There’s nothing more comforting than the soul-warming scent of something sweet baking in the oven. Whether your treat of choice is a mile-high layered cake, a frosty ice cream cone, or a classic melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie, you won’t have to look far for the perfect fix. Chandler is home to a variety of dessert shops offering some of the most delicious and decadent goodies in town. Check out the "Chandler Like a Local: Treat Edition" video below to a few favorites in action:
Frutilandia
The dessert shop with the unique name, Frutilandia has become a favorite among those seeking to satisfy their sweet tooth since opening its first location in 2006. Since then, the family-owned eatery has been serving their signature brand of Latin and Mexican influenced desserts. One glance at the menu brimming with a variety of fruit drinks, ice creams, milkshakes and shaved ice will open up a world of refreshing possibilities. Try the Masedonia made with vanilla shaved ice, fresh mango and strawberries, and topped with ice cream and condensed milk. Or indulge in the Dulce Churro milk shake, blended with dolce de leche shaved ice cream, cajeta-filled churro and caramel drizzle.
Map: 55 E. Ray Road, Chandler AZ 85225 or (480) 672-7000
Tattered Aprons Baking Co.
Tucked inside American Way Market is one of Chandler’s best kept secrets, Tattered Aprons Baking Co. Offering small-batch baked goods made from scratch, this little bakery serves up an array of fun and delicious treats. The menu changes regularly, but a few crowd pleasers have included carrot cake whoopie pies, Butterfinger cookies, rocky road brownies, and chocolate cherry almond scones. Owner and baker Shannon Tidwell isn’t afraid to push the envelope when it comes to whipping up unique creations guaranteed to leave you hungry for more.
Map: 1509 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler AZ 85225 or (480) 287-1827
Dulce Churro Café
Known for its subtle simplicity, the churro—fried dough sprinkled with sugar—is as humble and unassuming as a dessert can get. Taking this simple treat to a whole new level, however, is Dulce Churro Café. Thanks to a build-your-own concept, customers can choose a style (traditional, loops, Spaniard, bites or filled) then customize it with their favorite dip, glaze and topping. With such options as mango, chocolate or caramel dips; Oreo, sprinkles or Fruity Pebbles toppings; and strawberry or chocolate glazes, the possibilities are endless. Take your creation even further by adding soft serve ice cream that can be served inside a churro bowl or sandwich.
Map: 1050 W. Chandler Blvd. #4, Chandler AZ 85224 or (480) 900-7038
The Screamery
With its nostalgic vibe that hearkens to summer days spent in small-town America, The Screamery is all you’ve ever wanted in an ice cream shop. Nestled in downtown Chandler, the shop is known for its hand-crafted ice cream made with all-natural ingredients. Clocking in at 24 flavors—including such standouts as the Sweet Sonoran Dessert (honey ice cream, peanut butter swirl, toffee pieces) and the Rough at Sea (sea salt base, honey butterscotch swirl, candied pecans, almonds, pistachios)—the shop offers scoops, pints and quarts, as well as milkshakes and floats. For the ultimate experience, indulge (with a few of your friends, of course) with the Farmhouse, featuring eight scoops of ice cream served on top of a warm cookie brownie and butter cake with toppings galore.
Map: 140 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler AZ 85225 or (480) 597-3322
Crispý Cones
Crispý Cones is a unique concept, which was featured on the entrepreneur reality TV Show, "Shark Tank," which specializes in Czech-style soft-serve ice cream cones known as trdelníks.
This Downtown Chandler treat is a freshly made dough cone, grilled rotisserie-style and covered with cinnamon and sugar or a specialty powder. The cone is then filled with your choice of spread, soft-serve ice cream, fruit, and a variety of toppings for this highly customizable sweet treat.
Map: 180 S. Arizona Ave., Suite #110 Chandler AZ 85225 or (480) 404-0339
Jake's Sweet Shoppe
Get ready to enjoy some of the most unique desserts on the market. This sweet shop puts a twist on classic ice cream treats and crafts them into masterpieces using cookies, brownies, cotton candy and more. Be adventurous and try something different or stick to the basics and choose your perfect scoop. Jake's Sweet Shoppe has it all for you to try from ice cream, to shakes, to your favorite classic candies.
Map: 58 W. Buffalo St., Chandler AZ 85225 or (480) 590-2690
Spooky’s Swirls
Truly unique in almost every way, Spooky’s Swirls specializes in gluten-free baked goods with a horror-themed twist. The celiac- and vegan-friendly sweet shop feeds a need for treats—and the macabre—with “creepy” cookies, “chilling” cakes, “scary” scones (you get the idea), and much more. You can even add a side of “scream” cheese frosting for an extra dose of sweet. Pastry chefs and owners Lola Forbes and Chris Szydlowski bring 20 years of experience to the shop. Szydlowski’s creations have been featured on MSNBC and “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” while Forbes was a contestant on season eight of the Food Network’s “Halloween Baking Championship.”
Map: 3029 N. Alma School Rd., Chandler AZ 85224 (707) 776-6597
Creme de la Creme
Nothing beats hand rolled ice cream and freshly made crepes with all the fixings. The ice cream baristas at Creme de la Creme handcraft their desserts and their signature ice cream rolls. The handcrafted ice cream rolls are made with fresh milk poured on a cold plate, and then mixed with fresh fruit and assorted fillings and topped off with your choice of toppings. Want to feel like you're in Paris, France? Try one of their made to order crepes filled with any of their toppings and spreads.
Map: 3111 W. Chandler Blvd. Suite 1028, Chandler AZ 85226 or (480) 803-0227
