If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I’m always down for dessert. Having a bad day? Sweet treat. Having a good day? Sweet treat. In other words, all roads lead to sweet treats. For the month of March, I documented and ranked all of the sweet treats that I consumed, no matter the reason. Here were the ones that came out on top:
March 8th, 2023: Cookie’wich from Insomnia Cookies (Greenwich Village, NYC)
Rich vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two warm, delicious cookies? Count me in. I chose the snickerdoodle and double chocolate chunk cookies, which I wasn’t sure would complement one another, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying the flavors together. This treat was on the sweeter side, so I would recommend it if you are craving a true sugar rush. With the variety of cookie flavors on the Insomnia menu, the possibilities are endless!
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March 15th, 2023: Cinnamon Caramel Oatmeal Cookie ice cream from Boombalatti’s Homemade Ice Cream (Wilmington, NC)
I stumbled upon this gem of an ice cream shop over spring break, and I can honestly say that it is the best ice cream I have ever had. The cinnamon ice cream had the perfect amount of sweetness, with swirls of cinnamon and caramel throughout. Chunks of oatmeal cookies in the otherwise smooth dessert were a nice surprise—they added delightful texture and flavor.
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March 21st, 2023: Cheesecake Milkshake from Wawa (Pottstown, PA)
Wawa milkshakes are a staple in my household and I’m always extremely excited when a new flavor comes out. In this case, an old favorite was rereleased: cheesecake. This milkshake was tangy and sweet and satisfied my craving flawlessly. I was also pleased to find that there were graham cracker crumbs mixed in!
I would definitely recommend this, but be prepared for an extremely sweet treat!
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March 24th, 2023: Orange Blossom Cherry Teacake and Pistachio Cherry Cookie from Maman (Upper West Side, NYC)
Orange Blossom Cherry Teacake:
This cake packed an incredible amount of joy into a small, flower-shaped package. The sponge was light, fluffy and melted on the tongue. I always fear that fruit-flavored desserts will be too medicinal tasting, but that wasn’t the case for this orange cake. I thought that the citrus flavor was subtle, yet incredibly realistic. The glaze-like frosting on top added a wonderful crunch, and the little cherry embedded inside was a great punch of tartness.
Pistachio Cherry Cookie:
If I could marry this cookie, I would. It was crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, with tart cherry jam spread on top. The sprinkles of pistachio took it over the edge for me, adding just the right amount of crunch. This cookie was perfectly balanced and quite refreshing, the ideal treat for spring!
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March 28th, 2023: Tiramisu and Strawberry gelatos from Gelatoville Gelataria (Lower East Side, NYC)
Gelatoville Gelataria opened last Wednesday on 1st Avenue, but it’s already making itself a staple on the block—and for good reason. The owners allowed me to try multiple flavors before making my final decision, which helped me navigate their extensive menu of gelatos. I landed on a combination of tiramisu and strawberry, two of my favorite flavors, but there are many more that I can’t wait to try in the future (wafer: I am coming for you!).
The texture of the gelato was smooth, creamy, and light. I believe that this really benefitted the tiramisu flavor, which tends to become overpowering in a dairy-dessert format. The coffee flavor dances beautifully with the mascarpone, creating an overall delicate and impressive scoop. The strawberry flavor paired magically, providing a refreshing escape from its sweeter counterpart. After only a few days, I’m ready to go back and try more!