Cookies that Channel the Colorado Rockies

The mission behind Denver-based Gnarly Mountain is to bring the adventurous spirit of the Colorado Rockies to wherever you are.

Mountain and Colorado lover Zack Weiss founded the company in 2020 during the pandemic when he said the “world needed a more exciting cookie.”

Originally from Pennsylvania, Weiss has called Colorado home for over two decades. He bought his first pizza shop when he was 26 and has always been an avid entrepreneur who loves starting – and supporting – small businesses.

He’s also a big fan of selling products that people enjoy like sandwiches, pizza, doughnuts and, of course, cookies.

“People feel super comfortable with cookies,” Weiss said. “You can experiment with them, but as long as they are still cookies, people are willing to try something different.”

His goal with Gnarly, whose cookies come individually wrapped and are mainly sold wholesale, was to create a product that was “more Colorado forward, channeling his home state’s passion for skiing, snowboarding and mountain adventures. Weiss consulted with a professional baker to come up with Gnarly Mountain’s signature flavors, collaborating to bring the texture, colors and taste he envisioned to life.

Together, they created the “Gnarly 9,” which boasts flavors like Salted Key Lime Pie, Peanut Butter and Mountain Jelly, Colorado Sweet Corn and classics like Triple Chocolate Chunk. His St. Patty’s inspired Coffee Car Bomb is made with a reduced dark beer from 10 Barrel Brewing Company and topped off with an Irish whiskey ganache and espresso powder.

His favorite, though, is the Horchata Cinnamon breakfast cookie.

And the flavors don’t stop there. Next up for Weiss is Colorado cold-brew coffee, starting with toasty Campfire and blueberry Frosted Gnar. And yes, the drinks are meant to go well with cookies.