Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      14 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay This Summer

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Out Now: Best of the Midwest 2022

      Find your summer adventure with our new bookazine, available now in the magazine store! Read More
    • This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      This Family's Garden Farm is a Nature-Filled Paradise

      On land passed down through generations, a Wisconsin family experiences—and shares—the glory of gardening. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    Urban-Pop Art, a New Boutique Hotel and More—Here's What to See and Do in Fort Wayne Right Now

    On a trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana, catch a colorful wave of fresh development, plus a new hotel from the cofounder of Vera Bradley.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    Mango Toast with Prosciutto

    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    5 Clever Tips for Repurposing a Potting Bench as a Bar Cart 

    With smart accessorizing, a potting bench becomes a celebration station for summer soirees.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Expert Tips for Growing a Window Box Garden

    Casey Lawrence’s lush window boxes were a revelation to her online followers. Use her tips to grow your own.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Festive 4th of July Dessert Recipes

    Get out your red, white and blue for these patriotic dessert recipes.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing

    Don't toss those orange peels! Instead, use them as vessels for our super-simple and fragrant candles.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    Midwest Living's Best of the Midwest Winners 2022

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Desserts & Baking
  4. Best Midwest Coffeehouse Desserts

Best Midwest Coffeehouse Desserts

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Magic Brownies
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.
Start Slideshow

1 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Magic Brownies

Magic Brownies

These wallet-size brownies are one of the most popular sweets at Zingerman's Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Magic Brownies

1 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mixed Berry Slab Pie

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.  Mixed Berry Slab Pie

2 of 20

3 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake

Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake
Credit: Blaine Moats

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.. Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake

3 of 20

Advertisement

4 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mommy's Pumpkin Pie

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.Mommy's Pumpkin Pie

4 of 20

5 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies

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. Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 of 20

6 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie

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).Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie

6 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Simon's Coffee Shop Ginger Cookies

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." Simon's Coffee Shop Ginger Cookies

Shortbread Cookies

7 of 20

8 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Delice Scones

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.Delice Scones recipe

8 of 20

9 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies

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!"Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies

9 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Broadway Cafe Apple Cake

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. Broadway Cafe Apple Cake

Soft Molasses Ginger CookiesBroadway Cafe

10 of 20

11 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Scrumptious Seven-Layer Cookies

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.Scrumptious Seven-Layer Cookies

11 of 20

12 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Mooselips' Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Caramel Swirl

Pumpkin Cheesecake

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

Pineapple Zucchini Bread

12 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Blueberry-Almond Bars

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.Blueberry-Almond Bars

13 of 20

14 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Farmers Market Brownies

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.Farmers Market Brownies

14 of 20

15 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Broadway Cafe Apple Cake

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.Broadway Cafe Apple Cake

15 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Rhubarb Bars

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."Rhubarb Bars

16 of 20

17 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Hot Cocoa Cake

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.Hot Cocoa Cake recipe

17 of 20

18 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Krista's Kitchen Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

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.Krista's Kitchen Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

18 of 20

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Chocolate Espresso Walnut Tiles

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.Chocolate Espresso Walnut Tiles

19 of 20

20 of 20

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Unforgettable muffins

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.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Fudge Brownie Cheesecake Muffins

20 of 20

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 20 Magic Brownies
    2 of 20 Mixed Berry Slab Pie
    3 of 20 Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake
    4 of 20 Mommy's Pumpkin Pie
    5 of 20 Mindy Segal's Chocolate Chip Cookies
    6 of 20 Lemon-Cream Cheese Pie
    7 of 20 Simon's Coffee Shop Ginger Cookies
    8 of 20 Delice Scones
    9 of 20 Lindsay's Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Chip Cookies
    10 of 20 Broadway Cafe Apple Cake
    11 of 20 Scrumptious Seven-Layer Cookies
    12 of 20 Mooselips' Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Caramel Swirl
    13 of 20 Blueberry-Almond Bars
    14 of 20 Farmers Market Brownies
    15 of 20 Broadway Cafe Apple Cake
    16 of 20 Rhubarb Bars
    17 of 20 Hot Cocoa Cake
    18 of 20 Krista's Kitchen Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
    19 of 20 Chocolate Espresso Walnut Tiles
    20 of 20 Unforgettable muffins

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Best Midwest Coffeehouse Desserts
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.