Fun fact, Montana got its name from the Spanish word, Montãna, meaning mountainous! 

So last cookie that came from our road trip was for the state of Montana! I could honestly see myself living in Montana. I completely fell in love with its natural beauty! The first stop and place where we stayed was Bozeman, MT. After being in the car for 6+ hours as we drove from Wyoming, let’s just say I was a little hangry… So the night started off with a hunt for any type of food!

Toro: When we walked in we asked to see a menu and the hostess replied with it was taco Tuesday… I didn't need to see anything, she already had me at taco. Toro had an awesome atmosphere, it was open and trendy and the bartender that took care of us was extremely kind!  If you’re in town on a Tuesday I would definitely hit up their taco menu! 
Little did we know this was just the start of a long unexpectedly, fun night! After basically stealing the guy's next to me napkin we begin to start conversations with these two Bozeman natives. Dennis a man in his early seventies but still living in his prime and a helicopter pilot named Daniel.  We learned about their life adventures and what led them to the great state of Montana. There is such a beauty in learning about others and how they have chosen to live out their lives. So we moved on for the night and continued our conversations at Plonk. 

Plonk: This was a beautiful restaurant with awesome brick walls and an inviting atmosphere. I can't say anything about their food but their wine list was awesome. I would highly recommend checking this out if you're in town. This is sadly where our night end but hopefully one day returning to visit our friends at Dennis' farm for a cookout.  :) 
The Western: As any foodie, I LOVE breakfast! So I asked the locals and they said we need to check out The Western Cafe. I mean its titled "The last best cafe" and it lived up to its name!  They had AWESOME cinnamon rolls as they were served hot and fresh! The food was excellent and had a cute local vibe! Highly recommended for a good hearty breakfast. 

The world's first national park

Thanks to our new friends, we were able to navigate through the park without traffic and seeing the most wildlife! I even saw a moose which was one of my life goals!! 

We stopped at Big Sky... The place that says that they "offer the biggest skiing in America!"  Hopefully, one day I will make it back to snowboard the mountain ... Until then, this picture will have to do!

When I originally looked up the state dessert for Montana, it was a s'more. However, when I researched more... that was only because of the mountains and that people do lots of camping in the state. So I was not gonna settle for that as the reason behind my cookie so I decided to dig into the state a little more.  I heard that one of the best things to try in Montana is Wheat Montana's cinnamon rolls and huckleberries! 

- Wheat Montana: I tried both The Western Cafe and Wheat Montana cinnamon rolls and they were some of the best I've ever had! Which made my cookie base an easy decision.

- Huckleberries- They are all wild berries that grow wild in the Rocky Mountains. The berries have never been commercially grown so they have to be handpicked! I used Huckleberry haven's jam to make my glaze for the top of my cookie!

The cookie gets it's name from all the grizzlies that populate Montana especially in Yellowstone National Park. Also, the Grizzly is the mascot for University of Montana!!

Cinnamon Roll, White Chocolate, with a huckleberry glaze

This title could mean a handful of things for the state of Colorado. And yes, I know you’re thinking of that completely obvious one. However, Colorado is also known for having the highest mean altitude in all of the states. Also it is home of our Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs! 
I remember the first time that I ever went to Colorado was for a lacrosse tournament in Vail. Not only did we have to train differently and harder to be used to the elevation but I also thought it was amusing that all of our teammates bought shirts that said “I played lacrosse high… (And on the back) in the Rocky Mountains.” We thought we are so cool and definitely rocked them with pride all the way home to Pennsylvania. Oh how simplistic high school was. :) 

I now return to Colorado almost a decade or more later to visit one of my good childhood friends that lives in the capital of Colorado, Denver.

Moving on, once I landed in Denver, I was ready to explore! Denver is nicknamed as the mile high city. Since it’s elevation is 1 mile above sea level! This is how our cookie got its name. I completely fell in love Denver from it’s natural beauty to everything being walking accessible to it being so dog friendly! ​

GLUTEN FREE, Almond Butter, vanilla granola, chocolate chip cookie! 

Idaho got this nickname since most gemstones have been discovered in the state! It produces 72 types!! Think about that next time you put on your jewelry!

I only spent a short time in Idaho on our way to Bozeman, Montana but there was somethings I realized about Idaho.

1. IT IS SO GREEN! I have never been to a state that was so beautifully green. It was miles and miles of rolling hills. Roading tripping out West is a completely different experience then driving on 95 for 8 hours. This is probably because agriculture is an important roll in the state’s economy. And I know you are thinking about Potatoes and I will get there but Idaho is also known for their cattle and dairy products. They are actually known for their milk and cheese supply!

2. Their FRENCH FRIES are great! I mean that should be obvious. Idaho is commonly known as the potato state. It produces 1/3 of the nation’s potatoes. So clearly this needed to be included in our cookie as one of our main ingredients. ​

This is one of the potato farms we drove by

Since I was not able to stay long in IDAHO so I couldn't recommend many fun places, I thought I would leave you with some fun facts that I never knew before!
1. Their capital building is heated by geothermal water. Not only did I not know this but I did not know what geothermal water was..... it is heat that comes from directly from the Earth's Core!!!
2. If you are looking at a Idaho license plate, it will tell you where that person is from!!! 
​3. The first chairlift was used in Sun Valley! I think I would rethink the sport of snowboarding if I had to hike up the mountain every time.... 

I am excited to announce “The Spud” 

Not only did this cookie get it’s name from Idaho being the potato state but while driving through Idaho we stopped at the Spud Drive - In. This was the cutest outdoor movie theater with a giant potato as it's sign! If you are in Driggs, Idaho make sure to check it out!!