Where To Buy Ice Cream, Cakes, & Cookies In New York City
We are about to fill you in on the best places to buy ice cream, cakes, and cookies in New York City. There are plenty of great dessert shops selling sweets around town and this guide will try to focus on the best of the best.
There is no better way to get the ball rolling than with a list of the best ice cream shops near you. Frozen yogurt, gelato, malts, and ice cream cakes are found with ease here.
Once the frozen delights are out of the way it will be time to pivot to bakeries where you can buy cakes, cookies, pastries, and all kinds of sweet treats. Then we will get into some specific things like donut shops, where to buy cupcakes, candy stores, and chocolate and fudge shops too.
Healthy dessert options in New York City like gluten free bakeries and smoothie shops are easy to find as well. And our final topic will be all about restaurants that are known for must have desserts in your area.
Stick around for our local dessert map that has all these spots that we are mentioning throughout the post pinned on it. Our other posts on this region are available at that link if you want to check them out.
Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
When you are craving the best ice cream in New York City or want some healthier frozen yogurt try:
Sundaes and Cones is always reinventing the concept of homemade varieties plus they make some of the best non fat and no sugar added ice cream in New York City too.
Il Laboratorio del Gelato in Manhattan is committed to making some of the best local ice cream and sorbets and continues to create unique tastes which are available seven days a week from 10:30am to 10pm.
Asian inspired flavors like ube or purple yam, matcha, and black sesame paired with crunchies and drizzles are offered at Soft Swerve every day.
Van Leeuwen serves dairy and vegan ice cream in your area as well as milkshakes, sundaes, pastries, and coffee all throughout the week starting at 11am.
16 Handles is a dessert shop with a rotating menu of Artisan frozen yogurt, ice cream, vegan soft serve, and other sweets as well as an endless toppings bar and they open at 12pm daily.
A wide variety of yogurt shakes and smoothies, Greek yogurt, and frozen yogurt are available starting at 12pm on weekdays and 11am on weekends at Culture.
Healthy frozen yogurt alternatives made with real nonfat milk and yogurt and topped with hand cut fresh fruit can be found at Pinkberry seven days a week.
Delectable kosher ice cream flavors, cakes, pastries, and sweets are available every day at Ice Cream House.
Lady Moo Moo serves premium ice cream and sorbets in Brooklyn from 3pm to 8pm on Thursday and from 12pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Yo Sweets offers wonderful frozen yogurt with a wide variety of flavors and toppings.
There are 14 daily flavors and over 50 topping options at Frozen Planet Yogurt including non fat, low fat, no sugar added, premium, and non dairy options that you can try seven days a week from 11am to 10pm.
Fruitti Yummi carefully crafts its yogurt to have high quantities of live and active yogurt cultures and they are open from 12pm to 10:30pm.
Carvel is an original shop serving gourmet ice cream, homemade desserts, and take home sweets in The Bronx from 10:30am to 9:30pm daily.
Over 80 types of exquisite Italian ices and ice cream near you are available until 10pm at Uncle Louie G.
Handcrafted and distinctive frozen yogurt, gelato, and smoothies are served from 12pm to 9:30pm at Peachwave.
Over 100 rotating frozen yogurt flavors with vegan, gluten free, non dairy, kosher, low carb, and low fat options as well as 70 rotating toppings are available at Menchie’s.
Max and Mina’s makes delicious ice cream in Queens in distinctive, bold, rich, and creamy flavors which are available from 12pm to 7:30pm Sunday through Thursday and 6:30pm to 10:30pm on Saturday.
Benfaremo is known for creating Italian ices with actual fruit bits ranging from blueberry to watermelon all throughout the week starting at 10am.
Twist It Top It serves nutritious and delicious frozen yogurt with over 40 toppings as well as hand dipped chocolate, waffles, crepes, açaí bowls, and other treats every day.
Some of the best handcrafted ice cream, old fashioned candies, and bespoke cakes in Staten Island are available at Egger’s.
Over 100 ice and ice cream flavors as well as specialty delicacies such as arctic shakes, smoothies, signature sundaes, doughnados, twisters, waffle sandwiches, and more are offered every day from 11:30am to 10pm at Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices.
You can get frozen yogurt, fresh fruit smoothies, and all natural juices seven days a week from 10am to 11pm at Red Mango.
Yogurt City has 14 flavors of frozen yogurt with over 40 different toppings which are available from 12:30pm to 10:30pm daily.
Other places to buy great ice cream in NYC from our upcoming lists include Ray’s Candy Store, The Chocolate Room, and Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices.
Bakeries In Your Area
Expect to find great cakes, cookies, pastries, and more at the best bakeries near you:
Levain Bakery offers fresh from the oven cookies as well as walnut bread, chocolate brioche, and banana bread with gluten free options every day from 8am to 8pm.
You can get artisan handcrafted breads and pastries seven days a week from 7am to 8pm at Breads Bakery.
Veniero’s provides traditional and regional Italian confections as well as a selection of large and miniature pastries and hand made Italian butter biscuits starting at 8am.
Angelina Bakery specializes in Italian style donuts, croissants, Italian sandwiches, magnificent celebration cakes, pastries, and other great desserts in your area.
Traditional Italian pastries, cheesecakes, cookies, Italian Biscotti, and gourmet specialty cakes in Manhattan as well as light breakfast and lunch are served at Pasticceria Rocco every day starting at 7:30am.
Mia’s Brooklyn Bakery is open every day at 7am serving trademark pastries and savory dishes along with great coffee.
Saraghina Bakery creates breads and pastries with a mix of classic Italian delicacies and American favorites using certified organic flour from 8am to 7pm daily.
Traditional Sicilian and European loaves are offered from 6:30am to 7pm Monday through Saturday and until 6pm on Sunday at Madonia Bakery in The Bronx.
Lety’s is a bustling Italian bakery in Queens known for its classic pastries and cozy atmosphere that opens at 6:30am daily.
Mark’s Bake Shoppe is a modern American bakery with German and Italian influences baking cakes, pastries, breads, donuts, and other tasty sweets in Staten Island from 7am to 6pm Tuesday through Saturday and until 3pm on Sunday.
Be sure to check out our NYC cupcake shops and gluten free bakeries lists because there are plenty more places to buy fresh baked goodness all around the metro.
Local Donut Shops
These donut shops are a great way to start your morning:
Molly’s Cupcakes makes chocolate and vanilla cupcakes in New York City using a delicious recipe.
Little Cupcake Bakeshop in Manhattan specializes in producing nutritious traditional American pastries using fresh sustainably sourced ingredients and they are open from 8am to 11pm Monday through Sunday.
Famous cupcakes and made from scratch custom cakes are the specialties of Buttercup BakeShop which opens at 9am on weekdays and 10am on weekends.
Everything is kosher, gluten free, and dairy free at By the Way Bakery.
Brooklyn Cupcake’s menu features not only cupcakes but flancocho, banana pudding, and other unique specialty desserts.
DoughGirl Cupcakes is open from 12pm to 7pm Tuesday through Sunday offering bespoke cakes, cupcakes, and other delectable treats.
You can get birthday and special occasion cakes, ice cream cakes, cupcakes, large flavored cupcakes, and butter cookies in The Bronx every day from 7am to 8:30pm at E&L Bakery.
In addition to Dominican cake confections There Should Always Be Cake also serves freshly baked scrumptious cupcakes, cookies, vegan pastries, and French macaroons along with specialty coffee 24 hours a day seven days a week.
Personalized cakes, cookies, and pastries are available all throughout the week at Cammies Cupcakes in Queens.
Mother Mousse Bakery in Staten Island serves delectable sweets like cakes, cookies, pies, and cupcakes made from high quality ingredients throughout the week starting at 10am except for Monday when they are closed.
Custom cakes and wedding cakes as well as cupcakes, cookies, unique tiny cakes, and other desserts in Long Island City for every occasion are provided at Taste Crème from 11am to 5pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Candy Stores Near You
Local candy stores should have a wide variety of sugary treats to choose from:
Ray’s Candy Store offers shakes, ice cream, egg creams, and deep fried Oreos along with quick bites like hot dogs and fries.
Candy, chocolate, gift baskets, dried fruit, and nuts are sold at Economy Candy from 12pm to 5:30pm daily.
Sugarfina is a good place to buy a delicious range of elegantly wrapped candy and chocolates in your area chocolate bars with some vegan, sugar free, and gluten free candies which are available from 11am to 7pm Monday through Saturday and until 6pm on Sunday.
Bulk sweets, specialty chocolates, and old time candies in Brooklyn along with entertaining novelty items are sold at Eugene J.
A large collection of pick and mix sweets, UK chocolates and candies, nostalgic retro candies, and everything in between can be found at Fferins from 12pm to 8pm Tuesday through Sunday.
Oh! Nuts is one of your top sources for premium nuts, bulk candy, bulk chocolate, dried fruit, and Kosher gift baskets with wholesale pricing and a large product selection. They are open from 10am to 7pm Sunday through Thursday and 9am to 3pm on Friday.
If you’re looking for high quality candies in Staten Island Philip’s Candy is one of the best places for you to go and they are open at 10:30am Tuesday through Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday.
Sweets n’ Such Candy Shop’s has bulk candy, nostalgic candy, gift baskets, candy carts, candy buffet tables, candy platters, balloons, and more for all of your event needs. You can visit them from 11am to 6:30pm Tuesday through Friday and 12pm to 7pm on Saturday.
Plenty of the local chocolate shops we are about to mention will have a nice selection of candies too.
Chocolate & Fudge Shops
Great homemade chocolate and fudge can be found at these shops:
Läderach is a Swiss chocolate shop in Manhattan specializing in fresh bean to bar chocolates which are available seven days a week.
Neuhaus distributes Belgian chocolates, pralines, and truffles from 10am to 7pm on weekdays and until 6pm on weekends.
Award winning chocolates, pastries, and other sweets in your area are offered at Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate from 10am to 6pm on weekdays.
Chocolicious sells everything from dried kiwi and apricots to cinnamon pretzels and peanut brittle as well as a variety of chocolates, truffles, almond clusters, and crunch candies in dairy and sugar free varieties.
Handcrafted chocolate, ice cream, and desserts in Brooklyn are available every day from 12pm to 10pm at The Chocolate Room.
Chocolate Place in The Bronx excels at providing fresh dipped chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate caramel apples, candy apples, truffles, chocolate wrapped pretzels, Oreos, caramels, and more.
Schmidt’s Candy creates handcrafted specialty chocolates in Queens using traditional German recipes and fine ingredients all throughout the week from 11am to 5pm except for Monday when they are closed.
Many of the best candy stores near you from our list just above this one will also carry a large selection of chocolates.
Gluten Free Bakeries
For a healthier alternative try one of these gluten free bakeries:
Senza Gluten serves up fresh pastries, breads, and baked products as well as brunch, lunch, and dinner throughout the week except for Tuesday when they are closed.
You can buy gluten free, soy free, vegan, and kosher baked items in NYC starting as early as 8am at Erin McKenna’s Bakery.
Noglu is a French bakery that open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm offering gluten free sweet and savory delights that are entirely organic and sourced locally.
Gluten free guilt free desserts in Manhattan produced without refined sugar or artificial components are served along with healthy beverages and Panamanian coffee at Elisa’s Love Bites from 11am to 7pm.
Posh Pop Bakeshop uses high quality ingredients to replicate and create new vegan, gluten free, and dairy free baked delights.
Some of Happy Zoe Vegan Bakery’s treats include vegan gluten free cakes, cheesecakes, donuts, brownies, and more.
Every day from 8:30am to 6pm Clementine in Brooklyn serves vegan pastries, custom cakes, to go meals, and more.
Conti’s is a family run bakery in The Bronx that specializes in pies, pastries, and made to order cakes including gluten free alternatives which are available from 8am to 6pm Monday through Saturday and until 4pm on Sunday.
Vegan and gluten free baked goods in Queens for health conscious individuals are offered at Sensible Edibles Bakery from 10am to 6pm on weekdays.
Rudy’s Pastry Shop provides everything from their iconic black forest cake, old fashioned jelly doughnuts, and classic cheese rings to excellent cappuccinos, fresh croissants, and savory frittatas with vegan and gluten free options. They are open at 6am Monday through Saturday and 7am on Sunday.
You might want to try Alfonso’s gluten free pastries, buns, breads, and cakes in Staten Island which are sold from 7am to 7pm Tuesday through Saturday and until 5pm on Sunday.
Sans Bakery offers freshly baked all natural gluten free items in Long Island City from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Spot Dessert Bar offers a rare and never before seen menu of desserts in NYC seven days a week from 2pm to 11pm.
Serendipity 3 is known for its superb meals and indulgent sweets in Manhattan including the world famous frozen hot chocolate which is available from 11am to 11pm on weekdays and from 10am on weekends.
Greek pastries are served every day from 10am to 2am at Victory Sweet Shop in Queens.
Michael’s provides everything from wonderful warm and cold antipasti and captivating pasta dishes to delectable seafood, veal, and poultry meals while also being known to make some of the most irresistible desserts in Brooklyn.
Authentic Italian dishes and delicious desserts in Queens are served from 12pm to 10pm Monday through Saturday and from 1pm on Sunday at Park Side.
Giuliana’s Ristorante in Staten Island offers delectable Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner as well as specialty coffees, handcrafted pastries, coppe di gelato, and cordials every day but Monday when they are closed.
By the way we have also written about how to find:
Enjoy Ice Cream, Cookies, & Cakes In New York City
We wish we had more to share but for now that is all we’ve got. After reading about all these local shops to buy ice cream, frozen yogurt, cookies, cakes, pastries, other bakery items, cupcakes, donuts, chocolate, fudge, candy, gluten free baked goods, smoothies, and even restaurants with can’t miss desserts in your area finding your next sweet indulgence shouldn’t be too hard.
Please use the comments to let us know if any shops have closed down, or if we posted anything that is incorrect. Now have fun eating your ice cream, cookies, and cakes in New York City.
