Take A Road Trip To Mouthwatering Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, And Candy Shops Along This Magical Iowa Dessert Trail
By Raymond Goldfield|Published February 15, 2023
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Raymond Goldfield
Author
Raymond Goldfield is a life-long New Jersey resident and an avid traveler and foodie who can be usually found on the Jersey Shore during the offseason or checking out the latest seasonal flavors at The Bent Spoon in Princeton. He has been working for Only In Your State for since early 2022, where he writes for New Jersey and Iowa and edits the Mid-Atlantic region. He can also be found writing about pop culture for GeekDad. When at home, he enjoys reading comic books and is part of The Rabbitt Stew podcast team. While New Jersey is his home base, he travels regularly and has visited Virginia, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, and Canada as well as all of NJ's border states. Ultimate travel goal? Visit all the best buffets in the United States.
Ah, desserts. Whether you’re in the mood for rich ice cream sundaes, frosting-topped cupcakes, chewy cookies, or authentic pastries from Europe or Africa, Iowa has something for everyone. You could spend months trying to track down the best desserts in Iowa – or you could hit all of them in an epic road trip down Iowa’s eastern border. Starting at the northern corner of Iowa’s Mississippi River access and taking a few detours along the way, the Iowa Dessert Trail will take you to ten of eastern Iowa’s best sweet shops. Covering 363 miles and around seven hours of driving, it’s the perfect weekend adventure for sweet-loving Hawkeye State residents. So get in the car and kick things off by discovering the best desserts hiding in Iowa’s small towns and cities!
The Iowa Dessert Trail is a great way to explore the Hawkeye State's best sweet shops along the eastern part of the state.
Start at Iowa's northwestern corner, at this popular breakfast shop. In addition to breakfast burritos and sandwiches, you'll find a wide selection of donuts and pastries.
For something completely different, head to Elkader, where you'll find the state's only Algerian restaurant. And you know what that means - excellent baklava that is flaky and packed with chopped nuts.
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3. Ice Cream U Scream (Dubuque)
Ice Cream U Scream, 198 Main St, Dubuque, IA 52001, USA
Just west of Cedar Rapids is the German-American haven of Amana. Not only is this bakery known for its old-school bread, but the apple strudel is right out of Grandma's kitchen.
7. Scratch Cupcakery (Coralville)
Scratch Cupcakery, 927 E 2nd Ave, Coralville, IA 52241, USA
A popular local chain, this Coralville bakery specializes in bite-sized cupcakes with inventive flavor combos - and the size means you can sample all of them!
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8. Lagomarcino's (Davenport)
Lagomarcino's Confectionery, 2132 E 11th St, Davenport, IA 52803, USA
We're staying in Davenport and going from old-school to new school, as this creative and social-media-savvy bakery specializes in over-the-top macarons and custom cake orders.
10. Grandpa's Homemade Ice Cream (Burlington)
Grandpa's Homemade Ice Cream, 600 S Roosevelt Ave, Burlington, IA 52601, USA
Finally, we'll wrap things up with this popular small-batch ice cream shop - offering seasonal flavors like candy cane and a charming atmosphere that is perfect for families.
Have you taken a dessert road trip before? Tell us about your adventures and let us know your pick for the best desserts in Iowa in the comments section. For another delicious road trip, why not indulge in the Cedar Rapids Java Trail?
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