Idaho's Most Famous Candy Bars: A National Candy Month Celebration

Idaho has a strong identity built around its land — the potatoes, the mountains, the rivers. What gets less attention is that Idaho has also been producing some of America's most distinctive candy bars since 1901.

National Candy Month is a good time to change that.

A Candy Company as Idaho as It Gets

Idaho Candy Company was founded in Boise in 1901 by T.O. Smith, who started making candy from his home and selling it to neighbors. The company grew into a full factory operation by 1909 and has been part of Boise's identity ever since. It's currently veteran-owned — fitting for a company whose products have been a part of Idaho life through every era of the state's modern history.

For anyone who grew up in Idaho or spent time in the Pacific Northwest, these bars aren't just candy. They're a taste of somewhere specific.

The Idaho Spud Bar (1918)

The Idaho Spud Bar is shaped like a potato, which tells you everything you need to know about how deeply Idaho Candy has leaned into regional identity. Inside, it's a cocoa-flavored marshmallow center coated in dark chocolate and sprinkled with coconut. It has been made in the same Boise factory since 1918 and is one of the oldest continuously produced candy bars in the United States. Order at https://www.idahospud.com/products/idahospudbar

The Old Faithful Bar (1925)

Named after Yellowstone's most iconic landmark, the Old Faithful Bar has been made since 1925. Vanilla marshmallow, whole peanuts, and milk chocolate — a combination that has held up for a hundred years. Find it at https://www.idahospud.com/products/old-faithfulbar

The Cherry Cocktail Bar (1926)

The Cherry Cocktail Bar is one of the most distinctive bars in the lineup. A whole cherry sits at the center, surrounded by cherry cream, then encased in freshly roasted peanuts and premium milk chocolate. It has been made since 1926 and remains a regional favorite. Shop at https://www.idahospud.com/products/cherry-cocktail

The Huckleberry Gem Bar

Huckleberries are as Idaho as it gets — wild-harvested, deeply tied to the culture of the Mountain West, and unlike any cultivated berry. The Huckleberry Gem Bar brings that flavor into candy form. Available at https://www.idahospud.com/products/huckleberrygems

This National Candy Month, explore what Idaho has been making since before most American candy brands existed. Browse everything at https://www.idahospud.com/