10 Must-Try Sweet Treats In Kansas City: The Ultimate 2025 KC Dessert Guide
Kansas City’s dessert scene is exploding in 2025, offering a delectable mix of time-honored classics and innovative new bakeries that are changing the game. Whether you're a local looking for a new obsession or a visitor craving a sugar fix, the sheer variety of sweet treats—from artisanal French macarons to award-winning ice cream flavors—proves that the City of Fountains is also a city of fantastic desserts. This comprehensive guide highlights the absolute must-try spots right now, ensuring your next indulgence is both fresh and unforgettable.
As of late 2025, the culinary landscape continues its rapid expansion, with new international chains and local favorites opening or expanding their footprint across the metro area. This curated list focuses on the establishments that define the KC sweet tooth, blending the tradition of classic bakeries with the excitement of modern, gourmet concepts to give you the freshest, most authoritative guide to the city's best desserts.
The Iconic KC Classics: Bakeries and Custom Cakes
Kansas City has a rich history of family-owned bakeries that have perfected their craft over decades. These are the foundational pillars of the city's sweet treats culture, known for their consistency, quality, and signature items that generations of Kansas Citians have grown up loving.
- McLain’s Bakery + Market: The Coffee Cake King
- Bloom Baking Co.: French Macarons and Pastries
- Strawberry Hill Bakery: The Cream Cheese Coffeecake
- Ibis Bakery: Artisanal Breads and Croissants
A true Kansas City institution since 1945, McLain’s has expanded beyond its original Waldo location to become a beloved multi-site bakery and market. Their signature item is, without a doubt, the Coffee Cake. Options like the Pecan, Almond, Apple, and the Blueberry Cheese Coffee Cake are legendary. They also boast a fantastic lineup of classic cookies, including the famous Monster Cookie (which is also gluten-free), making it a perfect stop for both a quick pastry and a full custom cake order.
Located in the historic River Market, Bloom Baking Co. is an artisan bakery specializing in handcrafted pastries and custom cakes. They are arguably best known for their beautifully crafted French Macarons, which come in a rotating array of flavors such as Vanilla Bean, Pistachio, Lavender, and Salted Caramel. Their large window allows guests to watch the bakers at work, adding a unique experience to picking up your treats.
While technically located just across the state line in Merriam, Kansas, Strawberry Hill Bakery is often cited as a top-tier KC-area bakery. Their must-try item is the Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, a rich, decadent treat that locals rave about. It’s a quintessential example of a classic, no-frills neighborhood bakery that excels at comfort desserts.
For those who prefer a more European-style treat, Ibis Bakery is a standout. They are renowned for their artisanal breads, but their pastries, particularly their croissants, are exceptional. Ibis represents the gourmet, handcrafted side of the KC bakery scene, often supplying other top-tier restaurants.
The Cold Rush: Gourmet Ice Cream and Frozen Custard Spots
When the Kansas City heat hits, or really, any time of year, the city’s selection of frozen treats offers incredible variety, from rich frozen custard to inventive, award-winning ice cream flavors.
Fairway Creamery: Award-Winning and Inventive Flavors
Fairway Creamery is a powerhouse in the KC frozen dessert world, offering both traditional ice cream and soft serve, alongside gourmet donuts and coffee. Their reputation for innovation is well-earned, especially after winning "Flavor of the Year" for the Midwest with their Persian Rose Pistachio ice cream. Other standout flavors include Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter Chocolate Flake, and the unique French Lavender, showcasing their commitment to high-quality, inventive scoops.
The shop’s family-friendly atmosphere makes it a perfect destination for an afternoon treat, whether you’re grabbing a scoop or one of their inventive donuts.
- The Golden Scoop: Ice Cream with a Mission
- Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard: The Brookside Classic
- High Hopes Ice Cream: Bourbon Butter Pecan
The Golden Scoop is a must-visit, not just for its delicious treats but for its heartwarming mission. As a non-profit café, it provides meaningful employment for people with unique abilities, making every purchase a contribution to the community. Their ice cream is unique, featuring cereal-infused varieties, such as the Golden Crunch with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The recent opening of their newest, larger location with a drive-thru and sensory-friendly dining area makes it more accessible than ever.
A neighborhood favorite since 1988, Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard is the place to go for a classic, rich, and creamy frozen custard. Located in Brookside, they are famous for their concrete—a thick blend of custard and your choice of mix-ins—standing as a testament to the enduring popularity of this dense, smooth dessert.
Situated near Loose Park and The Plaza, High Hopes makes its own ice cream with unique, high-end flavors. A standout is their Bourbon Butter Pecan, a sophisticated take on a classic that appeals to the adult palate. High Hopes is a great example of the gourmet ice cream trend taking hold in KC.
What's Fresh: New and Trending Sweet Spots for 2025
The Kansas City sweet treats market is constantly evolving. For 2025, several new and expanding concepts are creating a buzz, ensuring there’s always something new to try.
- Paris Baguette's KC Arrival
- Hemma Hemma's Downtown Expansion
- The New Overland Park Pastry Shop
The highly anticipated arrival of Paris Baguette to Kansas City is one of the biggest bakery stories of 2025. This international chain is known for its wide variety of French-inspired pastries, cakes, and breads, blending a café experience with gourmet baked goods. Its opening signifies a major boost to the city’s selection of high-end, globally-influenced treats.
The expansion of the popular Hemma Hemma, with a new downtown location featuring a retro-inspired diner, is bringing fresh dessert options to the urban core. While known for its food, the expansion promises new sweet treats and a vibrant, nostalgic atmosphere for enjoying a post-meal indulgence.
A new, unnamed coffee and pastry shop is slated to open in Overland Park's Trailwood Shopping Center in early 2025, promising fresh pastries and coffee to the suburban area. These neighborhood openings are crucial for keeping the local KC dessert scene vibrant and accessible.
Kansas City's sweet treats landscape is a dynamic mix of tradition and innovation. From the generational appeal of McLain’s Coffee Cake to the mission-driven scoops at The Golden Scoop and the gourmet macarons at Bloom Baking Co., the city offers a dessert for every craving. By exploring these iconic and new spots, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the rich and diverse culinary culture that makes KC a true sweet spot on the map.
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