Alabama has an official state cookie — thanks to the hard work and baking prowess of a 4th grader from Montgomery, Alabama.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed HB421 into law on Friday, June 2, officially designating the "Yellowhammer Cookie" as the state's official state cookie.
The Yellowhammer Cookie is a creation of Mary Claire Cook, a 4th-grade student at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, Alabama.
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Cook — as well as her cookies — were present at the bill's signing.
The idea for a state cookie arose after students at Trinity Presbyterian School learned that Alabama had no such official designation, as the Alabama news website Yellowhammer News reported.
The school then held a contest — and Cook won it.
Rep. Reed Ingram (R), who worked with the 4th-grade students throughout the legislative process, authored the bill to name the Yellowhammer Cookie the state cookie.
The Yellowhammer Cookie consists of two oatmeal cookies with a peanut butter filling between them. The sandwich cookie features ingredients that are important to Alabama, noted the bill's text.
Peanuts are the "official state legume of Alabama," said the text of the bill, while "Alabama is one of only 15 states that produce pecans … The pecan is designated as the official state nut of Alabama."
Legislators unanimously approved the measure.
The yellowhammer, also known as a Northern flicker, is Alabama's official state bird, says Statesymbolsusa.org.
Additionally, "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" is the University of Alabama football team's well-known cheer, according to Fanbuzz.com.
While most states have designated an official flower, animal and other various symbols, most do not have an official state cookie.
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New Mexico was the first state to adopt an official state cookie.
In 1989, lawmakers named the biscochito "a small anise-flavored cookie, which was brought to New Mexico by the early Spaniards," as the state's official cookie, says the State of New Mexico's website.
Massachusetts named the chocolate chip cookie, which was invented in the state, the official state cookie in 1997, says the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website.
Massachusetts also has an official state donut, the Boston Cream donut.
A handful of other states have adopted official state pies or variations on official "state desserts."
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In Maine, the whoopie pie was named the "official state treat" in 2011, after a surprisingly contentious debate over what confection should be adopted as the official state dessert, reported the Portland Press Herald at the time.
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The blueberry pie, made from Maine blueberries, was declared the official state dessert in a legislative compromise to honor both desserts, according to Maine.gov.
Recently, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey (D) made headlines after naming the "Taylor Swift ham, egg, and cheese" as the state's official sandwich, in part to honor the singer's tour dates in New Jersey.
