Iconic Eastern WA foods: Cherries, cheese, candy & hops

When thinking of iconic Washington state foods, your mind might go to eats from the west side — particularly the Puget Sound area.

Chains including Starbucks and Mod Pizza got their start in the Seattle area, and seafood staples such as salmon and oysters rule local restaurants.

However, Eastern Washington has provided its fair share of the Evergreen State’s iconic eats.

Anyone looking to truly taste all that Washington state has to offer must not forget these staples with origins east of the Cascades.

Evergreen huckleberries fall from a sorting machine at a Key Center farm. Craig Sailor The News Tribune What baked goods feature Washington state’s top crops?

Many foods with Evergreen State origins have to do with the plethora of prominent crops.

Washington state is a top supplier of apples, cherries, wine grapes, hops and other produce.

It’s also home to numerous berries that are most associated with the Pacific Northwest, including huckleberries, salmonberries and salal berries.

Naturally, Washingtonians do a lot of cooking and baking with all this produce.

While they weren’t invented in Washington state, desserts such as apple crisp and cherry pie using local crops are a staple of Evergreen State eating.

Similarly, using Walla Walla sweet onions gives onion rings a Washington state-specific angle.

However, the Pacific Northwest is unique in its excitement over huckleberries.

Any eatery with flavored treats or special fruit toppings on its menu offers huckleberries.

Visiting Washington state without trying a huckleberry lemonade, huckleberry ice cream or huckleberry syrup means you’re absolutely missing out on part of the state’s culture.

Workers sort cherries for dehydration at Chukar’s Cherries. Courtesy Chukar Cherries Famous candy, snacks invented in Washington state

Two of the most well-known treats from Washington state feature homegrown crops.

Aplets & Cotlets, a sweet treat similar to Turkish delight, feature walnuts mixed with apples and apricots and coated with powdered sugar.

The soft, chewy candy was invented in 1918 by the founders of Liberty Orchards as a way to make use of surplus apple crops.

Two Armenian immigrants who left Seattle in search of a climate closer to eastern Mediterranean conditions purchased an apple farm in Cashmere in the early 1900s, according to the Liberty Orchards website.

At first, they invented a confection similar to Turkish delight using excess apples. A few years after perfecting this recipe and garnering attention for the sweet apple and walnut treat, Liberty Orchards developed an apricot version of the treat.

This became the famous Aplets & Cotlets known and loved by candy fans.

“Today, Aplets & Cotlets represent more than just a sweet treat; they symbolize the enduring spirit of innovation,” says the Liberty Orchards website. “Whether you’re savoring them for the first time or reliving childhood memories, each bite is a reminder of the rich history and passion that created these iconic confections.”

Over a century since its beginning, Liberty Orchard is still in operation in Cashmere.

Another well-known brand offering sweet fruit confections is based in Eastern Washington.

Chukar Cherries has been based in Prosser since 1988.

The company dehydrates local cherry varieties like Bing and Rainier cherries using warm air tunnels, which bypasses the need for added sugars or preservatives, according to the company website.

These cherries are then combined with chocolate and other goods.

The brand was a finalist in the Good Food Awards earlier in 2026, and the Chukar Cherries booth at Pike Place is a popular stop for tourists and locals alike.

Student employees and staff at the WSU Creamery scoop and stir curds during the cheesemaking process, filmed for “The Rachael Ray Show.” Washington State University College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences What foods were invented at WSU? Cherries, cheese and more

Many of the popular crops used in fan-favorite snacks include fruits developed by experts at Washington State University.

Cosmic Crisp apples and Rainier cherries came from the university, as well as other apple and cherry varieties and additional crops including wheat.

The university develops more than just produce.

One of the most iconic cheeses in Washington state came from WSU — and displays that in its branding.

Cougar Gold cheese was developed at the university’s creamery during the 1940s. The creamery had done research on cheese storage and found tin cans an optimal option in the days before the invention of plastic storage, according to the WSU website.

A sharp white cheddar variety from the creamery was an instant hit. Sharp cheddar wasn’t easily accessible in the ‘40s, and the combination of the rich, creamy texture with the strong, slightly nutty flavors drew an instant following.

Since then, the canned sharp cheddar has stayed in production.

Today, the creamery produces a quarter of a million cans of cheese every year. Cougar Gold accounts for 80%, according to the creamery website.

A truck load of hops grown in the Yakima Valley are ready to be processed. Courtesy Hop Growers of Washington What drinks come from Eastern Washington?

Eastern Washington is home to the majority of the state’s wine grape production, and the Evergreen State is third in the nation for wine grape supply.

While none of the grape varieties grown in Washington state were developed or created here, many brands based in the Evergreen State have perfected their recipes and processing methods.

Top Washington state wine brands include Chateau Ste. Michelle, 14 Hands Winery, and DeLille Cellars.

Eastern Washington also supplies the majority of the nation’s hops supply. Around 75% of the country’s hops are grown in the Yakima Valley.

Hops grown in Yakima are used by breweries around the world, from local companies such as Bale Breaker Brewing Company to global operations including Amundsen Brewery and Uiltje Brewing Company.

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