Sweet Foodie Experiences You Gotta Try In Kansas City

Kansas City, and the surrounding communities, is a foodie paradise, especially if you have a sweet tooth. After many years of visiting, I’m sharing my favorite KC restaurants for ice cream, cookies, and other sweet treats.

Disclosure: Some of these restaurants or shops I’ve visited while being hosted by a visitors bureau; others I’ve visited and paid my own expenses. All thoughts, opinions and typos are my own.

If you go to Kansas City for food, include dessert on the list! Here's a guide to sweet foodie experiences in the KC area (Kansas and Missouri sides). Find tasty treats from ice cream and cake to pastries and candies.

I chose restaurants and shops that aren’t necessarily in Kansas City, Kan., or Kansas City, Mo. Instead, these restaurants are in the “greater Kansas City area.” It’s a broad term, sure, but just hop on the interstate and you’ll be getting your sweet treat fix in no time.

Ice Cream in Kansas City

We tend to get ice cream on every road trip. The most memorable ice cream stop was at Sylas and Maddy’s in Olathe, Kan.

Mint chip ice cream cone with homemade waffle cone at Sylas and Maddy's in Olathe, Kan.

This family-owned ice cream shop has a ton of homemade flavors. So many, it’s hard to choose. So maybe go ahead and get yourself that five flavor sampler.

Relasted post: Looking for KC BBQ? Check out this post!

Cake and pastries in Kansas City

Hands down, the best cake I’ve had was the cream cheese coffee cake at Strawberry Hill Bakery in Merriam, Kan. I don’t know where it’s been all my life, but I’m so glad to know about it now.

Cream cheese coffee cake from Strawberry Hill Bakery in Merriam, Kan.

Be sure to keep the cake chilled. It gets rather crumbly, otherwise. Not that I’ve tried sneaking a slice in my car or something.

While I’m partial a savory breakfast, I sometimes sample the sweet pastries my family orders. And in Kansas City, they’ve ordered some doozies.

For more creative spin on a pastry, go to Black Bear Diner in Olathe and try the Bear Claw French Toast. The bear claw is so sweet, you really don’t need much syrup, if any.

Cinnamon roll at Corner Cafe in Kansas City, Mo. — Four people couldn’t finish this cinnamon roll on top of regular breakfast orders. Plan accordingly.

For a more traditional pastry, try a giant cinnamon roll at Corner Cafe (there are a few locations). We tried to split it between four people and couldn’t finish it. Granted, we all had ordered our own breakfast entrees, but still. It’s that big.

Looking for donuts? Here are 9 of the best donuts shops in Kansas City!

Cookies in Kansas City

The French macarons at Kate Smith Soirée are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. We found a way.

Assortment of French macarons at Kate Smith Soiree in Lenexa, Kan.

We came across Kate Smith Soirée while having lunch at The Public Market in Lenexa. I tried a lavender and honey macaron, and it was as delicate as it sounds.

Sweet breads in KC

Ever heard of a povitka (pronounced poh-va-teet-sa)? Me neither, but I learned all about the hand-rolled bread on a recent visit to the Kansas City area.

It’s a Slovakian bread and Strawberry Hill Bakery in Merriam, Kan., has spent decades making this homemade delicacy. Try the most popular povitka, the English walnut. It’s delish.

Candy in Kansas City

For gorgeous candy that’s more of a work of art than a treat, go to Christopher Elbow Chocolates in the Crossroads District of KC. This is definitely splurge chocolate. It does taste as good as it looks.

Assortment of chocolates from Christopher Elbow Chocolates in Kansas City, Mo.

For a less spend-y candy treat, I have a few suggestions. If you’re on the Kansas side of Kansas City — you know, The Sunflower State—be sure to get yourself some candy with sunflower seeds in it.

Assortment of dummies and chocolate covered sunflower seeds from Sunflower Food Co., based in Lenexa, Kan.

Sunflower Food Co., based in Lenexa, Kan., sells two kinds of chocolate-covered sunflower seeds. My whole family settled on the milk chocolate ones over the dark chocolate.

Sweet drinks in Kansas City

Whether you want hot or cold sweet drinks, I found some great ones in KC. Since it’s summer when I’m writing this, I’ll start with the ice-cold drink of choice for me.

Melanie Gieringer serving a strawberry lemonade slushee from her farm in Edgerton, Kan.

This one’s a bit of a drive outside of the KC metro area, but it’s worth it. Head to Gieringer’s Family Orchard & Berry Farm in Edgerton, Kan., and try the strawberry lemonade slushee. After picking berries in the summer sun, you’ll want to gulp down this drink, but beware: Brain freeze is real.

For a grown-up hot drink, I’ll have to admit to buying (and loving) the expensive alcoholic hot chocolate that’s available at Worlds of Fun during Winterfest.

Alcoholic hot cocoa drinks at Winterfest at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo.

It warms you up, no doubt about it. But, buy it only if your budget allows because, whoa.