The Sweet Spots
Check out our interactive location map to find the most creative ways across the country to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Sugar Porn 19 Photos
Flip through pics of some of the most decadent, mouthwatering desserts money can buy.
Meet the Contributors 16 Photos
These hilarious sugar fiends take the cake (literally –– and then review it).
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Digital-Original Series: Sweetnr
When desserts start using dating apps, crazy mash-ups are born.
The Country's Top 5 Best Desserts 4 Videos
We've rounded-up the best pies, doughnuts, cupcakes and breakfast treats around.
Instagram Dessert Pics Actually Worth Looking At 26 Photos
Episodes
See Episode GuideSweet Mash-Ups
We take a bite out of some of the sweetest mash-ups in the Big Apple. Dominique Ansel shares his famous Cronut, as well as a new combination of two desserts that defies the laws of physics. At Butter and Scotch, old-fashioned pies and quenching cocktails collide with delicious results and Oddfellows proves that some of the most unique flavors can make ice cream even better.
Grown-Up Goodies
In this episode, childhood treats that are all grown up. In Portland, Ore., an ice cream shop adds cocktails to the mix-ins. In Healdsberg, Calif., the area's bountiful produce finds its way into hyper-seasonal cupcakes. And in New York, chocolate is eaten unroasted and raw, infused with some very sophisticated ingredients.
European Sweets
Today we're getting a sweet taste of Europe in the U.S.! In Atlanta the Little Tart Bakeshop rolls out decadently traditional French pastries. In New York City, the extremely popular Italian restaurant Maialino proves why you must save room for dessert. And finally, Nielsen's Pastries in Seattle serves some of the most delightful and unique Scandinavian treats, with recipes that have barely changed since its Danish owner settled there.
Cool Cookies Sandwiches
There's nothing better than the perfect cookie -- unless you take two of them and put some filling in between! At DC Patisserie they make delicate macaron with delicious American flavors. Milk Cult in Washington, D.C., has a true fan following for their unique ice cream sandwiches. And in New York, an art gallery/spice lab creates little sandwich cookies exploding with flavor.
Big Apple Breakfast
There's no better way to start your day than with one of New York's most unique breakfast treats. At the legendary Doughnut Plant, Mark Isreal makes his signature square doughnuts and his sophisticated alternative to the doughnut hole. At Lafayette, one bite of their luscious creations transports you into a classic French bistro. Then it's off to Wafels & Dinges where they're taking wafels to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Crazy Delicious Doughnuts
Across the country, doughnut shops are coming up with innovative new ways to reinvent this crowd favorite. In Portland, Ore., there's a place that specializes in grown up versions that feature bold glazes and boozy fillings. In New York, old-school mini doughnuts made fresh to order are all the rage with the 15 different kinds of flavored sugars that let you customize your own for a bite. And in San Francisco, a charming little doughnut shop has developed a loyal following thanks to their light, supple doughnut and seasonal, silky cream fillings.
Sweet Reinvention
We're traveling the country in search of people giving classic sweets a modern and delicious makeover. In New York City, a charming little shop is putting a gourmet spin on the crispy rice treat, with flavors loved by children and adults alike. In Atlanta, the simple ice pop has been transformed into a frosty combination of real ingredients and unique textures. And in Seattle, there's a new take on the soda shop that serves amazing ice cream floats, made with the house's premium ice creams and their very own dessert beers.
Austin Sweet Freeze
Austin can get sweltering hot but they have plenty of delicious options to keep you cool. At Cow Tipping Creamery, Corey Sorensen is making stackers, her layered version of a sundae that not only gives you plenty of ice cream but ensures that you can get your fill of her homemade toppings. At Dolce Neve you can savor their authentic Italian gelato flavors made with in-season Texas produce and at Sweet Ritual you can try a vegan ice cream that has all the creaminess and flavor you crave with none of the animal byproducts.
San Fran Sweet Treats
We found three San Francisco restaurants that stand out in this foodie paradise, beginning with Craftsman & Wolves where chef William Werner's attention to detail creates edible works of art like the Caramel Cube Cake that is actually spray-painted with pure chocolate and the creamy, frothy Sipping Caramel. At Ice Cream Bar owner Juliet Pries has crossed an old-timey soda fountain and flavor-forward creations like the peppery Tiny Bubbles Float and the butterscotchy Too Good To Be True Milkshake. Finally we visit Dandelion Chocolate, where customers can see their chocolate created from start to finish, then sample it in favorites like the Peanut Butter and Jelly Ganache Sandwich.
Seattle Sweets
We visit three hot spots of Seattle's food scene beginning with Fran's Chocolates, which pioneered European-style handmade confections when it opened in 1982 and is now a beloved Seattle institution. Dahlia Bakery is one of legendary Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas's creations and serves up some of the most incredible pie and doughnuts in the city. Finally we'll stop at Crumble & Flake, a tiny bakery taking familiar pastries to daring new directions.
Capital Cravings
We visit some of the eateries that satisfy the sweet cravings of Washington, D.C.'s power brokers. First stop: GBD, which stands for "Golden Brown Delicious" -- the perfect way to describe the unique doughnuts at this hotspot. At Cupcakes Actually, the shelves are stocked with 10 varieties of this sweet treat daily, including its signature dipped cupcakes. And we'll sample the refreshing artisan gelato at Dolcezza, which combines local ingredients, old-world methods, and innovative flavors.
Sweet Mornings in Sunny L.A.
If you think the folks in Los Angeles eat only health food, think again. Especially when it comes to breakfast! We visit some L.A. Hotspots that are the sweetest places to start the day. From artisanal doughnuts fried fresh all day long, to the most decadent stuffed French toast, to the best buns in Koreatown -- these are breakfasts worth setting your alarm for.
Portland Sweets
Portland is at the forefront of the food scene using local ingredients with a unique spin. Quin Candy is a perfect example making nostalgic sweets with a sophisticated twist using ingredients like marionberries and creamed infused with ground popcorn. The creator of Stumptown Coffee is behind the city's latest gem, the Roman Candle Baking Company. The delectable breakfast treats and artisanal pastries have the same attention to detail and quality that made the coffee such a success. Kyra's Bakeshop serves up indulgent cupcakes that are also gluten-free.
Southern Sweets in Atlanta
Southern desserts are in a category all to their own, combining big bold flavors with deep tradition. Like at Sublime Doughnuts, where the doughnuts and fritters are made with a sweet potato dough and come in fun shapes with decadent flavor combinations. CamiCakes Creamery turns traditional Southern desserts like red velvet cake and lemon meringue pie into ice cream cake sandwiches. Pie Shop keeps with tradition and preserves the craft of pie making with favorites like Georgia Bourbon Pecan and Pineapple Chess Pie.
Toronto Sweets
We head north of the border to Toronto, Canada, where the childhood favorite of milk and cookies are taken to a whole new level at Moo Milk Bar, which offers a variety of classic and signature cookies that can be paired with their all-natural flavored milks. Glory Hole Doughnuts specializes in artisanal yeast doughnuts made with all-natural ingredients like the Lemon Ricotta Doughnut. Clafouti Patisserie is known for their exceptional croissants and we check out one of their inventive treats calleda crookie.
Old is New Again
Classic desserts get deliciously updated at three sweet shops across the country. Skull and Cakebones rocks vegan cupcakes in Austin, Texas, with flavors like basil berry, dirty chai and just beet it, you'll be singing a new tune about dairy free desserts. Valerie Confections in Los Angeles is resurrecting vintage cake recipes with mouthwatering results: Head here for a slice of coffee crunch cake or banana shortcake. And in Brooklyn, Hay Rosie uses unusual ingredients like champagne and hops to flavor super creamy scoops of ice cream.
Pies
Pies are anything but humble in the hands of these innovative bakers. Whether it's a Seattle shop that imagines pies on sticks or in jars, a San Francisco baker who likes his pies on the spicy side, or pies both deliciously peculiar and uniquely down-home coming from New York City, the pie has arrived.
Cookies
Craving cookies that are too cool for your childhood cookie jar? Nibble on a crumbly, oat-flecked peanut butter sandwich cookie in New York, a psychedelic sugar cookie from Brooklyn, a serious chocolate chip cookie with cocoa nibs in San Francisco, or a wacky snickerdoodle "cookie pizza" from Chicago.
Breakfast Pastries
Nothing beats waking up in the morning to the scent of hot buttery sweet pastries. And these breakfast pastries from Oregon, California, New York and Connecticut are unlike anything you've had before. Once that morning coffee kicks in, you'll need to dig in.
Colorado Sweets
Colorado has it all: Mountains, lakes and sweets. Head to High Point Creamery in Denver for unusual ice cream flavors like lemon ice pop with raspberry swirl and earl grey tea with shortbread, or have a slice of ice cream cake drizzled with hot fudge. In Boulder, Pizzeria Locale finishes off their dinner menu with three desserts done simply and perfectly. You can order the seasonal biscotti, butterscotch budino, or saltimbocca -- baked pizza dough filled with gooey, melted chocolate-hazelnut spread. And also in Denver, Glaze: They serve German layered cakes called baumkuchen that will amaze and delight your eyes and taste buds.
Breakfast Sweets
Of bakeries and brunches from the Pacific Northwest to New York City, we've found the best reasons to roll out of bed in the morning. Think outside the toaster and try a warm slice of brioche sweetened with almond paste and homemade almond syrup, a hand-forged donut, a towering stack of peanut-butter filled chocolate waffles, or a coffee cake made just for you (with a single-drip artisan coffee brew to match).
Childhood Favorites
We found the top spots from Seattle to New York to keep the kid in you hopped up on sweets. Boxed supermarket desserts take on a grown-up twist with flavors like black sesame or passion fruit, as do the freshest of fruit pops, in two boutique shops in New York. For a more innocent indulgence, try sprinkle-scattered hummingbird cupcakes in Seattle or caramel apples dipped in cookie crumbs in Chicago.
Italian
La dolce vita, with a twist. We take a tour through New York and visit bakeries that have unique takes on classic Italian sweets. We discover dipped artisanal cannoli, uniquely flavored creamy tiramisu, gelato gone wild and uniquely Italian doughnuts.
Savory Sweets
Opposites attract, which must be why sweet and savory flavors are such an irresistible combination. We visit three very different sweet and savory hot spots: Aiko Pops in Denver, where ice pops come in radical flavors like Raspberry and Sweet Corn, Mango and Green Chile and Grapefruit Rosemary. At New York's 24-hour Empire Biscuits, perfect flaky Southern biscuits are slathered with out-of-the-box spreads like roasted duck fat-thyme butter and apricot-Cape gooseberry jam and grilled corn butter with blueberry jam. Finally we visit Cacao Sweets and Treats outside Chicago for the artfully-salted decadence of the Luxe Brownie and the Chocolate Caramel Spice Cake and the genre-bending Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese icing.
Cakes
We're returning the favor and celebrating cakes in every form, flavor and size. Take a slice of inspired, traditional French cakes from New York City, over-the-top masterpieces from a San Francisco mainstay, Seattle's best delicate and exotic coffee cakes or out-of-the-box cupcakes. Cakes never deserved their pedestal more.
