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Food & Drink

The Most Outrageous Dessert Shops In Austin, Texas

© Lars Plougmann/Flickr
© Lars Plougmann/Flickr
Photo of Emma Fleming
Emma Fleming
9 February 2017

Whether you are craving doughnuts, ice cream, cupcakes, or churros, Austin has some unique twists on these favorites you haven’t tried. Check in to any of these places after dinner for a truly decadent dessert experience.

Gourdough’s Doughnuts

Food Truck, Pub, Bar, Greek, $$$
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With three locations in the Austin area, Gordough’s Doughnuts is well known for its unique doughnut options. While the food truck location offers a smaller selection of donuts, the storefronts have a bigger selection of donut burgers, sandwiches, and entrees on top of donuts, as well as plain appetizers and salads. Their menu also includes a large selection of dessert doughnuts like the Big E-Z, served with powdered sugar and honey, or The Blackout, served with chocolate icing, brownie batter, brownie bites, and chocolate chips. The storefronts also serve beer and cocktails in addition to the food offered. With an eclectic mix of options for sandwiches, entrees, and dessert, Gordough’s Doughnuts is a great place to experience some crazy Austin culture, and a delicious doughnut.

Lick Ice Creams

Known for their ‘honest ice creams,’ Lick is an Austin ice cream shop with a twist. Each of the ice creams are made from dairy farms right in central Texas, and all of the the syrups, sauces, marshmallows, cakes, and even waffle cones are made fresh in the Lick kitchen. While this ice cream shop offers traditional flavors like chocolate and vanilla bean, their flavors vary from coffee with cream to cilantro lime to roasted beets and fresh mint. Lick also offers vegan and dairy free ice cream options. With locally made products and a variety of wacky flavors, Lick Ice Creams is a great place for some interesting desserts.
Lick Ice Creams, 1100 South Lamar, Building 1, Suite 1135, Austin, TX 78704
Lick Ice Creams, 6555 Burnet Rd 200, Austin, TX 78757, USA

Churro Co.

Dessert Shop, Dessert, Mexican
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Opened in 2013, this Austin dessert shop was founded by two friends from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Churro Co. offers a variety of options that are a twist on the traditional Mexican dessert, and their menu selections include everything from traditional churros to specialty churros like the Campfire Churros that are tossed in graham cracker crumbs and topped with Mexican chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and toasted marshmallows. Each menu item also comes with the option to add on a scoop of vanilla ice cream or extra scratch made sauces. Churro Co. also offers a variety of drinks, from Mexican sodas and juices to seasonal drinks like their Mexican hot chocolate.

Bananarchy

Restaurant, Dessert Shop, Ice Cream, American
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Bananarchy, West Live Oak Street
Bananarchy, West Live Oak Street | © Nick Douglas/Flickr
This Austin dessert shop is known for its eco-friendly policies and fair trade bananas. Bananarchy is a dessert shop that allows you to build your own dessert, or order from the specialty menu. Customers can choose from a variety of dips like milk chocolate, peanut butter, white chocolate, and even vegan chocolate, or toppings that can be added on after the dip like Oreos, graham crackers, cinnamon, coconut, toffee, and sprinkles. Their specialty menu has several different options, including the Hippy Dippy, which is covered in the customer’s choice of dip, granola, craisins, and cinnamon, or the Banana Joe, which includes crushed coffee beans and the option of cinnamon and toffee. Bananarchy also composts all of their banana peels, and they are always searching for more ethical options to create an environmentally conscious business.

Holy Cacao

Coffee Shop, Tea , American, $$$
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Holy Cacao offers several different options of cake balls, like original chocolate, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and their special Brass Balls, which are made of peanut butter cookies, dipped in dark chocolate, and topped with peanut butter cookie crumbles. The trailer also offers signature drink options such as their hot chocolate, which is served hot or frozen, and their Cake Shakes, made with ice cream and freshly made cake bits. Holy Cacao also has a variety of coffee drinks, from espresso, lattes to iced coffees and cappuccinos. In addition, there are brownies, cookies, ice cream sandwiches and floats, as well as syrups and milk substitutes.

Halcyon Coffee Bar and Lounge

Bar, Coffee Shop, French, Tea , $$$
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Halcyon, 218 W 4th Street
Halcyon, 218 W 4th Street | © Lars Plougmann/Flickr
Halcyon Coffee Bar has a great variety of coffees, meals, and desserts for customers to choose from. One of their most well known dessert options is the s’mores platter, which you can roast right at the table. Other popular choices are the Nutella crepes, carrot cake, turtle cheesecake, and chocolate ganache cake. Halcyon has an extensive coffee menu, which varies from lattes, espresso, mochas, macchiatos and French press coffee, as well as iced drinks. The menu also has a list of shakes and smoothies, imported sodas, and specialty hot chocolates. There is also a large menu of bar drinks, which include seasonal options, cocktails, beers, wines, and espresso cocktails.

Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery

Bakery, Cafe, Deli, American
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Key Lime Pie at Quack's 43rd Street Bakery
Key Lime Pie at Quack's 43rd Street Bakery | Courtesy of Dan Brennan
This laid back bakery is an Austin staple and serves a variety of fresh baked goods, desserts, and coffee. Quack’s was the first coffeehouse in Austin, originally serving only espresso coffee drinks. The coffeehouse has now expanded to include other coffee options, as well as a bakery and deli menu. The coffee beans come locally from Texas and are used in several different hot and iced options, such as lattes, macchiatos, mochas, and French press. The bakery menu includes a variety of pies, cakes, layered cakes, muffins, breads, coffee cakes, scones, croissants, danishes, cookies, cupcakes, and more. Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery offers a quiet space with local artwork and a collection of boardgames and reading materials, as well as an extensive menu for customers to choose from.

Mozart’s Coffee Roasters

Coffee Shop, Bakery, European, American, $$$
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This European coffee house offers great views of Lake Austin and serves unique desserts and coffees. Listen to live music while you relax on their large, shaded deck area every weekend, which is a large draw for customers. The menu has a variety of hot and cold drinks, such as lattes, cappuccinos, Mozart’s Specialty Mocha, espresso milkshakes, and Italian sodas. In addition, the bakery offers desserts like cupcakes, fruit tarts, chocolate strawberries, tres leches cake, and cannolis. Mozart’s also has a great selection of cheesecakes, such as peanut butter, strawberry, chocolate, and more. During the holidays, Mozart’s Coffee Roasters has a light show each night on the deck, which is best enjoyed with a freshly made hot drink.
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