50 Desserts From 50 States


Awhile ago I wrote an article called 50 Dishes from 50 States that discussed some signature dishes from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C. Now I'd like to continue with that and take you on a culinary tour of each state; 50 desserts from 50 states! One of my goals in life is to travel to each of the 50 states and when I do I'll have to be sure to try these amazing desserts! Enjoy!

  •   Alabama: Do you like pie? Well so do people in Alabama, specifically buttermilk pie!
  •   Alaska: This shouldn't come as a shock but the go to dessert here is Baked Alaska!
  •   Arizona: Dates (the kind you eat), are used to make some delicious treats like decadent date bars!
  •   Arkansas: Possum pie! Don't worry it's not the animal; it's got yummy things like cream cheese, chocolate custard, and whipped cream!
  •   California: Citrus cakes are one of the many decadent desserts California has to offer.
  •   Colorado: Colorado is famous for peaches! This sweet fruit is good plain or made into different desserts!
  •   Connecticut: Old Hartford Election Cake! I'm not sure what this delicious dessert is but it is made with yeasted fruit, spice cake with walnuts and currants.
  •   Delaware: Strawberries are very popular here. One popular recipe is classic strawberry shortcake!
  •   Florida: There is no question that the best dessert from Florida is key lime pie! It's the best!
  •   Georgia: Georgia is famous for its peaches; it's no wonder why the dessert of choice for this state is Georgia Peach Pie!
  •   Hawaii: There are two sweet treats from this paradise: pineapples and macadamia nuts. Combine the two and you've got a dessert no man can resist!
  •   Idaho: Cake ballers. I'm not sure what this is exactly but I think it's some sort of cake-type thing stuffed with huckleberry. Sounds interesting and tasty.
  •   Illinois: Illinois claims to be one of the states that created ice cream sundaes. I don't really care who created them, they are delicious!
  •   Indiana: Sugar cream pie, or Hoosier pie, is the most famous dessert in Indiana.
  •   Iowa: Blarney Stones aren't actually rocks, they are squares of yellow cake covered in butter cream frosting and a coated of ground, salted Spanish peanuts. Sounds good!
  •   Kansas: Pepper nuts or pfeffernusse are popular in Kansas. These small cookies have a German background.
  •   Kentucky: Apparently Kentucky is pretty famous for its bourbon so the dessert from this state incorporates this taste. Chocolate cake, walnuts, caramel, and bourbon make up this delicious dessert.
  •   Louisiana: Home of New Orleans and the king cake. A king cake is a ring of cinnamon-rich dough glazed with purple green and gold. Inside there is a tiny plastic baby and whoever gets the baby has to provide the next cake. What a fun tradition!
  •   Maine: Whoopie pies, two chocolate cakes with a cream-filled center, are so popular that it has been formally recognized as the state treat.
  •   Maryland: Smith Island cake is the state dessert of Maryland. This treat consists of thin layers of cake separated by icing. The traditional combo is yellow cake and fudge icing.
  •   Massachusetts: Did you know that Boston cream pie is actually a cake? This Massachusetts original is made up of two layers of sponge cake with pastry cream in the middle and glazing of chocolate ganache.
  •   Michigan: Michigan is known for its cherries. Many desserts are made with this fruit but the most famous is cherry pie!
  •   Minnesota: People in Minnesota have a thing for dessert bars. There are a variety of flavors available.
  •   Mississippi: Mississippi mud pie and caramel cake. Caramel cake is a three-layer butter cake draped in old-fashioned caramel icing.
  •   Missouri: Gooey butter cake. The name makes this dessert sound amazing.
  •   Montana: Montana is known for its huckleberries and the locals like to make huckleberry pie and fudge!
  •   Nebraska: Kolache are Czech pastries made of yeasted dough with various fruit fillings. Famous in Nebraska.
  •   Nevada: Basque cake or gateau Basque is an almond cake enhanced with a filling of vanilla cream or fruit preserves.
  •   New Hampshire: Pumpkin is the official fruit of New Hampshire so it shouldn't be a surprise that people in this state really know how to make a good pumpkin pie.
  •   New Jersey: Blueberries are so popular in New Jersey that they are the official state fruit. Blueberry pie is the state dessert.
  •   New Mexico: Do all states have a state cookie? I don't know, but New Mexico does. Biscohito, a cinnamon and anise flavored cookie made with lard and brandy, is the state cookie.
  •   New York: There are a lot of delicious foods available in New York; perhaps the most famous dessert is cannoli!
  •   North Carolina: Did you know that more sweet potatoes are grown in North Carolina than in any other part of the country? I didn't. Sweet potato pie is a dessert of choice!
  •   North Dakota: Berliner kranser (what a cool name), a delicate cookie that is rich with butter and egg yolks. Traditionally this cookie is tied in knots.
  •   Ohio: Apples are abundant here so desserts that use this ingredient, like apple turnovers, are really popular.
  •   Oklahoma: Fried pecan pies! Who wants to take a trip to Oklahoma? Pecan pie is so is part of a formally recognized meal in this state.
  •   Oregon: Marion berry pie, jams, ice cream, and other delicious things.
  •   Pennsylvania: Shoo-fly pie! This hearty dessert is made with molasses and brown sugar!
  •   Rhode Island: Doughboys. Simply a sweet treat that consists of fried dough covered in powdered sugar.
  •   South Carolina: Benne wafer cookies! This dessert is a thin, crispy, sesame seed-based cookie.
  •   South Dakota: Kuchen is the official dessert of the state. It is a cake made with sweetened yeast dough with a custard and fruit filling.
  •   Tennessee: Mountain stack cakes are a layered creation consisting of multiple thin cakes separated by spiced apple filling.
  •   Texas: Strudels, of all kinds, are important to the people of Texas. If you ever go to Texas be sure to try one!
  •   Utah: Scones, trust me these are very yummy! They are fried yeasted dough made with butter; they are similar to fry bread or sopapillas. Top with the toppings of your choice.
  •   Vermont: The apple is the official fruit and fittingly apple pie is the state's formally recognized pie.
  •   Virginia: Peanut butter and chocolate are a fantastic combination; it's no wonder that Virginia, who is famous for peanuts, loves this combination!
  •   Washington: Washington produces more raspberries than any other state and so they make a lot of desserts with this delicious berry!
  •   West Virginia: Molasses cookies! This treat is recognized by the state as its favorite dessert.
  •   Wisconsin: Danish kringle. This wonderful treat is a flaky, buttery pastry, shaped into an oval with a tasty fruit or nut filling, although cheese and chocolate are also used, and topped with icing.
  •   Wyoming: Wyoming offers many specialty truffles including prickly pear, huckleberry, sarsaparilla, sage, and whisky-flavored chocolates.

Just like last time, this list isn't all inclusive and if I've missed your favorite dessert let me know!

Sources:
  •   https://www.ivillage.com/dessert-gifts-recipes-50-states/3-a-538461
  •   https://www.vectortemplates.com/raster/maps-us-states-01.png

    Whitney Saupan
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2013
    Email the author! whitney@dvo.com


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