This 4th grader created the recipe for Alabama’s new state cookie—details here

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White And Brown Food On White Ceramic Plate
The Yellowhammer Cookie features pecans and peanuts—prominent Alabama state symbols. (Unsplash)

You may not know it, but a few states have a designated state cookie. Alabama hasn’t been one of them… until now. Recently, a new bill has been approved by The Alabama House of Representatives and Senate deeming the Yellowhammer Cookie the official cookie of Alabama. Read on for details, including what makes the recipe special to our state.

How the cookie crumbles

According to WSFA12, the mission to bring a state cookie to Alabama has been a joint effort from students at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery. Fourth grade students crafted and submitted recipe ideas while seniors voted on their favorites.

Ultimately, fourth grader Mary Claire Cooke created the winning recipe—the Yellowhammer Cookie. The bill, drafted by Representative Reed Ingram, highlights that the cookie’s recipe prominently features peanuts and pecans, crops with historical and agricultural significance to Alabama.

The delicious treat includes pecans, oats and peanuts with a peanut butter filling in the middle. The Art of Alabama Politics shared the recipe for the cookie on their Facebook page:

One smart cookie

The Yellowhammer Cookie just so happened to be the perfect blend of Alabama-based ingredients. In the bill, it’s stated that not only is the peanut the official state legume of Alabama, but our state ranked 2nd in the nation for peanut production in 2021.

George Washington Carver’s work to elevate the peanut to its current status is also recognized in the bill. Alabama’s official state nut, the pecan, is another prominent ingredient in the new state cookie. Alabama is one of only 15 states that produces pecans, with more than 500 farmers dedicated to pecan production.

After passing the House and Senate, the bill now makes its way to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law.

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Gabby Gervais
Gabby Gervais
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