Best Midwest Coffeehouse Desserts
We love to spend a lazy Sunday morning in a cafe, sipping a latte and enjoying a shop-made dessert, like pie, scones and bars. Recreate the experience any day of the week at your own home with these recipes inspired by our favorite Midwest coffeehouses, bakeries and restaurants.
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Magic Brownies
These wallet-size brownies are one of the most popular sweets at Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Mixed Berry Slab Pie
Floral notes from lemon zest, thyme and honey round out the sweet-tart punch of ripe berries in this creation from Shelly Cross and Jill Long of Madison's Humble Sweet and Savory Pies bake shop. Shelly and Jill have some mad pastry skills; amateurs can get creative, too, with the extra dough.
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Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake
Sheer three-layered audacity put this creation from a Saint Paul bakery in our hall of fame: buttermilk-cocoa cake, candylike chocolate frosting and creamy caramel sauce. Originally published: December 2005.
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Mommy's Pumpkin Pie
"This recipe is adapted from my mother's classic pumpkin pie," says Linda Hundt, owner of Sweetielicious Bakery Cafe in DeWitt, Michigan. "I added cream to make it a bit richer and orange zest for flavor." The result is a dark mahogany pumpkin pie with ginger-cinnamon-clove spiciness.
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Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies
These to-die-for cookies use special chocolate and two kinds of salt, and they call for an overnight chill—and you can absolutely taste the difference. Because of the expense and time involved, we don't recommend them for any old weekend, but they are incredible for a gift or other special occasion. The recipe comes from Chicago chef Mindy Segal's cookbook Cookie Love.
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Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie
This creamy lemon pie, a longtime reader-favorite recipe, is a signature dessert at Al's Oasis, a family restaurant along the east bank of the Missouri River in Chamberlain, South Dakota (135 miles east of Rapid City).
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Simon's Coffee Shop Ginger Cookies
These spiced softies are a top seller at Simon's Cafe and Catering in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. They get a coating of sugar that bakes in for a sweet finish. Shortbread cookies are another customer favorite. "My shortbread recipe is excellent with any coffee drink," says Dan Kenyon, owner of Simon's. Dan and his wife, Theresa, bake all their treats from scratch. "Everyone is going to eat pastries or cookies sometime," Dan says. "It's better to have them be real, homemade and good."
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Delice Scones
At Delice European Bakery and Coffee Bar in Omaha, Pastry Chef Heidi Schlict tempts customers with scones. "These scones are very versatile," Heidi says. "They are a great addition to any breakfast table, brunch or tea." She says the recipe doubles nicely if you're serving a crowd. There's a variation to please almost everyone.
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Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies
This cookie, from the former Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe and Coffee House in O'Fallon, Missouri, wowed us with its flavor-packed lineup of ingredients. "These are the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had! " says one of our website reviewers. "These are wonderful with a glass of cold milk while the cookie is still warm!"
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Broadway Cafe Apple Cake
In the trendy Westport area of Kansas City, Missouri, customers at Broadway Cafe and Roasting Company can taste samples of that day's baked goods, including frosted scones, biscotti, coffee cake and this moist Apple Cake. Each is the perfect accompaniment to coffee that owners Sara Honan and Jon Cates roast a few blocks away. A generous portion of chopped Granny Smith apples adds flavor and moisture to the Apple Cake. Be careful turning it out of the pan; it's a tender coffee cake.
Another treat from Broadway Cafe is Soft Molasses Ginger Cookies, where sour cream makes for moist, gingery cookies.
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Scrumptious Seven-Layer Cookies
These rich bar cookies star among the sweets at Stafford's Bay View Inn in Petoskey, Michigan. Mix and match among your favorite treats for some of the layers to create a dessert that's just right for your family.
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Mooselips' Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Caramel Swirl
Mooselips Java Joint in Seeley, Wisconsin, is steeped in North Woods comfort. The former gas station draws customers to its cozy wood-paneled interior, heavy on moose in the decorating, for a morning cup of house blend coffee and fresh-from-the-oven goodies— including this delicious cheesecake. "The R&D Department here at Mooselips gives this a big thumbs up," says manager and baker Barb Grossi. "It's creamy, cool and not overpowered by the pumpkin or the spice."
Another Mooselips favorite is Pineapple Zucchini Bread, made with zucchini from owner Cindy Ferraro.
Cheesecake with a Caramel Swirl
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Blueberry-Almond Bars
Fruit fillings complement the sweetness of other bar cookie ingredients. Blueberry-Almond Bars was a grand champion award recipe at the Marshall County Fair's annual Blueberry Bake-A-Rama in Plymouth, Indiana. Lori Van Der Weele combined blueberries, butter, white baking pieces and almonds for this winner.
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Farmers Market Brownies
Patrick Groth, owner-chef of Incredibly Delicious, says these ingredients should be mixed and placed in the oven as quickly as possible for best flavor. "We sell these at the local farmers market. They are really good with fresh whipped cream and berries," Patrick says.
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Broadway Cafe Apple Cake
In the trendy Westport area of Kansas City, Missouri, customers at Broadway Cafe can taste samples of that day's baked goods, including frosted scones, biscotti, coffee cake and this moist apple cake. A generous portion of chopped Granny Smith apples adds flavor and moisture. Be careful turning this apple dessert out of the pan; it's a tender coffee cake.
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Rhubarb Bars
Cooks in the Midwest's Red River Valley learned early to take advantage of rhubarb. The celerylike ingredient grows well in a region where strawberries seldom thrive. This recipe comes from RBJ's Restaurant in Crookston, Minnesota.
"My family loved this recipe," says one of our website reviewers. "I added 2 teaspoonfuls cinnamon to the flour, oat, brown sugar mixture before cutting in butter."
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Hot Cocoa Cake
Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan, took a basic chocolate cake and infused a little coffee and bittersweet chocolate to give it a sophisticated flavor.
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Krista's Kitchen Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
These big cookies—loaded with chocolate chips and nuts—were a customer favorite at the former Krista's Kitchen Bakery/Cafe in Portage, Wisconsin. The cookie bakes crisp on the outside, cakey inside.
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Chocolate Espresso Walnut Tiles
The flavors of bittersweet chocolate, coffee and walnuts— topped with cream cheese frosting and a brownie glaze— combine to make this luscious dessert.
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Unforgettable muffins
Muffins were meant to savor along with a cheering cup of morning coffee. Here are two of our own creations. A swirl of both cheesecake and brownies is delectable in Fudge Brownie Cheesecake Muffins, and a dab of lemon curd gives a burst of citrus flavor to Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins.
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More fabulous fall recipes
Click below for more great Midwest Living fall recipes.
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