Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar Turns 40

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- It is the 40th anniversary of one of the most iconic Minnesota State Fair treats. Martha Olson opened Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar the summer of 1979-- and it's safe to say she's come a long way since.

It's a story as Minnesotan as the cookie itself. Olson took a childhood tradition in 1979 and, 40 years later, multiplied it by the millions.

"We marvel at it ourselves. You know pinch us you know we can't believe," Olson said.

Nine pallets come in overnight, every night of the State Fair-- each full of ingredients, measured by the ton and made by the thousands.

The temperature can fluctuate a good 40 degrees, changing how the batter mixes and affects every step thereafter, from the bowl to the machine to the oven-- and you know how the rest of it goes.

Your cone or your bucket gets filled to gravity-defying lengths and handed over, judgment-free. It's a bite of nostalgia for Martha and her millions of customers since.

Because of the new North End location, Sweet Martha's is still growing. It has around 800 employees now, up from 750 last year.