If you’re craving a sweet treat, then head to one of these delectable spots to enjoy some of the best desserts in Phoenix, Arizona!
*Updated January 2024
17 Best Desserts in Phoenix East Valley
1. Decadent Macaron
Decadent Macaron is located in the trendy Verde at Cooley Station shops.
The store is absolutely adorable with attention to every detail, and the macarons are as delicious as they look!
They have created over 40 unique flavors that are baked fresh daily.The churro, salted caramel, cake batter, and cherry almond are the most popular flavors.
Be sure to order a saguaro cactus shaped macaron in honor of State 48. It’s almost too cute to eat!
They also have the prettiest specialty drinks. It’s the best place to go for an afternoon pick-me-up with girlfriends!
2. Pop N Tea Bar
The Pop N Tea Bar adds a unique twist to traditional teas and popsicles that you won’t find anywhere else!
This Instagram-worthy shop in Phoenix is located in the historic My Florist Plaza, inside what once was the original 1947 florist shop.
They specialize in all-natural organic boba teas infused with fresh local fruits that taste just as beautiful as they look.
Pop N Tea Bar is also known for its signature Diamond Bars.
These unique popsicles are made of the highest quality gelato and sorbetto. Each one is hand-sculpted into an individual work of art.
There are a variety of flavors to choose from, as well as different toppings. The strawberry cheesecake popsicle topped with white chocolate and graham crackers is our favorite!
And if you’re looking for restaurant recommendations in Phoenix, check out our guide 11 of the Best Places to Eat in Phoenix!
3. Soda Jerk Co. Milkshake Bar
If you’re looking for an Instagrammable over-the-top milkshake, then head to Soda Jerk at Desert Ridge Marketplace.
The 1940s-inspired soda fountain offers a few staple flavors that are always on the menu, but the real fun is with their rotating menu of killer shakes.
You’ll find holiday and seasonal creations that are always over the top.
Not only are the shakes photo-worthy, but they are made with the freshest premium ingredients, including milk from a local dairy and handcrafted toppings.
This milkshake bar also has a little secret. Hidden behind the freezer door is a secret Escape Game where you can enjoy a milkshake while trying to solve a puzzling adventure with friends!
4. Novel Ice Cream
Novel Ice Cream is a bit of a hidden gem. This darling ice cream shop is tucked into a side alley just across the street from the Arizona Museum of Natural History in downtown Mesa.
The charming white brick alleyway is covered with vines and strung with lights.
At the very end, you’ll find a walk-up window where you can order some of the best handcrafted artisan ice cream in Mesa.
There are 12 rotating flavors to choose from, the Banana Cream Pie was my personal favorite.
Novel is also known for its signature donut ice cream sandwiches with handcrafted ice cream sandwiched between a warm glazed donut and sprinkled with a topping. It is sinfully delicious!
If you prefer something a little less sugary, you can substitute the donut for a crisp European waffle, which is equally delicious.
5. Balboa’s
If you’ve ever been to Balboa Island in California, chances are that you’ve tasted a Balboa Bar from Dad’s.
This iconic treat has been a mainstay on Balboa Island since the 1960s. I guarantee that once you have it, you’ll be craving it again!
Luckily, the Balboa Bar has also found a home at Balboa’s in Mesa.
The Balboa Bar is an ice cream bar that is hand-dipped in melted chocolate and then coated with a topping and drizzled with sauce.
You can choose chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or even a frozen banana. The toppings often vary, but my favorite is the toffee bits or Butterfinger with salted caramel sauce.
And if you’re looking for places to grab dinner in Mesa, check out our guide to 8 of the Best Restaurants in Mesa!
6. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
Handel’s Ice Cream originated in Youngstown, Ohio in 1945.
During that summer, Alice Handel began making homemade ice cream using fresh fruit from her backyard. It quickly became a neighborhood favorite and a legend was born.
Today, Handel’s locations can be found around the nation including Gilbert, Arizona.
Each store still takes pride in making homemade small-batch ice cream just like Alice did more than 70 years ago.
The ice cream is made fresh daily in the store using high-quality ingredients and many of Alice’s original recipes.
They have created over 100 different flavors with a rotation of seasonal favorites with fresh mix-ins.
I know I’m making a bold statement, but it really is the best ice cream I’ve ever had.
National Geographic even agrees! In their book, The 10 Best of Everything, they named Handel’s as the #1 best ice cream in the world!
7. Toasted Mallow
If you love s’mores, you’re going to love the Toasted Mallow! This little shop on Gilbert Road sells gourmet homemade marshmallows and signature treats.
The menu changes seasonally and our favorite time to come is around Christmas for a cozy holiday treat.
Some of the handcrafted marshmallow flavors include churro, campfire smores, birthday cake, and dark salted caramel.
In addition to the mallows, they also sell cupcakes, cake pops, handspun milkshakes, and specialty drinks.
They also have a variety of seasonal products for sale, like whipped pumpkin pie fluff in the fall. You’ll also want to order extra gourmet marshmallows to take home for special occasions!
8. Dulce Churro Cafe
There are churros, and then there are Dulce Churro Cafe churros!
Owner, Jared Naumann, has fond childhood memories of eating churros on the streets of Santiago, Chile.
That memory sparked his desire to learn more about the origin of the churro, which brought him to Spain.
Once in Spain, he enrolled in Churro School where he learned to perfect the art of churro-making that dates back to the early nomadic Spanish shepherds.
He returned to Arizona where he opened Dulce Churro Cafe and began serving some of the best authentic churros in the valley.
The churros are made fresh to order, you can even watch them make it right in front of you.
In addition to traditional churros, they also offer specialty dips, glazes, and toppings so you can make your own creation!
9. ZuZu Show Stopper Shake
ZuZu restaurant is located in Hotel Valley Ho, a trendy mid-century modern hotel in Scottsdale.
While the food is good, it’s the Show Stopper Shakes that quite literally take the show.
Each month, ZuZu features a different milkshake creation and they are truly a work of art.
During monsoon season, their Show Stopper Shake was monsoon themed with prickly pear ice cream, a sugar cookie lightning bolt, lollipop cactus, graham cracker dust, and cotton candy clouds.
The shakes are overflowing with goodies and are large enough to share. However, if you want something smaller, they have a selection of “Short Stopper Shakes”.
And for more restaurant recommendations in Scottsdale, check out our Foodie’s Guide to Scottsdale!
10. Topo
Topo, which is Spanish for ‘gopher’, is the brainchild of Joe Johnston.
He wanted to create a Route 66 inspired roadside food stand that would be a memorable landmark to attract road trippers from all around.
He accomplished just that with his larger-than-life gopher popping up over the top of this walk-up food stand.
Topo offers a simple menu including burritos and street corn, but the most popular item is their prickly pear soft-serve ice cream.
If you’ve never tasted prickly pear ice cream, it is such an iconic Arizona treat and tastes similar to raspberry.
It is also delicious when dipped in a lime-flavored coating.
They have a few other flavors to choose from, along with a monthly featured flavor.
Topo is located in the lively historic downtown Gilbert district. It is the perfect place for a sweet treat after grabbing dinner at a nearby restaurant.
See our guide 6 Best Restaurants in Gilbert & the East Valley for all of our restaurant recommendations.
11. Great Gadsby Bakery
The Great Gadsby Bakery is a family-run European bakery in Gilbert. They make their pastries and desserts handmade every morning.
They serve a variety of goods like cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, tarts, European pastries, and so much more.
One of their most popular menu items is their homemade pop tarts.
These flakey pastries are filled with fresh puréed fruit and topped with homemade icing and sprinkles. They melt in your mouth and are absolutely delicious!
12. Scoopwell’s Dough Bar
Scoopwell’s Dough Bar has a few locations around the valley, but our favorite is at Air Guitar in Gilbert, a cute neighborhood corner store.
Scoopwell’s offers a variety of ice cream flavors, but the real show-stopper is their signature Cotton Candy Burrito.
This consists of three scoops of ice cream, sprinkles, and crushed-up Oreos rolled inside of cotton candy and topped with sprinkles and cookies.
You have definitely met your match if you have a sweet tooth!
This sugary dessert is large enough to share with your family and makes for a fun summer treat!
13. Mango Rabbit
Mango Rabbit is located in an unassuming strip mall in Tempe and offers the best gourmet drinks in the valley!
Their extensive menu includes custom bubble waffle desserts, unique boba and milk teas, smoothies, and their signature drinks.
These themed specialty drinks are over the top and taste as good as they look!
The Pink Mermaid is one of the most popular items on the menu. It is a dragon fruit and strawberry flavored drink with whipped cream and a white chocolate mermaid tail.
They also offer seasonally themed drinks, so be sure to check their Instagram for the latest creations!
14. Beard Papa’s
Beard Papa’s is a fun dessert shop with two locations in the valley, at Kierland Commons in Scottsdale and Santan Village in Gilbert.
Their slogan, I love it when you call me Beard Papa, will have you singing that Notorious B.I.G. song in your head all day long!
They serve the best Japanese-style homemade puff pastries.
These dreamy puffs are filled with flavored cream and dipped in your choice of chocolate. They are exquisite!
My favorite is the strawberry eclair with vanilla filling, but they also offer different flavors of the month that are fun to try.
15. JL Patisserie
Did you know there’s an authentic French Patisserie hidden in uptown Phoenix?
JL Patisserie is a cozy neighborhood bakery that has been recognized for serving the best French-inspired pastries in the Valley!
In true French tradition, pastry chef and owner, Jenna Leurquin, arrives every day at 4 am to bake fresh pastries from scratch and her assistant arrives at 2 am to start the bread.
The extra care taken to create these fresh homemade baked goods is apparent the moment you take a bite. These decadent pastries truly are in a league of their own!
You have to try the Morning Bun, a flakey croissant coated in cinnamon sugar and baked in a popover pan.
Their baguettes are also the closest you’ll get to the fresh baguettes sold on the streets of Paris.
JL Patisserie also offers baking classes where you can learn to bake like a true French pastry chef!
16. Ruze Cake House
The darling Ruze Cake House is one of the best bakeries to pick up a sweet treat in Old Town Scottsdale.
The storefront is absolutely beautiful with a dash of lavishness.
A mother/daughter duo runs this bakery and they take pride in their high-quality small-batch desserts.
They are committed to using locally sourced sustainable ingredients in all of their recipes. In fact, they visit the Scottsdale Farmers Market each week to hand-pick their honey, citrus, and milk.
The owners also handcraft their own fondant, Swiss meringue buttercream, curds, caramels, and other cake fillings.
You can taste the quality in their gourmet macarons, cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. They also recently released a line of ice cream macarons that look divine.
Their macarons even rival the ones that we had in Paris for taste and quality!
They also have a limited selection of cold brew coffee and boba drinks. Be sure to visit their online shop for custom orders!
17. Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop
While you’re in Old Town Scottsdale, you’ll also want to pop into Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop.
This charming French-inspired bakery is run by a mother/daughter duo as well.
I could gush all day about how cute the interior is, from the oversized floral print ceiling to the vintage tea cart that was made in the 1800s.
The storefront opened in 2018 and their homemade confectionaries have already earned them a spotlight in publications such as Forbes and USA Today.
They were also voted “Best Gluten-Free Bakery” by Phoenix New Times. Along with their award-winning pastries and sweets, they also offer a breakfast and lunch menu.
Try their Burrata Avocado Toast with an Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie for breakfast. For lunch, I would recommend the Caprese Panini Sandwich and Poached Pear Salad.
For dessert, their Strawberry Milkshake Cannoli and oversized Cinnamon Rolls are our favorites!
They also have a marketplace where you can purchase staple products and seasonal favorites, like their Pumpkin Spice Syrup. The online shop also has a wide selection of products and custom orders.
I hope this list of the best desserts in Phoenix will help you satisfy your sweet tooth!
[…] And for the best places to get a sweet treat, check out these 13 Best Desserts in Phoenix East Valley! […]