday morning.
Crews responded to the blaze engulfing a detached unit in the 100 block of South 5th Street near West Whittier Boulevard around 5 a.m.
Flames quickly spread to a nearby electrical pole, blowing a fuse and knocking out power in the area. Sparks could be seen as a loud pop was heard in a Citizen.com video later obtained by KTLA.
At least one person was believed to be in critical condition due to burn injuries, though officials have not released further details.
There was no immediate word on a possible cause of the fire.
A neighbor told KTLA that three people lived inside the home, including a child.
This is a developing story.
Authorities revealed new details Wednesday afternoon about the violent Santa Clarita crash involving a city transit bus, an overturned semi truck and two other vehicles that left 13 people injured.
According to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, the driver of a semi truck hauling a full load of gravel may have been traveling as fast as 70 mph when the vehicle approached a yellow light at the intersection of Golden Valley Road and Centre Pointe Parkway around 9:30 a.m.
Investigators said the driver then attempted to make a right turn to avoid running the red light before crashing into the bus and two passenger vehicles.
“[The driver] tried to make a right-hand turn to avoid running the red light and then crashed into the bus and the other two passenger vehicles,” Capt. Brandon Barclay of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station told KTLA.
Officials noted that the speed limit on Golden Valley Road is 50 mph.
Sky5 aerial footage showed the heavily damaged Santa Clarita Transit bus pushed onto a curb while the semi truck overturned nearby, and another vehicle appeared pinned beneath the front right side of the bus.
“When you look at it, it looks like a scene from Universal CityWalk,” Barclay said.
Authorities said 13 people were injured in the crash.
One passenger seated in the back of the bus had to be freed using the Jaws of Life and remained hospitalized in critical condition Wednesday afternoon, KTLA’s Angeli Kakade reported.
Seven additional people were transported to hospitals while five others declined medical treatment at the scene.
“You have a bus that was hit by a semi truck, so it’s very impactful for this community,” Barclay added.
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Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA) -
Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA) -
Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA) -
Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA) -
Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA) -
Sky5 was over a multi-vehicle crash involving a city bus in Santa Clarita, Calif. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (KTLA)
Former Santa Clarita transit bus driver Darryl Richardson said he was stunned when he saw the aftermath of the crash.
“I know how a person feels to see a big old truck coming right at you,” Richardson told KTLA. “Thank God if it had broadsided the driver, we’d be talking about a different conversation right now.”
The City of Santa Clarita said road closures around the crash scene were expected to continue for several hours as deputies investigated what led up to the collision.
All directions of Centre Pointe Parkway between Golden Valley Road and Ruether Avenue remained closed Wednesday afternoon. Eastbound Golden Valley Road was also shut down from Robert C. Lee Parkway to Centre Pointe Parkway.
Drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
The crash remains under investigation.
Just hours after officials announced arrests connected to a string of residential burglaries, another one was reported in the San Fernando Valley.
According to a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson, the incident took place just before 1:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 5000 block of Bluebell Avenue, which is located in the Valley Village neighborhood.
The person who lives in the home was too shaken to appear on camera but told KTLA that three masked suspects broke in while she was inside and took off within minutes.
The LAPD spokesperson was unable to confirm that detail, or any other details, right away. It was unclear whether anything was taken from the home.
The alleged break-in came less than a day after L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and other officials announced arrests in a string of burglaries mainly plaguing the San Fernando Valley. At a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Karen Bass said there has been a 30% reduction year-to-date in property crimes and burglaries.
The LAPD says part of their strategy is to saturate areas, like the Valley, that have been targeted disproportionately, using visible officers and others “behind the scenes.”
“Burglaries in the city are down over 30%, reflecting the effectiveness of our proactive enforcement and prevention strategies,” LAPD Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard said. “We are aware that the burglary crews are highly organized and sophisticated, and we are constantly adjusting our strategies to counteract their tactics.”
That said, the LAPD is down anywhere from 800 to 1,400 police officers. The mayor said she’s fighting to hire more and is using mental health professionals on calls which don’t require a police officer.
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