SWEET TOOTH

Photos: A Sugar Addict's Guide to American Treats

There are still places where a trip to the candy store doesn't mean a Snickers or a Twix, but a souvenir worth writing home about—because you're likely to eat it before it gets there. Just in time for Valentine's Day, here are 15 of America's most storied treats.

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012, 12:00 PM | Subscribe to the magazine

Source Article: 15 of America's Favorite Regional Sweets

These 15 sugary snacks range from bite-size candies to crumbly cookies to chocolate-covered fruits and nuts, and all come with a side of American history.
(Stephanie Adams)
No potatoes are involved in the making of Idaho Spuds, which actually consist of coconut-flecked dark chocolate covering a springy cocoa-flavored marshmallow center.
(Stephanie Adams)
Chocolate-covered macademia nuts are a quintessential Hawaiian treat and can be found anywhere and everywhere on the islands.
(Stephanie Adams)
Layers of chocolate and soft vanilla caramel are poured over toasted pecans to create turtles, which are known as pecan buds at See's candy shops all over California.
(Stephanie Adams)
The people of New Mexico love bizcochitos so much that they made the anise and cinnamon treats the official state cookie.
(Stephanie Adams)
Children in Wisconsin have been enjoying Candy Raisins (which don't actually include raisins) since 1930. After the factory closed down in 2008, a version was reverse-engineered and relaunched as Candy Sunshine, available starting in March 2012.
(Stephanie Adams)
Florida's coconut patties come in flavors like key lime, mango, and piña colada.
(Stephanie Adams)
Legend has it that peanut brittle was created by Virginia folk hero Tony Beaver, who poured peanuts and molasses in a river to stop a flood.
(Stephanie Adams)
Salt water taffy is sold up and down the Atlantic City boardwalk in New Jersey.
(Stephanie Adams)
Maple sugar is twice as sweet as regular sugar, making these candies tooth-achingly delicious.
(Stephanie Adams)
Pennsylvania's Peanut Chews were first formulated for ration boxes back in 1917, but the bars of molasses and peanuts covered in dark chocolate continue to be popular today.
(Stephanie Adams)
Whoopie Pies, sweet creamy frosting sandwiched between moon-shaped pieces of chocolate cake, are the official state treat of Maine.
(Stephanie Adams)
Tennessee's Goo Goo Clusters are a sweet treat with longevity—the chocolate, nougat, and pecan candies turn 100 in 2012.
(Stephanie Adams)
When you order pralines (a combination of sugar cane and pecans) in Louisiana, be sure to pronounce it praw-LEENS.
(Stephanie Adams)
Ohio is the Buckeye State, so it's no surprise that that favorite treat is also known as buckeyes. The chocolate-covered peanut butter candies look like the nut from the buckeye tree.
(Stephanie Adams)
Washington state's Aplets & Cotlets are a take on Turkish Delight, made with apple and apricot juice from the local harvest.
(Stephanie Adams)