Photo by Steel City Pops
I have rounded up ten of my favorite dessert places to get the best sweet treats in Waco, Texas. From the most famous cupcakes to ice cold treats to cool down in the hot Texas sun, there are plenty of tasty reasons to break my diet. Just kidding; I don’t diet, but my family and I do indulge in desserts.
More restaurants, food trucks, boutiques and stores are popping up all the time in downtown Waco; my daughter and I want to try all the new places to eat and shop this summer. Each week, we will be sharing more places and post them on Instagram stories and Facebook using the hashtag #WednesdaysinWaco. Later, we will blog about them, so check back often for more tips about Waco. Until then, swoon over these sweet treats in Waco, Texas!
It is no surprise that Magnolia cupcakes top the list! I mean that’s why everyone comes to Waco, right? I have eaten a lot of cupcakes, and I can confidently say that these are the best cupcakes that I have ever eaten. Oh my goodness, the flavors are amazing and live up to the hype. My favorite is the ‘shiplap’ – the vanilla cake and vanilla icing, but ‘strawberry n cream’ is a close second. Although, I would definitely eat them all, and I did! The cupcakes are sold at the Magnolia Bakery located at the Silos, and limited flavors are sold at Magnolia Table’s Take Away area – the ‘to go’ area of Chip and Joanna’s restaurant. There is a Magnolia AirStream that sells cupcakes without the lines, but it isn’t always open. It was parked with other food trucks at the Silos last year, but more recently it travels around town including ‘The Little Shop on Bosque,’ Joanna’s original home decor shop. Follow @silosbakingco_airstream to check availability.
2. Heritage Creamery
This shop is locally owned by Blake and Kimberly Batson – the cute couple from Season One of Fixer Upper, who owned the coffee house Common Grounds and had their craftsman style house remodeled. Yep, they bought the building next door to the coffee house and make homemade ice cream with locally sourced, all natural ingredients. And chocolate chip cookies, y’all. My favorite flavor is the Texas pecan, and if you are traveling from out of state, I highly recommend this flavor. It is everything good about Texas. This is my daughter’s favorite place for ice cream! They have a few fun photo opps in the back of their building, too! And of course, the coffee next door is amazing! I have been going to Common Grounds for coffee for 18 years. It never gets old!
3. Hey Sugar!
It’s a candy store with an ice cream and soda shoppe. You can get ice cream floats, shakes, or sundaes from your favorite ice cream flavor. Or get it in a cone! The soda shop carries soda in glass bottles from Fanta to unusual flavors like Ranch dressing and pickle juice! And then there’s the candy! Like rows and rows of your favorite candies that you can pick out by the pound like Swedish fish, gummy bears or orange slices. There is packaged faves like pancake flavored cotton candy, foot long gummy snakes and Jelly Belly Harry Potter flavored jelly beans. They offer a selection of fudge and chocolate covered food. If you are like me and have always wanted to try chocolate covered bacon, here’s your chance. The cool thing about this place is you can find your favorite candy, but also unusual treats and flavors that you have only dreamed about.
4. Mr. Snow
I have been taking my kids here for over 12 years. It was one of my son’s favorite places to go after school for a treat in elementary school! Its been in Waco many years, and they expanded their outdoor patio a couple of years ago. My favorite is the tiger’s blood flavored snow cone. You can get any snow cone with ice cream, too. They also offer Mexican fruit cocktail called bionico and fresh fruit cups with chili powder! And nachos! There are other great sno-cone places in Waco, but I think Mr. Snow has the best flavors.
5. Steel City Pops
The first time that I tried Steel City Pops was at the Farmers Market in Waco. It was a hot Saturday morning, and these all natural popsicles were the perfect treat in the heat. They have fruity, creamy and cookie pops. You can have them drizzled, dipped and dusted with favorites from cinnamon to white chocolate. All pops are gluten free, made with fresh fruit and organic cane sugar. These are made with real ingredients, harvested locally when possible, and not just sugary flavors. They taste so good and so fresh. My favorite is the strawberry lemonade and coffee flavor. My daughter absolutely loves these! On occasion, my husband will stop at the downtown location and bring a dozen home. They package them so that they stay frozen for transport.
6. Pokey O’s
If you are seeing a pattern with ice cream, you are correct! It is summertime and it is hot, and ice cream is the perfect treat to cool down with. This is ice cream and homemade cookies and ice cream sandwiches made with homemade cookies. Pokey O’s is a food truck so it rolls all over Waco, so follow them on social media for the exact location. They are usually downtown, but also go to special events! And they are often parked outside the Findery, next to the Silos, so you know that I have a had a cookie or two!
7. Katie’s Frozen Custard
Homemade frozen custard in delicious treats like hot fudge sundaes and banana splits with all the yummy toppings. They also have other concession stand food like burgers, Frito pie and chili dogs, but I go there for the ice cream. Katie’s Frozen Custard has been in Waco for as long as I remember and has a nostalgic feel that I like. They also have amazing strawberry shakes, chocolate malts and ice cream floats.
8. Nothing Bundt Cakes
This is a franchise company, not a mom and pop shop, but it is new in Waco, so we recently tried it and loved it! There are over ten flavors of bundt cakes, but we love the vanilla! The raspberry was amazing too, made with fresh ingredients and lots of flavor. You can get a mini bundt cake; its perfect for sharing for under $5.
9. Jake’s Texas Tea House
My husband works downtown and this is one of his favorite lunch spots to go with his coworkers! I didn’t realize how often that he went, until the waitress let him know that they had strawberry cake the last time we had lunch there. I mean, ‘c’mon babe, eating cake without me has to be against our marriage vowels.’ But my husband did share a few bites of his strawberry cake. It is delicious and made with real strawberries and a whipped cream icing. Homemade desserts are made daily so if you like cake, pie, fruit cobblers and banana pudding with a baked meringue topping, try this place for lunch. Just be sure to save room for dessert. Jake’s is another place that has been in Waco ‘forever,’ locals love it and if you get your sandwich or burger served in the mustang hubcap, your lunch is free.
10. Lula Jane’s
Lula Jane’s is located across the river in downtown Waco and opened in 2012 by Nancy Grasyson. Nancy was “Wacoan of the Year” in 2010, has helped restore parts of East Waco, and led a charter school in that area for many years. She is an amazing lady and obviously an amazing baker, because the pies at Lula Jane’s are delicious. Lula Jane’s serves breakfast, lunch and the best desserts. I am talking about Big Mama’s buttermilk pie, French silk pie, raspberry scones, oatmeal raisin cookies, mocha iced brownies and zucchini bread. If those flavors don’t make your mouth water, there are plenty more to choose from. If you stop in for lunch, I love the homemade pimento cheese. Everything is made from scratch and I think you can taste the love and time put into each recipe. Now you know the secret ingredient!
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E F
June 18, 2018 at 11:58 amYou’re missing both Sweetness Desserts (where Joanna got her cupcake recipe) and Baked Bliss Bakery (who baked for Joanna for a long time).
And it’s LulA Jane’s.
Amy Williams
June 19, 2018 at 3:55 amThank you for those suggestions! I will have to try those two bakeries soon! And thank you for correcting me on Lula Jane’s. I will make those changes now!