Mary's Mountain Cookies traces its origins to the kitchens of Cherokee Park Dude Ranch, where head chef Mary whipped up three square meals a day for hungry guests and packed her popular homemade cookies in their horses' saddlebags. The "mountain-style" treats were sturdy enough to remain in one piece during horseback-riding trips, but soft enough to maintain an irresistibly chewy texture. Guests never failed to request the recipe, coworkers raved over the sweets, and horses raided the freezers for leftovers overnight—all persuading Mary to set out and start selling homemade cookies on her own.

Today, loyal customers enjoy over 50 varieties of quarter-pound mountain cookies, from the classic chocolate chip, to sugar-dusted snickerdoodles and salty-sweet peanut butter. Shoppers with cravings for more substantial treats can stock up on cream-cheese brownies, 12-inch cookie cakes, and frosting-filled cookie sandwiches.