The Best Desserts in the U.S.
By Sarah Bruning, CNTraveler.com
From shave ice to beignets, these mouthwatering regional desserts will have you homesick for places that you’re not even from—or haven’t even visited. We apologize in advance for the cravings.
SHAVE ICE
Hawaii
At Alan Wong’s eponymous restaurant in Honolulu, pastry chef Vivian Wu elevates the snowy island specialty by layering Hawaiian vanilla panna cotta, coconut tapioca, and sorbet with chopped pineapple and a mountain of frozen pineapple flurries. (Photo courtesy Alan Wong)
BOSTON CREAM PIE
Massachusetts
Union Square Donuts riffs on the state sweet and, dare we say, vastly improves upon the sometimes cloying cake. For this iteration, a bulbous brioche orb gets stuffed with silky house-made, vanilla-bean-flecked pastry cream before going for a dunk in bittersweet chocolate fondant. (Photo courtesy Union Square Donuts)
KEY LIME PIE
Florida
Two simple twists—a torched meringue cap and vanilla-lime syrup—give Florida Cookery’s version of this tangy coastal standard a fresh-yet-familiar feel. (Photo courtesy Florida Cookery)
BEIGNETS
Louisiana
Sometimes, original dishes become so famous they can’t help fall short of expectations when you try them. In other instances, they totally live up to the hype. Café du Monde’s ultra-pillowy, confectioner’s sugar-doused beignets fall into the latter category, especially when paired with the chicory-laced café au lait. (Photo: Michael Ventura/Alamy)
See Also: America’s Best Sandwiches
BLACK-AND-WHITE COOKIES
New York
Amanda Pinkerton, pastry chef at Manhattan’s Eleven Madison Park, reinterprets the Empire State’s cookie with a savory flair. Cheddar cream and apple puree hide between two cheesy biscuits crafted with a combination of gruyere and Cabot cheddar—and, of course, coated with the eponymous duo of icings. (Photo: Thomas Krakowiak)
WHOOPIE PIE
Maine
The proprietors of Eventide Oyster Co. put their own spin on the emblematic lobster roll—using Chinese-style steamed dough in place of a split-top hot dog bun—but they’ve kept the official “state treat” unchanged. Two picture-perfect cakey chocolate half-domes bookend an ample dollop of vanilla whipped cream. (Photo courtesy Eventide Oyster Co.)
COCA-COLA CAKE
Georgia
Peach pie may reign in the summertime, but this year-round goodie has earned a devoted following of its own. Atlanta’s West Egg Cafe offers an award-winning version of the owners’ family recipe, which combines a pliant Coke-based cake with a cream cheese frosting also dosed with the soda. (Photo: Ben Johnson)
Still hungry? See The Best Desserts Around the World
SHOOFLY PIE
Pennsylvania
Two key differences distinguish Philadelphia’s Magpie Artisan Pies interpretation from the prototypical Amish Country pastry: Not only is it “wet bottom” style, with a gooey bottom and cakey top layer, but it also features a trio of uncommon spices (cinnamon, ginger and black pepper) in its filling. (Photo courtesy Magpie Artisan Pies)
BISCOCHITOS
New Mexico
Guests at the Inn of the Governors in Santa Fe nibble on these traditional butter cookies—akin to anise-spiked snickerdoodles—as part of the gratis daily tea-and-sherry hour. (Photo: Michael Ventura/Alamy)
BUMPY CAKE
Michigan
Forgive the questionable name of this Motor City staple, which originated a century ago at Sanders Candy. The moniker actually makes quite a bit of sense when you consider it’s derived from the buttercream ridges (or “speed bumps”) that hides beneath the fudgy frosting of this decadent chocolate confection. (Photo courtesy Sanders Candy)
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