Despite the smaller size of the city, there is a plethora of dessert places in Waco. So, if you're just searching on Google Maps for dessert places near you, you will see dozens and dozens of options. Since I live in the Waco area and frequently (maybe too frequently) visit new dessert spots in the city all the time, I figured I'd help you out and list what I genuinely believe are currently the top 10 BEST dessert places in Waco.
Most (with the exception of two well-deserved mentions) of the places on this list are local dessert places.
By "local," I mean locally owned Waco dessert businesses that are truly owned and operated by locals. These are not your typical chain or national dessert brands.
I've also listed a few locally owned and operated franchises featured in the last section at the bottom of the article. Be sure to check them out because they're very unique dessert spots that you don't want to miss!
The top 10 BEST dessert places in Waco are:
Note: While some of these dessert shops are also bakeries, I've featured the best local bakeries in Waco, and the best cottage bakeries in Waco in separate articles.
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Street Dog Cafe
Brought to you by the same people who opened Revival Eastside Eatery on Elm Ave in East Waco, Street Dog Cafe is another smash hit in the food category. But this time, instead of serving up delicious, Texas-inspired sandwiches, burgers, and salads, Street Dog Cafe serves up delicious desserts and treats from a unique street-sidewalk cafe in Waco formerly known as "Lula Janes."
When Lula Janes closed down in 2021, it left a giant hole in the heart of East Waco. People from all over the city had come to rely on Lula Janes as a place that served up delicious pastries and coffee while sitting outside on a covered patio, even on hot Texas Summer days.
Street Dog Cafe Covered Patio
So, to say that the return of a reincarnated "Lula Janes" in the form of "Street Dog Cafe" was a joyous moment in East Waco history is a slight understatement. And even though the new cafe is not associated with the original owner(s) of Lula Janes, it carries on the tradition of providing the same high-quality desserts, coffees, and service.
Baked Bliss
What started out as a home-based bakery here in Waco, TX quickly became a popular baked goods location on N 15th Street in downtown Waco. Before this dessert shop made it into this article, I wanted to try out their baked goods first-hand.
After our recent trip to this local dessert place, it was quickly decided that it definitely needed to be included in this article. Myself, my wife, and my kids all enjoyed all the fabulous desserts that we purchased from here, including:
Lemon Shortbread Cookie
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Chocolate Truffle Cupcake
Pink Cupcake (can't remember the name of it!)
Raspberry Passion/Herbal Tea
The dessert menu at Baked Bliss also features a healthy dose of gluten-free options as well. If you are looking for gluten free dessert places in Waco, Baked Bliss has you covered.
Splendid Oaks
One of the only regrets that I have had since moving to Waco has been the number of times that I drove by Splendid Oaks, not realizing that I was passing up one of the best dessert places in Waco.
So, to the owners of Splendid Oaks Chocolates & Ice Cream - my apologies. I have driven down Franklin Ave a thousand times and one day I looked to my right and realized that it was a chocolate shop that also sells ice cream. I was on a pretty strict schedule that day, but I made sure that I had time to stop by the next time I was in the area.
And wow... I'm sooooo glad that I did! There is no other dessert shop in Waco that does chocolate like Splendid Oaks does chocolate. Don't get me wrong, the ice cream was really good, but whoever makes these chocolates is clearly a top-notch, designer-level chocolatier on a whole 'nother level.
There is no other way to describe this Waco chocolate shop. It's phenomenal.
Or, in my wife's exact words... "Oh wow... they're beautiful".
Heritage Creamery
Brought to you by the same people who own and operate Common Grounds Coffee, Heritage Creamery is a lovely dessert place in Waco, TX that is located right next to the Baylor University campus, and downtown Waco, TX.
Whether you're just getting an ice cream to go, or you want to stop and rest for a bit, Heritage Creamery is a great place to cool off from the hot Texas sun. It is an extremely popular spot, especially during the Summer, but they usually get you through the line pretty quickly.
This ice cream spot also features a small, intimate concert stage on the back that often features local musicians at various times throughout the year. When it's not being used for concerts or other events, it's a nice place to sit in the shade under the massive oak tree that towers over the ice cream shop. Hungry? Grab a bagel and coffee from The William Hoyt Co food truck out back.
Momma Mo Cookies
A newly discovered bakery is now one of my favorite dessert places in Waco. In fact, it's overwhelmingly the MOST recommended bakery for chocolate chip cookies in all of Waco by locals.
So, naturally, I had to check it out for myself. And boy, Momma Mo did NOT disappoint.
Mo Cookies bakes their chocolate chip cookies exactly the way that I like them, a little rough around the edges, and sweet and soft on the inside. Kinda like me! ?
Mo Cookies has more than just chocolate chip cookies though. They also sell the raw cookie dough in case you want to take it home and bake cookies on a later date. They also sell cakes, brownies, ice cream, dessert cups and much more.
You can follow Momma Mo Cookies on Instagram to see what their latest creations are.
Magnolia Bakery
It seems like true bakeries have become increasingly difficult to find, so it's nice when you find a dessert bakery that makes some delicious treats like cupcakes, cookies, muffins and more. And that's exactly what Magnolia Bakery does, and they do it very, very, very well.
Just keep in mind that because this place is also famous (re: Chip & Joanna Gaines), there's often a line out the door and a little way down the block. But it's worth it; so, get in line!
Pivovar Bakery
Pivovar Bakery is one of the newest arrivals to the Waco bakery scene, and it's quickly become one of the best dessert places in Waco.
Pivovar Bakery is a semi-traditional Czech bakery with a little bit of Texas flare. The bakery makes delicious breads, cookies, kolaches, and other pastries that you really cannot find anywhere else in town.
It's definitely a unique dessert spot that sets itself apart from the other bakeries in town with its traditional Czechoslovakian roots.
I stopped by a couple weeks ago not realizing that the bakery does not stay open late into the evenings like the Pivovar Restaurant does. One of the employees was kind enough to let me in to the bakery area and gave me and my daughters a few of their baked goods free of charge and invited us to come back when it is open during the day.
That was very gracious of him, and it really gave me an incredibly positive first impression of the newest bakery in Waco.
Milk Bottle Cookies
Located just a short walk away from both Chip & Joanna Gaines Market at the Silos, as well as Union Hall - an extremely popular food hall - Milk Bottle Cookies is one of the newest dessert places in Waco and is quickly becoming a rising star in the local dessert scene.
Milk Bottle Cookies is a local Waco cookie bakery (check out their Instagram page) where you can place an order for pick up or just stop in and eat your cookies inside where they have wide open, spacious seating areas in a rustic, vintage-style shop.
While they certainly have traditional cookies like chocolate chip, oatmeal, etc, they also have specialty cookies including limited-edition cookies that change on a weekly basis.
Keep in mind that these cookies are not small. They are definitely big enough to where one person probably would not eat more than one in a single sitting. If you get half a dozen, there will likely be plenty to share.
Milk Bottle Cookies is a locally owned and operated cookie shop, and every experience that we have had - both the people and the cookies they make - has been absolutely fantastic.
Even better? They recently announced that they now offer coffee as well! They have added an espresso bar, which officially makes them a full-blown coffee shop and cookie bakery.
So now you can get your coffee and cookies in the same place.
Katie's Frozen Custard
You know that any business that's been around for 20 years is doing something right. In the case of Katie's Frozen Custard, they've been a local, family owned business since 2002 and they're doing everything right!
Katie's Frozen Custard is one of the best locally owned and operated dessert shops located in Waco, TX.
Hosting a party and need some delicious frozen goods for the entire crowd? Katie's got you covered.
Have a special occasion like a birthday fast approaching? Katie's got you covered!
Just craving an ice cream cone, Sundae, or Split? KATIE'S GOT YOU COVERED!
Looking for a Gluten Free dessert in Waco? .... yup, you guessed it. Katie's got you covered.
This local, family owned dessert business offers up some incredibly delicious frozen goods, and I'm just sorry that I hadn't gone here much sooner. My kids loved every bite, and I thoroughly enjoyed my Sundae with a brownie.
Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream
The Sub-Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream shop located in Waco, TX is not your ordinary ice cream dessert spot. Using patented processes, they turn liquid nitrogen into ice cream right in front of you. It's entertaining for both kids and adults as the frothy mix becomes enveloped in a freezing mist, and suddenly emerges as a tasty frozen dessert.
Liquid nitrogen being turned into a tasty frozen ice cream at Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream shop in Waco, TX
What's even cooler is you can select your own flavors and - even if you're not in the mood for ice cream - you can pick from various tasty frozen treats that they offer. The video above shows just how cool this Waco dessert spot is.
I'd definitely recommend taking the time to visit Sub-Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream while you're in Waco, especially if you're visiting Waco with kids.
Franchise Dessert Locations in Waco
This section features a few high quality dessert spots in Waco that absolutely deserve to be featured in this article. My kids love both places, and each one offers a unique dessert experience in Waco that you simply won't find anywhere else in the city.
J-Petal & Poke
The city of Waco has a deep and historic connection to the city of New York, dating back 150+ years when the same civil engineer (John A. Roebling Co.) that built the Brooklyn Bridge, also built the historic Suspension Bridge in Waco, TX.
J-Petal & Poke (currently one of my top 9 best dessert places in Waco) also happens to have connections to NYC. Their first location opened in Brooklyn, a borough of NYC.
They have now franchised out to multiple states across the country, including the Waco location. This fantastic dessert spot is locally owned and operated, just off N University Parks Drive, which runs alongside the Brazos River in downtown Waco.
The historic Waco Suspension Bridge is located just 1,056 feet from J-Petal & Poke. So you can pick up one of their delicious desserts, then walk across the bridge while you enjoy it. A delicious NYC-based dessert and a bridge with historic connections to NYC deep in the heart of Texas = Selfie #ILOVENYC.
FAIR WARNING: Their sweet crepe desserts are HUGE, so you may not want to make a stop at this sweet Waco dessert spot if you have recently eaten a meal. It's almost a meal by itself.