Alabama State Cookies: Introducing the Yellowhammer

In 2016, our family visited New Mexico and tried their official State Cookie for the first time. When I wrote the blog post about our trip, I included this: 

"Note to self: Petition California's legislature to adopt an official State Cookie. I'm not sure what it should be, just that we should have one too."

 

It took two years, but in 2018 we set about inventing the California Cookie. Trevor and I, plus three of his friends, had a really great competition, picked a winning cookie, and wrote to the legislature. Unfortunately, our efforts to make it official were not successful, but it was really fun. 

While Trevor and his friends were not able to enter the annals of history through the invention of a State Cookie, an Alabama 4th grader named Mary Claire Cook did. Her cookie, called the Yellowhammer, is a pecan and oat sandwich cookie filled with honey and peanut butter. It's a great representation of the state, as peanuts are the State Legume of Alabama and pecans are its State Nut. Alabama is nicknamed the Yellowhammer State, after the state bird. 

When the Yellowhammer was adopted in June 2023, Alabama became the third state (after New Mexico and Massachusetts) with an official State Cookie.  

The Yellowhammer is a hefty cookie... and quite delicious. 

The filling is outstanding. 

This is the official recipe for Yellowhammer Cookies. Enjoy!

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Yellowhammer Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies

COOKIES:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 24 pecan halves

FILLING:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter

BAKING AND ASSEMBLY:

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Add flour mixture and stir well.
3. Add oats and continue beating until well mixed.
4. Cover and refrigerate dough for two hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Form dough into 48 1-1/2 inch balls and flatten. Arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place a pecan half on 24 of the cookies, which will become the top of the finished treat.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.
8. Make the filling: Mix peanut butter, honey, butter and powdered sugar and beat to combine, about three minutes.
9. Spread filling between two cookies, topping with the pecan-topped halves and sandwich together.