Maybe your holiday celebrations will be looking a little different this year, but that’s no reason to forgo enjoying some special desserts. And, if you’re like me, dessert has been one of your go-to coping mechanisms in 2020, so the holidays are the perfect time to try out a new indulgence.
There are plenty of tasty options here in the Valley.
Butta Cakes in Scottsdale’s Grayhawk Plaza just opened this summer and offers delicious and decadent bite sized, cupcake-like cakes that are full of rich flavors, and there are so many to choose from. For the holidays, there are also six-inch cakes in these flavors: pumpkin, chocolate mint, pecan pie, and chocolate mousse. Online ordering makes it easy for picking up or for local delivery.
Pie Snob has two Valley locations, in Arcadia and Uptown Phoenix. They sell delicious whole pies and slices off a weekly menu that rotates every Tuesday and are available on a first come, first serve basis. To ensure that they have the whole pie you want waiting for you, it is always best to special order in advance. They also offer cheesecakes, and even a rewards program for the true pie enthusiasts!
Rock Springs Café provides you with the perfect excuse to get out of the house, take a little drive, have a great meal, and enjoy some amazing pie. Located off the I-17, fifteen minutes north of Anthem in Rock Springs, the cafe offers 13 scrumptious pie flavors for every taste, and even has take-and-bake versions in apple and mixed berry. This year, they are also delivering their iconic pies if you don’t feel like making the drive.
JL Patisserie provides the next-best thing when you can’t jet to Paris for an authentic French bakery experience. Jenna Leurquin, the chef and bakery owner, creates high-quality and beautiful delicacies such as breads, cakes, pies, croissants, macarons, and quiches. There are now two locations, one on Central Ave. in Phoenix, and the other on Shea Blvd. in Scottsdale. Trust me, you can’t go wrong with anything you order here.
Super Chunk Sweets and Treats located in Old Town Scottsdale is a husband and wife owned and operated restaurant, with a cozy, boutique setting, offering scratch-made fare. This place has won numerous awards for its desserts, ice creams and candy. One browse of their website will have your mouth watering for these gorgeous desserts and special-order cakes.
Crumbl Cookies has 17 locations throughout Arizona, so there’s bound to be one near you. Each week, their cookie menu rotates to provide 4 different specialty flavors, along with their famous milk chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookies, which are always available. These cookies are huge and delicious, and easily accessible via in-store purchase, curbside pick-up, or shipped right to your doorstep. They also offer ice cream.
Soda Jerk Co. Milkshake Bar blends up killer milkshakes and floats that you have to see to believe. These over-the-top creations are not only tasty and Instagram-worthy, they are enormous and easily feed two adults. Guaranteed to delight kids of all ages, head to High Street next to Desert Ridge Marketplace to experience these yummy treats and then stroll around once you’ve filled your bellies. (And shhh…They also have a secret. Peep their website.)
Dessert in Desert Café offers unique Asian desserts that you may never have heard of but need to try. A few examples are Snowmilk Flaked Ice, a classic Korean dessert that consists of shaved ice with condensed milk, loaded with a variety of toppings; Taiyaki, a Japanese fish-shaped cake with filling options of red bean, custard, Nutella, or cream cheese; Cotton cheesecake, a homemade Japanese-style cheesecake that has a fluffier, sponge-like texture than classic cheesecake; and Tornado potatoes, a popular street food in Korea, which is a deep fried spiral-cut whole potato on a skewer with various seasonings such as Garlic Parmesan, Sour Cream Onion, and Salted Vinegar. Located in north Scottsdale and currently offering only take out, it’s definitely worth a trip there to check out.
Happy holidays and bon appetit!
