Chicago's Best Sweets of 2025 - Full List

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. Those marked wth an asterisk are new entries since the original list back in 2018. (Jump to the full reviews of #21-25, #21-25, #16-20, #11-15, #6-10, and #1-5.)

• • •

It's been a great week exploring the top sweets in Chicago. Click the links above for longer write-ups and tips. Here's the full list:

(1) Afternoon tea bun at Lost Larson*

(2) Caramel cake slice at Brown Sugar Bakery*

(3) Goat cheese cashew caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato

(4) Strawberry rhubarb pie at Bang Bang Pie (rotating menu)
(5) Ellen from Alliance Bakery

(6) Bread pudding at Bar Roma*

(7) Valrhona chocolate iced doughnut at Firecakes

(8) Iced housemade chai with ube syrup at Del Sur Bakery*

(9) Panna cotta at Spacca Napoli

(10) Earl grey swirl ice cream at Bartleby's* (rotating menu)

(11) Vanilla sour cream doughnut at Downstate Donuts*

(12) Sour cream dutch apple pie at Hoosier Mama Pie Company (rotating menu)

(13) Cookie dough peanut butter milkshake at Chicago Diner

(14) Authentic drinking chocolate at XOCO

(15) Lemon-raspberry brioche French toast at M. Henry

(16) Purple velvet cupcake at Jennivee’s Bakery

(17) Tiramisu at "Original" Ferrera Bakery

(18) Pecan caramel crisp popcorn from Garrett Popcorn

(19) Death by chocolate sundae at Vaca's Creamery*

(20) Chilled drinking chocolate from Katherine Anne Confections*

(21) Cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather*

(22) Earl grey custard and sea salt caramel Japanese soufflé pancakes at Hanabusa Cafe*

(23) Raspberry pie at Shaw's Crab House*

(24) Tagalong cake at Defloured (rotating menu)

(25) Oreo frosted brownie from Sweet Mandy B's*

Honorable mention: Pretty much anything from Mindy's Bakery*

Gone, but not forgotten: Chai-infused French toast from Orange (R.I.P.)

Favorite non-Chicago dessert spot in Chicago: Jeni's Ice Creams (nationwide, originally from Columbus, OH)

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2025: #1-5

Lost Larson spread, left to right: almond croissant,
lingonberry cake, afternoon tea bun, chocolate croissant

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. Those marked with an asterisk are new entries since the original list back in 2018. (Jump to the full reviews of #21-25, #16-20, #11-15, and #6-10.)

• • •

(1) Afternoon tea bun at Lost Larson*: Flaky dough rolled into a spiral, covered in granulated earl grey sugar and lemon zest. There is always a slight caramelization on the bottom. It is simple, yet mind-blowing. At Chicago's best bakery, this one stands on top. But, honestly, other pastries there could've made this list, too.

(2) Caramel cake slice at Brown Sugar Bakery*: It's sticky, it's gooey, it's caramel-y. I did not know cake icing could be like this. And the cake itself is moist and delish. Probably the best cake slice I've ever had. I will forever be missing their Navy Pier outpost because I don't get down to E 75th St. all that much.

Black Dog Gelato

(3) Goat cheese cashew caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato - When I moved away from Chicago for a brief spell, this dessert was the last thing I ate before driving out of the city. A subtly sour goat cheese gelato base, a bitter burnt caramel swirl, and crunchy cashews. What it does to my taste buds is borderline erotic.

(4) Strawberry rhubarb pie at Bang Bang Pie (rotating menu) - I've said it before and I'll say it again: The best slice of pie I have had in my life. Sadly, these fruits are not always in season, but at Bang Bang Pie it's pretty much all incredible.

(5) Ellen from Alliance Bakery - The Ellen is a layered pistachio, white chocolate, and cinnamon mousse dessert. It is delicate, which means you have to pretend to be eating it daintily while you shovel it in your face.

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2025: #6-10

Valrhona chocolate iced doughnut at Firecakes

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. Those marked with an asterisk are new entries since the original list back in 2018. (Jump to the full reviews of #21-25, #16-20, and #11-15.)

• • •

(6) Bread pudding at Bar Roma*: Tart cherries and dark chocolate always go well together; in an expertly prepared bread pudding they are pure bliss. Top it with salted caramel and *mwah* chef's kiss. (I recommend getting the vanilla gelato on the side.) Side note: Bar Roma is my wife and I's favorite date spot. Don't miss their cacio e pepe.

(7) Valrhona chocolate iced doughnut at Firecakes: Without a doubt the best chocolate icing I've ever had on a doughnut. It's definitely icing textured, but it tastes like a bite of fine chocolate. And Firecakes' yeast doughnuts are where it's at, whether this classic or their more creative flavors that rotate in and out, like dulce de leche and strawberry mascarpone.

(8) Iced housemade chai with ube syrup at Del Sur Bakery*: There is no shortage of items with complexity to their flavor at Del Sur, but the best example may be their chai. Their website notes that the chai contains "clove, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, star anise, cardamom, rose water, and orange." I added some of their housemade ube syrup. I have had numerous ube beverages; this one was the truth.

Spacca Napoli

(9) Panna cotta at Spacca Napoli: If you close your eyes, you might think you are eating the silkiest vanilla gelato ever, punctuated by fruit and a balsamic drizzle. This jiggly Italian custard delivers. An elegant ending after eating the best Neapolitan-style pizza in Chicago.

(10) Earl grey swirl ice cream at Bartleby's* (rotating menu): This was a seasonal fall flavor almost a year ago and I dream of it still. The swirl was a tart raspberry, adding a punch to the warm flavor of the earl grey ice cream base. I'm also a big fan of their honeycomb crunch and my wife always brings home a pint of their dairy-free chocolate ice cream.

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2025: #11-15

Downstate Donuts spread

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. Those marked with an asterisk are new entries since the original list back in 2018. (Jump to the full reviews of #21-25 and #16-20.)

• • •

(11) Vanilla sour cream doughnut at Downstate Donuts*: My absolute favorite donut from Downstate Donuts is the strawberry rosé, but it's a rare find. The good news is it's only a hair better than this, their most classic doughnut. Downstate incorporates potatoes into their dough, making their cake doughnuts standouts regardless of the glaze/topping. This vanilla sour cream glaze adds a tang to the experience.

(12) Sour cream dutch apple pie at Hoosier Mama Pie Company (rotating menu): As I've said before, Hoosier Mama is the queen of the custard pies in Chicago...but her sour cream fruit pies are even better. I've also had the sour cream blackberry, which would rank equally high on this list. The dutch apple one is just a titch better in my opinion.

(13) Cookie dough peanut butter milkshake at Chicago Diner: The best milkshake in the city is vegan. From the makers of the famous veggie Reuben sandwich comes a perfect milkshake that tastes like peanut butter cookie dough if it had been named by Yoda. Did I mention it's vegan? It's vegan.

Xoco

(14) Authentic drinking chocolate at XOCO: From Chicago chef Rick Bayliss, this spot offers tasty tortas, ho hum churros and, the best of the bunch, Mexican drinking chocolate. They offer it in classic or Aztec, which has a spicy kick to it. Which is better? Honestly, depends on one's mood. You can't lose.

(15) Lemon-raspberry brioche French toast at M. Henry: I take all of my out-of-town guests to M. Henry. Usually when I go to brunch, I like to split with a friend, so we can get half savory and half sweet. At M. Henry splitting isn't necessary because the morning sugar high of downing all the French toast is well worth it.

Furniture City Creamery in Grand Rapids, MI

Since the pandemic, I have thrice made the journey from Chicago to Grand Rapids for ArtPrize. An annual autumnal visual arts competition featuring entries from around the world, ArtPrize is an impressive spectacle to behold. It takes over central Grand Rapids with competing art displayed in galleries, hotel lobbies, restaurants, bars, vintage stores, knick-knack shops, museums, parks, and more. They print maps of all of the participating venues so people can choose which part of town to stroll around hunting for art.

ArtPrize is one of my favorite things.

Happily, these trips also allow my wife and I to visit with our friend Annelise who lives close to downtown Grand Rapids in the East Hills neighborhood. As luck would have it, this is the same neighborhood as Furniture City Creamery. (To an outsider, it may seem like an odd name for a scoop shop, but pre-Depression-era Grand Rapids was the center of the furniture industry.)

Furniture City Creamery has a solid mix of classic flavors and inventive flavors. Here are three of the most memorable ice creams I've had there:

• Treasure Bar - Sweet cream base with toasted coconut, chocolate, butterscotch, and graham cracker. Pure bliss.
• D'ough - In their take on cookie dough ice cream, the ice cream doesn't merely contain cookie dough...it tastes like cookie dough! The flavor is a collaboration with a local bakery.
• Hot Honey Cornbread - A spicy after burn accompanies this ice cream rippled with corn bread. It is good, I'm glad I tried it, and it is also not my thing. The spicy desserts I gravitate toward are usual Mexican chocolate.

At this creamery, one is bound to find something to tantalize the tastebuds. Grab a scoop while roaming East Hills during ArtPrize!

Here are some of my favorite ArtPrize entries over the years.

2021. Ted Lott, Nomadic Domiciles

2022. Deanna Taylor, Nature's Beauty

2021. Artist and title unknown. My apologies.

2024. Edgar Hernandez, Neon Oasis

Classic Frozen Custard in Des Moines, IA

My only pair of shoes are wet, my umbrella is only mildly helping, and we've arrived in Des Moines much later than I had hoped after a 350 mile drive from Chicago. There isn't anywhere else I'd rather be than studying the menu at a clearly storied frozen custard stand. The spot is Classic Frozen Custard. I'm curious what this place looks like in the daytime, because it ain't much to look at at night. Luckily the menu is looking real nice.

Most frozen custard spots only have three flavors: vanilla, chocolate, and a flavor of the day. Here at Classic Frozen Custard, their worn out signage shows nine(!) flavors and all of them sound tasty. I observe that this place is, as their name suggests, a classic custard joint with the huge machine behind the counter, not one of these new, fangled places serving up fancily named soft serve. So how does one explain the veritable cornucopia of options here? Either they don't make it fresh every day--no biggie--or they do good enough business that they are constantly in production. Given that the stand is both run-down and busy, it could go either way. That said, it's after 9:30pm on a Wednesday in Iowa and there has been a constant stream of cars in the drive-thru, plus a few chilly customers like me at the walk-up window.

After much chin stroking, I settle on a tree nut sampler: butter pecan, caramel cashew, and coconut. After they bring me more than a pint of freshly scooped frozen custard, a take it back to the car to enjoy. My lactose intolerant wife-to-be agrees that this place looks LEGIT, takes a Lactaid, and digs in to the butter pecan. She and I are both taken aback by how good it is. The caramel cashew is even better, but only by a hair. And the coconut (also euphoric) is chock full of toasted coconut bits.

This place is real good, y'all. Their menu is more than just scoops of custard, too; they offer twisters, sundaes, malts, shakes, and root beer floats, so there's something for everyone. If you're headed to Caitlin Clark's birthplace, stop at Classic Frozen Custard. "Once you lick it, you'll luv it!"

Butter & Cream in Decatur and Atlanta, GA

Years ago, I was in Decatur with some friends for a wedding and the bride and groom declared I "had to try" some ice cream place they liked. Now, as a loyal patron of Morelli's, I had my doubts. What could possibly be worth foregoing a trip into the city to eat ice cream there? The answer: Butter & Cream. And after trying it for myself I too was a believer.

On my recent tour de south with my sweetie, we spent a couple days in Atlanta. We went to museums, ate soul food, shopped, checked out parks, and, of course, made detours related to my sweet tooth. (Emily has a sweet tooth, too, but typing "sweet teeth" felt awkward.) When I discovered that Butter & Cream had expanded into Atlanta proper it felt worth a second visit. This time, I was doubting myself. Was it really as good as I remembered? After all, what are the odds one city has two standout ice cream purveyors?

We decided to test our luck and drive to the Atlanta scoop shop. As GPS struggled to get us there, we figured out that this location of Butter & Cream is on Atlanta's BeltLine, a former rail line converted into a public park. (Unlike Chicago's 606/Bloomingdale Trail or Manhattan's High Line, Atlanta's BeltLine is an incredible 22 MILES LONG!) So we parked and took a little stroll amongst the locals walking, jogging, and biking along the BeltLine.

Butter & Cream was easy to find. On a warm summer day, just look for where the trail of happy ice cream consumers are coming from. And happy they were. While I don't remember the specific flavors I had back in 2016, the standouts of this trip were my Brown Butter & Toasted Milk and Emily's Chocolate Sorbet. And with that, Butter & Cream proved once again that two outstanding ice cream purveyors can co-exist in the same city.

Jeni's - Three Winners and a Dud

The aforementioned "three winners."

When I first blogged about Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in 2012, they were only in area of Columbus, Ohio (AKA the perfect halfway point when driving from Chicago to Virginia). Based on those visits, they made my list of Top 25 to Visit. Since then, they have slowly started taking over the country with pint in many grocery stores plus locations in eleven states, including several locations in Chicago. Jeni's is always innovating, so occasionally I find myself placing orders online to get the latest flavor since they don't always last long in scoop shops. Here is my review of four recent flavors:

Strawberry Pretzel Pie - From first bite I started asking myself, "Is this the best ice cream I have ever had?" While I think Toscanini's probably has an edge over Jeni's, this is undoubtedly the best I've ever gotten from a mass produced facility and the best to have ever graced the inside of my freezer. Sure the strawberry and pretzels are nice, but there is something magical in the base that made my tastebuds pause to savor. Made in collaboration with Dolly Parton to benefit her non-profit, you can feel good eating it as well. Get on Jeni's email list for the next time they manufacture this flavor because it sells out FAST.

Maple Soaked Pancakes - They could have just lazily made a maple ice cream with pancakes thrown in, but, no, they incorporated the buttery flavor necessary to make this a genuine breakfast experience. Promoted for National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, I only consumed the flavor at more conventional times because some slopes are too slippery to risk taking.

Sunshine - A flavor designed to raise awareness (and funds) towards children's mental health, I knew I wanted to support...and not just because it sounded delicious. A grey ice cream boasting of tasting "like sunshine on a cloudy day," it is a fruit ice cream with mouth-puckering punches of lemon, tangerine, and passion fruit. While not as over-the-top incredible as Jeni's buttermilk frozen yogurts--perhaps their best creations overall--this is still a must-try flavor.

Everything Bagel - Cream cheese ice cream is an excellent base for cheesecake ice cream. So imagine that. Now subtract enough sugar from the cream cheese base to make it more savory than sweet. Not add onion and garlic. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Thankfully, I only sampled the flavor, which was enough to send me running away at full speed. But some people must love it because this is not the first time they've had the flavor. So don't take my word for it; try it for yourself!

Ample Hills Creamery from Brooklyn, NY

Astoria location.

My last pre-pandemic trip was to New York City. Having been numerous other times, I decided to give that trip a focus: pizza (R.I.P. Domenico DeMarco, founder of Di Fara), bagels, and Ample Hills Creamery ice cream. From the factory in Red Hook to the shop at the south end of the High Line in Chelsea to a few blocks from Madison Square Garden before a Rangers game, Ample Hills had the flavors that kept me coming back. This past January when I was flying back to Chicago after the holidays with family, I used my four hour layover to take a quick bus trip from LaGuardia to the Astoria location.

Here are my favorite flavors I have tried so far:

Salted Crack'd Caramel: burnt caramel ice cream with chocolate covered buttery crackers

Every so often I have a flavor that awakens my tastebuds in a way that makes them seem somehow more alive than they have ever been. This is one of those flavors. Burnt caramel 4eva.

Egg-carton flight.

Snap, Mallow, Pop!: marshmallow ice cream with baked rice crispy clusters

When I think of marshmallows in ice cream I usually think of that cloyingly sweet fluff. Or I think of toasted marshmallows blended into the base. This flavor is neither, embracing the subtlety of the marshmallow found in Rice Krispies Treats. That, plus the puffed rice? Yum.

The Munchies: pretzel-infused ice cream with Ritz crackers, potato chips, pretzels and crushed M&M's

Crush the pretzels to dust and blend them into the base. Why, oh why, haven't I thought of this? Too often pretzels in ice cream soften into disappointment. Here you get the flavor and the texture of the mix-ins. Personally, I wanted more chocolate but still a must try flavor.

To make matters even more exciting, every location of Ample Hills Creamery features an original flavor specific to that particular location. I can't say I've tried them all (yet)--especially the Jersey City location or the one in Long Beach, CA--but trying their different flavors is definitely ice cream crawl material.

Freezer Faves: Tillamook's Monster Cookie

While this blog is primarily a fan of local scoop shops, it acknowledges that sometimes a person just wants to stay in for the night. That being said, this is one of my Freezer Favorites.

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I was delighted when mid-pandemic, the local Chicago-area grocery stores started carrying the Oregon brand Tillamook. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest, Tillamook's extra creamy ice cream is well-known to me. But enough boasting about my extensive dairy dessert knowledge, on to the blog!

M&M's, oats, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. What makes these cookie ingredients a "monster" you ask? Elementary, my dear blog reader. It is not the cookies that are the monster, but, in fact, you...once you have your first taste of a monster cookie. Om nom nom nom.

Tillamook's Monster Cookie ice cream is my first time hearing of this classic cookie being made into an ice cream. And they knock it out of the park. This isn't bursting with mix-ins, but instead strikes a delicate balance one might not associate with the eponymous baked good: not too much oats, which would result in the still being chewy after the ice cream part has melted away; not too much peanut butter, which could easily overpower the other flavors; and kissed with just enough chocolate chips and wannabe M&M's to elevate the sweetness in every bite.

But the crowning achievement is the ice cream base. Boasting itself to be cookie-dough flavored ice cream, the base is definitely more than your average sweet cream. Were it a blond-folded taste test, would I name the flavor cookie dough (as I would with Thomas Sweet's Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor)? Probably not. But that doesn't stop the base from being exceptionally tasty!

Tillamook's Cookie Monster, I salute you!

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2018 - Full List

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. (Jump to the full reviews of #21-25, #16-20, #11-15, #6-10, #1-5.)

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1.) Strawberry rhubarb pie at Bang Bang Pie (seasonal)
2.) Ellen from Alliance Bakery
3.) Cioccolato at Osteria Langhe (rotating menu)
4.) Goat cheese cashew caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato
5.) Strawberry mascarpone doughnut at Firecakes (seasonal)
6.) Apple pie at Chopping Block (only at Apple Fest)
7.) Sour cream Dutch apple pie at Hoosier Mama Pie Company (rotating menu)
8.) Chai-infused French toast at Orange (pictured above)
9.) Cookie dough peanut butter milkshake at Chicago Diner
10.) Tagalong cake at Defloured (seasonal)
11.) Panna cotta at Spacca Napoli
12.) Chocolate chip cookie at Publican Quality Meats
13.) Authentic drinking chocolate at XOCO
14.) Stuffed French toast at M. Henry
15.) Almondolas from Amy's Candy Bar (seasonal)
16.) Katie cakes at Taste of Heaven
17.) Purple velvet cupcake at Jennivee’s Bakery
18.) Pumpkin cupcake at Molly's Cupcakes (seasonal)
19.) Tiramisu at "Original" Ferrera Bakery
20.) Pecan caramel corn from Garrett Popcorn

21.) Cheese and honey gelato from Frio Gelato 

22.) Cherry pie from First Slice Pie Cafe 

23.) Strawberry milkshake at Allende

24.) Mango Italian ice at Miko’s Italian Ice (closed during the winter)

25.) Coconut bao at Wow Bao

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2018: #1-5

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. (Jump to #21-25, #16-20, #11-15, #6-10.)

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1.) Strawberry Rhubarb pie at Bang Bang Pie
I've said it before and I'll say it again: The best slice of pie I have had in my life. Sadly, these fruits are not always in season.

2.) Ellen from Alliance Bakery
The Ellen is a layered pistachio, white chocolate and cinnamon mousse dessert. It is delicate, which means you have to pretend to be eating it daintily while you shovel it in your face.

3.) Cioccolato at Osteria Langhe
Their menus change, but look for it if you go. The dinner I had there was my favorite ever in Chicago, though again the menu changes. All I can say is that while I ate this I understood chocolate in a new way.

4.) Goat Cheese Cashew Caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato
When I moved away from Chicago for a brief spell, this dessert was the last thing I ate before driving out of the city. The things it does to my taste buds is borderline erotic.

5.) Strawberry Mascarpone doughnut at Firecakes
As I've said before, my second favorite doughnut of all time. This one is seasonal, though, so if you go when it's out of season, grab the Valrhona Chocolate Glazed yeast doughnut.

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2018: #6-10

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. (Jump to #21-25, #16-20, #11-15, #1-5.)

• • •

6.) Apple Pie at Chopping Block
Don't tell my dad this, but this is the best apple pie I have ever eaten. Only available one weekend a year at Lincoln Square's AppleFest.

7.) Sour Cream Dutch Apple pie at Hoosier Mama Pie Company 
As I've said before, Hoosier Mama is the queen of the custard pies in Chicago...but her sour cream fruit pies are even better. I've also had the sour cream blackberry, which would rank equally high on this list. This one it just a titch better in my opinion.

8.) Chai-infused French Toast at Orange (pictured above)
I've blogged about this before, but I still believe it puts other French toasts to shame.

9.) Cookie Dough Peanut Butter milkshake at Chicago Diner
The best milkshake in the city is vegan. From the makers of the famous veggie Reuben sandwich comes a perfect milkshake. Did I mention it's vegan? It's vegan.

10.) Tagalong cake at Defloured
The best slice of cake I have eaten in my life...and it's from a gluten-free bakery! Defloured features a Cake of the Week and only offers this one once a year around Girl Scout season, but everything about it is worth the wait.

Chicago's Best Sweets of 2018: #21-25

 

This week we explore the Top 25 Sweets in Chicago. (Jump to #16-20, #11-15, #6-10, #1-5.)

• • •

21.) Cheese and Honey gelato from Frio Gelato 

This Evanston store opened a second location just south of the Music Box. Most people are lining up outside of Jeni's, but you can beat the crowds with this local option's Argentine ice cream. Don't know what that means? The Cheese and Honey flavor is the place to start.

22.) Cherry pie from First Slice Pie Cafe 

I've blogged about First Slice before, naming its Blueberry Cheesecake as the standout dish. And it is one of the standouts. But time has made me realize how irreplaceable a slice of their cherry pie is. More fresh, tart cherries; less gelatinous sauce.

23.) Strawberry Milk Shake at Allende

Not a milkshake in the sense most people would expect, this thin drink contains no ice cream. Indeed, it is milk, sugar and the flavor of choice. And I'm here to tell you the flavor of choice should always be strawberry. I treat myself to one anytime I go to Victory Gardens' Biograph Theatre or to my favorite music venue in town, Lincoln Hall.

24.) Mango Italian ice at Miko’s Italian Ice

Decisions are tough at Miko's. I could just as easily have named their blueberry or coconut Italian ice as my top pick. But mango is perhaps the perfect Italian ice flavor: sweet with a slight tang, meaty but it goes down smooth. Only open during the summer season. Stop by anytime you pass Damen on the 606.

25.) Coconut bao at Wow Bao

This local chain (from Lettuce Entertain You) is my main go-to for fast-casual when I'm in the Loop. It's a nice, inexpensive local option amongst the chains. But don't skip dessert: warm coconut custard in a doughy bao.

Post #300: Top 25 to Visit

Time for another clip show.

Here you will find my top picks, revised since Post #200 back in November 2012. As the blog has grown substantially, I've changed the Top 20 tag to the revised TOP 25 TO VISIT tag. (This includes two places I will post about in the next month or two.)

My hope is that you will check this blog when you travel and use that handy-dandy search box on the right to see what I recommend in your destination city. And if I haven't written about that particular place, I hope you sample the best and report back, maybe even write a Field Report guest blog. (While this blog's primary allegiance is with local scoop shops, see my Freezer Favorites for the best of grocery store ice cream.)

Favorite Ice Cream 

#1 Toscanini’s (Cambridge, MA) 

#2 Morelli's (Atlanta, GA) 

#3 Creole Creamery (New Orleans, LA)

Favorite Doughnuts

#1 Mighty-O (Seattle, WA) 

#2 Firecakes (Chicago, IL) 

#3 Union Square Donuts (Somerville, MA)

Favorite Pastries 

#1 Twice-baked almond croissants at Bakery Noveau (West Seattle, WA) 

#2 Kuoing Aman at Les Madeleines (Salt Lake City, UT) 

#3 Made-to-order cream puffs at Beard Papa's (many locations around the world)

Favorite Chocolate 

Toscano Blond, 63% Dark Chocolate with Peach and Apricot

Amadei (Tuscany, Italy; available in fine chocolate stores)

(For others, see The Chocolate Conneisseur's Desert Island List.)

Favorite Fancy Dessert   

Mountain-High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie 

Skyland and Big Meadows Resort (Skyline Drive, VA) 

In addition to blogging about the best desserts from my travels and the occasional recipe (like my creation of the perfect S'mores ice cream), my hope has been to make you laugh along the way. Here are my favorite humorous posts since Post #200:

• Cindy the Cinnamon Witch (A Holiday Tale of Sexism)
• X-Rated Ben & Jerry's (NSFW)
• This Honkey Ice Cream Be Trippin' (30 Rock Ice Cream)
• How to Celebrate a Half-birthday ('nuff said.) 

Thank you for reading and for the emails, texts, Facebook posts and carrier pigeons with your dessert recommendations.

Freezer Favs: FatBoy's Key Lime Pie-wich

While this blog is primarily a fan of local scoop shops, it acknowledges that sometimes a person just wants to stay in for the night. That being said, this is one of my Freezer Favorites.

• • •

Being a dessert blogger, I am often asked about my favorite [fill in the blank]. Occasionally I'm stumped, as is the case whenever folks ask me a less-readily-available member of the dessert canon: "Where is the best key lime pie?" Living in the often frozen Chicago climate where tropical desserts are rarely in season, I'm afraid my key lime pie palate is unrefined.

I've had the dessert enough times to know it can be bright green or off-white. It can be sweet-sour or mouth-puckering sour. It can be covered in whipped cream or not. And it is made with a graham cracker crust. It can be many things, but whenever I've ordered it, what I am served rarely defies or surpasses my expectations, even in my trips to Florida.

Enter FatBoy Ice Cream Sandwiches, a Utah-based ice cream novelty maker whose products are available all over the U.S. Fruity, tart and rich, this is the best form of key lime pie I have consumed, besting all proper pies. Just my opinion, but key lime pie aficionados take note and give this a try.

Let's dig in deeper: What I want most out of a summer treat is a cooling sensation, and obviously ice cream accomplishes that. At the same time, I don't want something too heavy, so an ice cream novelty is the perfect size potion. At first, I started thinking about how I missed the snap of the graham cracker crust...until I realized what I was eating was making more of a flavorful contribution than a frozen graham cracker would. Trust the experts.

UPDATE: Having compared the two, FatBoy's is superior to Ciao Bella brand's Key Lime Pie gelato sandwiches. FatBoy's have a greater punch of citrus.

Bobtail Year 2: A Dream of Spring

Not pictured: cursing commuters.

March is month ten of Bobtail Year 2, during which I receive two pints of homemade ice cream a month from Bobtail.

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Ah, spring. The season when Chicagoans cycle back to the beginning of the five stages of grief: denial. Usually there's a week or two of nice weather that arrives very suddenly. It starts with the sheets of ice on the sidewalks melting away into frosty puddles. Then the mounds of snow start to decrease in size, dwindling down to the permafrost layer that, by this point is several months old. Then the period known as "autumn's shame" begins, when the last bit of snow melts away, exposing all the garbage and dog poop that were left waiting beneath. And for a brief moment, all evidence points to the end of the bitter winter. Heh heh.

Witnessing this spectacle of climatory cruelty are millions of people breathing a little easier, smiling considerably more and joking about the aforementioned dog poop. To them, any full day in the thirties feels like a blessing of Biblical proportions. Once it hits 40 degrees, heavy jackets give way to light sweaters and there's some dude walking around in shorts. Optimistic individuals remark about how nice the weather is, while pessimists/Floridians say it is still cold and realists feel Cassandra-like inclinations to warn that the worst is yet to come. But first it gets better, jumping into the 50s--this year we actually entered the 70s for a day. There's a collective sigh in the city as everyone starts to think, "Maybe this is it. Maybe spring has actually arrived with the equinox."

Then we receive the biggest snow in seven weeks.

If I weren't a brick wall deflecting all emotion, this might just break me. Just in case, what were those stages Kübler-Ross says I should expect next?

It is this hope of a brighter (and warmer) day that we must consider when pondering a spoonful of Bobtail's latest flavor, A Dream of Spring, lemon ice cream with graham crackers and mixed berries. One small bite and we taste a refreshing hint of sunny citrus. The way the graham cracker dust soaks into the lemon ice cream adds a nostalgic feel that summer always evokes for those foolish enough to live this far north. And the frozen, whole berries waiting within are the perfect ice cubes for my daydream lemonade. A dream of spring, indeed. When I closed my eyes and took a bite, I almost believed it was safe to go outdoors.

Bobtail Year-in-Review

24 pints, 12 months, 1 man to eat them all.

My Bobtail Year, which lasted from June 2013 through May 2014, consisted of receiving two pints of Bobtail Homemade Ice Cream a month for donating to Oracle Theatre.

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A year's worth of Bobtail ice cream is many things. It is in touch with pop culture via flavors named after a self-objectifying twerking enthusiast or a murderous medieval tagline. It makes use of the flavors of the season, be it a favorite dessert at Thanksgiving or a certain Valentine's Day treat. It honors people in uniform, including Chicago's lovable losers and young dealers who profit off of addicts during their annual nationwide baked goods sale. It is a little bit nutty, whether by way of legumes or actual tree nuts paired with chocolate. It is abstract, often in the form of concepts Kevin Spacey once referenced in a string of murders. It is an inquisitive study of farm animals. But above all else, a year's worth of Bobtail ice cream is inspired. But, twenty-four pints later, one has to ask: which flavors were the best?

Without a doubt my favorite Bobtail creation over the past twelve months was Lemongrass Mint Ginger. Though almost a year has passed since I tasted this flavor, I remember its nuances well. The subtle way each of its three namesakes floated in and out, playing off one another perfectly. Though it was a rare occurrence when I found myself doubting that Lemongrass Mint Ginger was as good as I remembered it being, it was put to the test when Bobtail offered Lemongrass ice cream partway through the year. It was delicious, but it was a sad nostalgia, like when you drive down the main drag of your hometown and see some of the stores had closed. I missed the spice of the mint. I missed the carbonated-like effect of the crystallized ginger sprinkled throughout. I hate to drag a solo artist through the mud--Honestly, Lemongrass, you were great--but I hope the band gets back together someday because Lemongrass Mint Ginger was one of the best, a legend on a spoon.

Both of the runners-up are four-legged flavors. First, there was the oddly-named 'Goat?', which brilliantly added goat cheese to the classic pairing of blackberry and vanilla. Pretty and delicate, both in color and on the tongue, it was an inspired twist on an underrated favorite. Next, there was Sloth which, for reason that escape me now, was never actually given its own post. Sloth had a peanut butter base with marshmallow and butterscotch mixed in. I'm not usually one for peanut butter flavors, but this one did it for me.

As luck would have it, the story doesn't end here. Chris over at Bobtail has been a big fan of my blog posts and was kind enough to send me a new punchcard for another year of Bobtail ice cream! Year two begins in June.

Bobtail Year: Chocolate Covered Strawberry

February is month nine of my Bobtail Year, two pints of Bobtail Homemade Ice Cream a month for donating to Oracle Theatre.

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Dearest Strawberry,

Ask any seasoned couple and they can tell you when they first fell in love. It should come as no surprise then when I tell you that I remember when I was first introduced to a certain Strawberry and Goat Cheese ice cream, back when you went by that name. For weeks, I'd heard my friends talk about you and had looked forward to when I would meet such a vibrant and charismatic personality. Then one magical evening at Bobtail in 2010, fate brought us together. From the very first moment, I knew you were no ordinary strawberry and that I would dream of you for years to come.

When you first arrived, I was still fairly new in town myself. To me, you were the lights in the Chicago skyline. But, as it does for everyone, time passes and relationships change. You were carving out your own identity, one separate from goat cheese. Without that edgier side, you were just as beautiful as the day we met, but still I found myself missing your feisty, take-me-as-I-am spirit. There's no need to rehash about that rough period we went through, when I was seeing other flavors. I only bring it up so I can make one thing absolutely clear: While I did miss your adventurous side, I never stopped loving you, Strawberry.

Those love fires may have been burning low, but they were burning all the same. I couldn't help but reminisce every one of those times we ran into one another at Bobtail. I get the feeling those brief encounters also left you dreaming of that magical evening years ago when we first met.

By the time February rolled around, I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to have you again. Little did I know that you had been thinking of reinventing yourself once more. Just in time for Valentine's Day, you unveiled yourself as Chocolate Covered Strawberry. While time had shown me that it was you I missed and not the frills, can you blame me for being allured by this new experimental side?

Look at you! I could just eat you up!

Ask any couple about how they keep the thrills coming in their more private moments and they'll say, "You have to spice it up." For me, the chocolate flake accoutrements gave you a new bite; they were black as leather and tasty as edible undies. But while I enjoyed this new kinky side, I remembered that it was your foundation as a flavor that really made you all that you are. Your rosy color and sweet disposition are exactly what I've been searching for all these years, no matter what form you may take. What I say to you now, I say for a lifetime: I would have you in my mouth anytime.

XOXO,
Brad

Flavor Battle: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cue up the Jock Jams, ladies and gentlemen.

In this corner is Firecakes, current title holder for Best Gourmet Doughnut in Chicago. Their doughnut ice cream sandwich features a glazed yeast doughnut in the shape of a ciabatta roll. Customers have a choice of different two or three homemade gelato fillings, a selection that recently included vanilla, cinnamon and peach. I chose the glazed yeast doughnut with cinnamon gelato.

In the other corner is former title holder Glazed & Infused, offering four distinct combinations, each with a unique doughnut and gelato pairing. Two options are an apple fritter with salted peanut gelato and a Terry's Toffee doughnut with milk stout gelato. I was more intrigued by the other two: the lemon cake doughnut paired with blueberry french toast gelato and the chocolate frosted chocolate cake doughnut paired with nutella gelato with pretzels.

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(FADE IN: flashback dream sequence montage)

"What what! Menu just got more gangsta with doughnut ice cream sandwiches! Put 'em in ya mouth!"

-Firecakes, July 20, 2013

"Holy swollen belly, Batman! I'm over here like, 'Cronuts? So over.'" 

-Huffington Post, August 7, 2013

"What up, my people?! We havin' a one-off doughnut ice cream sandwich partay at Black Doggy Dogg at the end of the month! Gelato in the hizzy!"

-Glazed & Infused, August 21, 2013

"Be there or be a straight-up rhomboid."

-Numerous note-worthy media outlets, Aug. 20-29, 2013

"Check it: Sold out. In 90 minutes, suckas!"

-Glazed & Infused, Aug. 29, 2013

"Yo yo yo, playa! We still got the OGs fo' ya oral cavitay!"

-Firecakes, August 30, 2013

(FADE OUT)

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The gauntlet had been thrown down. And my taste buds were acting as referee.

Glazed & Infused chose wisely to tag team with Black Dog Gelato, who make my favorite Chicago dessert. With both halves offering unique flavors, it seemed a powerful combo. But G&I chose poorly to use cake doughnuts, whose heaviness laid a choke hold on Black Dog's gelato, as did the overly sugary choco-frosting. The clear winner among G&I's sandwiches was the lemon cake doughnut with blueberry french toast gelato. Its subtle glaze gave a nice burst of citrus, though the density of the doughnut completely swallowed the underrepresented tangy-sweet gelato.

Firecakes, rather than exploring ambitious flavor combinations, leaned on simple classics. The glaze at Firecakes is among the best I've had and pairing it with a simple cinnamon gelato accomplished what neither of the Glazed & Infused sandwiches did: it enhanced both flavors. Only one arm can be raised at the end of a match and from the first bite I knew Firecakes had won, leaving G&I down for the count, no tap out. Added bonus that Firecakes' product is less expensive. Served in a coffee sleeve for easy portability, Firecakes' sandwich is a mere $4, compared to the $6 and $8 offerings from G&I.

Given the success of the party Glazed & Infused threw, there will undoubtedly be future events, likely with new doughnut/gelato combinations...and possibilities of a future grudge match. Here's hoping the champion also considers offering other options eventually, like a chocolate-glaze on the doughnut.