14 Classic Colorado Snacks Only Longtime Residents Haven’t Forgotten
Colorado has a snack culture all its own, full of flavors that spark instant nostalgia for longtime residents.
From sweet treats to savory bites, these classic favorites have endured through generations, keeping memories of childhood and local traditions alive.
Each snack tells a story of the state’s unique tastes and quirks, reminding those who grew up here why these flavors are unforgettable. Trying them is like taking a delicious trip down memory lane.
1. Hammond’s Candies
Watching those candy canes being hand-pulled at Hammond’s factory tours was basically a Colorado kid’s field trip dream come true.
Since 1920, this Denver institution has been twisting sugar into colorful confections that look almost too pretty to eat.
Their ribbon candy and lollipops remain virtually unchanged from when Carl Hammond first started making them. The intoxicating smell of warm sugar still fills the air as artisans create each piece by hand.
2. Little Man Ice Cream
Nothing says summer in Denver like joining the winding line outside the giant milk can in LoHi. Little Man may not be the oldest shop on this list, but it quickly became legendary after opening in 2008.
Locals brave winter temperatures and summer heat for their Salted Oreo and Space Junkie flavors.
The shop’s iconic 28-foot cream can structure has become as photographed as any Denver landmark, making it an instant classic in Colorado’s food scene.
3. Bonnie Brae Ice Cream
Long before artisanal ice cream shops popped up across Denver, Bonnie Brae was scooping massive portions that required Olympic-level balancing skills.
This neighborhood staple has been serving the same creamy goodness since 1986 in its unassuming corner shop.
Generations of Denver families have celebrated birthdays, first dates, and little league victories here. Their butter pecan remains unchanged – exactly how regulars who’ve been coming for decades prefer it.
4. Sweet Cow Ice Cream
Born in Louisville but spreading joy across the Front Range, Sweet Cow’s mobile “Moomobile” might be the most welcome sight at any Colorado summer festival.
Their simple approach focuses on small-batch flavors made fresh daily. Colorado kids develop serious loyalty to their Dutch Chocolate or Cookies and Cream scoops.
The cheerful cow logo has become synonymous with lines of patient customers willing to wait for what many locals consider the creamiest texture in Colorado’s ice cream landscape.
5. High Point Creamery
Fancy ice cream flights weren’t a thing in Colorado until High Point came along and revolutionized how we sample frozen treats.
Their Milk Chocolate with Salted Caramel has converted even the most vanilla-loyal Denverites.
Founded by a former pastry chef, this newer addition to Colorado’s dessert scene quickly earned its place among the classics.
The shop’s signature “flight of five” served on a wooden board lets indecisive customers avoid the agony of choosing just one flavor from their seasonal rotation.
6. Liks Ice Cream
Capitol Hill residents have been getting their sugar fix at Liks since 1976, making it practically ancient by Denver standards.
The tiny shop with its hand-written flavor board has survived gentrification waves that claimed many other neighborhood institutions. Their Jack Daniel’s Chocolate Chip remains the stuff of local legend.
College students, young professionals, and longtime Denver families all squeeze into the small space, especially on those first warm spring evenings when everyone collectively decides winter is finally over.
7. Mary’s Mountain Cookies
CSU students quickly learn that Mary’s cookies are the ultimate reward for surviving finals week. These massive, palm-sized treats have been a Fort Collins tradition since the early 1990s.
Unlike dainty cookies elsewhere, Mary’s creations are gloriously thick, slightly underbaked in the middle, and heavy enough to serve as a meal replacement.
The Old Town location becomes a pilgrimage site for alumni returning to Fort Collins, who often buy dozens to freeze and ration after leaving town.
8. The Taffy Shop
For generations of Colorado families, no trip to Estes Park was complete without watching the hypnotic taffy-pulling machines in The Taffy Shop’s window.
Operating since 1935, this Elkhorn Avenue institution still makes their chewy treats exactly as they did decades ago.
The vintage packaging and classic flavors like peppermint and molasses remain unchanged.
Tourists may come and go, but locals know the best time to stock up is during the quiet winter months when the lines don’t stretch down the sidewalk.
9. Patsy’s Candies
Long before Manitou Springs became a tourist hotspot, Patsy’s was crafting chocolates that kept locals coming back since 1903.
Their English toffee recipe remains a closely guarded secret that’s survived two World Wars and countless Colorado snowstorms.
Generations of Springs residents mark special occasions with their signature candy boxes.
The factory still uses copper kettles and marble slabs for cooling their confections, refusing to modernize processes that have worked perfectly for over a century.
10. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Before becoming a mall staple across America, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory was just a small Durango shop where locals watched caramel apples being dipped through the window.
Founded in 1981, its original location maintains the charm that made it a southwestern Colorado institution. Their bear-shaped chocolate paws capture the essence of Colorado in confectionery form.
Durango residents take special pride in this homegrown success story, often gifting visitors the signature copper kettle boxes filled with truffles and nut clusters.
11. Sweet Coloradough
Western Slope residents don’t mind rolling out of bed at dawn to grab Sweet Coloradough’s donuts before they sell out by mid-morning.
This Glenwood Springs favorite has transformed the humble donut into an art form worth driving miles for. Their maple bacon long johns have developed a cult following among locals and I-70 travelers alike.
The shop’s punny name perfectly captures their Colorado pride, while their donut-croissant hybrids keep customers coming back to try whatever new creation they’ve dreamed up.
12. LaMar’s Donuts & Coffee
Colorado may not be where LaMar’s started, but Denverites have claimed these donuts as their own since the first location opened here in 1999.
The Ray’s Original Glazed has been described by donut aficionados as nothing short of perfection. Local police officers perpetuate the stereotype by frequently being spotted in LaMar’s parking lots.
The shop’s distinctive pink boxes have become a welcome sight in office break rooms across the Front Range, often prompting minor stampedes when they appear at morning meetings.
13. The Donut Mill
Mountain dwellers and Pikes Peak travelers have been fueling up at The Donut Mill since 1983. Their cinnamon rolls are famously larger than your face – a fact they’re proudly advertised for decades.
The rustic A-frame building with its spinning windmill has become a mandatory pit stop for anyone driving through Woodland Park.
Locals know to arrive early before the Texas donut – a massive creation that could feed a small family – sells out to eager tourists heading to the mountains.
14. Paradise Bakery & Café
Skiers and snowboarders have been refueling with Paradise Bakery cookies on Aspen’s Cooper Avenue since 1976.
Their chocolate chip cookies, served warm throughout the day, became the unofficial taste of Aspen long before the town was associated with celebrity sightings.
Locals mourned when Panera acquired the chain, but thankfully the original Aspen location maintained its independence and recipes.
The smell of fresh-baked cookies still wafts onto the sidewalk, creating an irresistible force field that pulls in passersby regardless of their dining plans.