Sweet treats await at these 15 Gulf Coast spots

Alabama’s Gulf Coast has all the makings for an epic beach getaway. The icing on top? This region is known for its bounty of family-friendly destinations that specialize in all things confectionary, from flashy shakes to gigantic cinnamon rolls.

Devour these must-try sweets from 15 haunts around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. 

When a mere milkshake just won’t do, turn to The Yard Milkshake Bar. The national chain got its start in Gulf Shores, where it still slings mason jars filled with shakes and topped with whole slices of baked treats, including cheesecake and brownies.

Relish the beach vibes with The Mermaid: a base of cake batter and blue monster ice cream, topped with whipped cream, candy jewels, pink marshmallow drizzle, and a white chocolate tail. 

Caffeine cravers can indulge their sweet tooth at Gulf Shores’ FOAM Coffee. An ever-changing menu of creative coffee drinks includes iced mochas and lavender-honey lattes. Count yourself lucky if you catch the Stroopwafel latte, made with locally roasted espresso and house-made cinnamon syrup, and topped with the chewy Dutch treat it’s named for. 

While you’re getting a taste of Europe, don’t miss Yumm Twister and Ice Cream. The shop specializes in the types of towering chimney cones found in Budapest and Prague. A sweet pastry rolled into a funnel shape, coated in butter, and baked to perfection is filled with gelato, fruit, and toppings.

For a real showstopper, opt for the s’mores chimney cone, which comes ostentatiously garnished with whole graham crackers, chocolate squares, and a toasted marshmallow. 

Those vacationing on Gulf Shores’ West Beach can satisfy a sweet tooth at Island Ice Cream & Treats. Not only does this beachside shop serve more than 40 flavors with mix-and-match toppings, but the menu features a handful of outrageous sundaes, too. Ice cream in the aptly named Beach Hair, Doughnut Care comes topped with its namesake pastry and a pile of whipped cream in a chocolate-glazed mason jar. 

Calling all chocoholics! Inside the unassuming storefront at Gulf Shores’ Chocolate Corner, a wonderland of clusters, caramels, and buttery fudge cups await. This independent chocolatier boasts more than 15 flavors of bark, handmade pecan-caramel turtles, sophisticated dark chocolate truffles laced with sea salt, and more. 

Pillows of finely shaved ice are the base for New Orleans Original Snoballs’ heat-beating treats. Visitors to the bright yellow stand in Gulf Shores have their choice of flavored syrups—mocha cream, strawberry, grape, and more—poured on top.

But take a nod from the mom-and-pop’s name (as well as a menu that includes muffulettas and boudin) and go with a Big Easy classic: a nectar sno-ball topped with condensed milk. Cash only. Venmo and Cash App are also accepted.

Cowbell Rolled Ice Cream is said to be the first shop of its kind on the Alabama Gulf Coast. For its new banana pudding roll, cream is poured over Nilla wafers, vanilla pudding, and a banana. The mixture is then finely chopped, spread in a thin layer on a chilled surface, then scraped up into delicate rolls before being sprinkled with crushed graham crackers. Christopher Walken called it: We do need more Cowbell. 

While the Florida Keys have their key lime game on lock, so does one of Gulf Shores’ most venerable watering holes. The candy-hued Pink Pony Pub does the tiny citrus justice in more ways than one with delectable slices of key lime pie and a boozy frozen key lime colada. Grab one (or both!) to enjoy on the laid-back patio at sunset. 

How huge is the giant cinnamon bun on Coast-AL Orange Beach’s brand-new breakfast menu? Literally jaw-dropping. This house-made monolith, poised in a pool of gooey caramel icing, is the perfect morning shareable for a table of 4 … or 8. Dig. In. 

When properly pronounced, beignet ends with a “yay!” The Flora-Bama Yacht Club gives this doughnut-esque cause for celebration a creative treatment, fried in strips and dusted with powdered sugar. The pièce de résistance? This toes-in-the-sand foodie destination serves its addictive beignet fries in a white chocolate ganache sauce.

Bite into a bit of nostalgia at BuzzCatz Coffee & Sweets, where the house-made toaster pastries are always worth the early morning wait. Gone are the preservatives and foil packaging of their mass-produced cousins; instead, fresh flaky pastry encases a rotating selection of fillings such as cherry pie and chocolate éclair. Each handheld snack comes frosted and topped with chopped nuts or sprinkles. 

The folks behind City Donut in Orange Beach have been dreaming up wild and decadent doughnut concoctions for more than a decade. Doughy fried rings are topped with everything from Fruity Pebbles to crumbled Butterfingers or filled with the likes of key lime cream. They’ll even glaze, fill, and fry a croissant for you.

Among their most novel inventions? Doughnut sliders packed with ice cream, griddled on the panini press, and then buried in an avalanche of toppings. Arrive early on weekends, especially during summertime. 

Embrace your inner Italian with an affogato al caffè from local favorite Southern Grind Coffee House, located inside The Wharf entertainment complex. For this sweet, rich pick-me-up, freshly brewed espresso is poured over 2 scoops of creamy gelato. And, lest you worry this is a coffee drink and not a dessert, the mixture is topped with whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. Tutto bene!

Deep South Cake Company’s signature caramel cakes, complete with old-fashioned drizzle icing, have drawn a devoted following. Can’t commit to a whole cake? Buy a slice, or indulge in a fluffy cupcake (or two), like luscious red velvet or fruit-flecked strawberry.

And if cookies are more your cup of tea, this third-generation family of bakers have you covered with their soft, chewy versions in tempting s’more and classic chocolate chip flavors. 

The scoops don’t get much fresher than at Pete’s Ice Cream and Donuts. The newly minted mom-and-pop shop already has a loyal Orange Beach fan base thanks to straight-from-the-dairy cream, real fruit, and no mixes or artificial ingredients. Flavors change often in Pete’s spinning wheel display case, and taste best served in a scratch-made waffle cone. 

Trip host, Instagram personality, and travel writer Jessica Fender is pretty sure she got a cavity just thinking about this list. Follow her adventures from the Deep South to South America on Instagram @travelerbroads.