23 Best Desserts in Denver According to a Local (2023)

I’m a Denver local here to share the absolute best desserts in Denver! 

Dessert just so happens to be my favorite food group, and I loved visiting some new spots to put together this round-up. It features popular places for ice cream, baked goods, fanciful chocolates, and much more. 

I also highlight shops for gluten-free and vegan options, as well as unique global sweets. And, I’ll point you to some hidden gems that I know you, fellow dessert fans will love! 

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23 Best Denver Desserts

D Bar Denver

🍽️ American | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 861-4710

D Bar is one of the best restaurants in Denver, known for its “upscale comfort food.” It serves weekend brunch, as well as lunch and dinner daily. The cocktail menu is fun, and the dessertini drinks are a great after-dinner treat. 

But D Bar is known for its dessert menu. Customer favorites include cinnamon churros, beignets, macarons, and a chocolate lava cake you wouldn’t believe is gluten-free. Adjacent to the restaurant is a dessert bar where you can order some of D Bar’s signature treats to go. 

👉 Pro Tip: D Bar just opened a second location in Central Park, one of the best Denver neighborhoods! 

Duffeyroll Cafe

🍽️ Bakery | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 753-9177

Duffeyroll has three cafes that serve breakfast and lunch, but what it’s really known for is its cinnamon rolls. These confections are hand rolled and baked fresh each day. Order a traditional cinnamon roll, or try flavors like orange, pecan, and Irish cream, or even savory options like bacon and ham.

Milkbox Ice Creamery

🍽️ Ice Cream | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 460-3707

Inside Union Station, one of the best attractions in Denver, you’ll find Milkbox Ice Creamery. The shop has sixteen flavors of small-batch ice cream. 

Popular options include banana pudding, basil blueberry swirl, and salted Oreo — which is also available vegan. Various sorbet flavors further cater to plant-based eaters and those who are lactose intolerant. Shakes, sundaes, and boozy floats round out the menu. 

🍦 Get the Scoop: Milkbox Ice Creamery is one of the stops on this highly-rated downtown Denver food tour!

Voodoo Doughnut

🍽️ Donuts | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞  (720) 649-5666

Voodoo Doughnuts has a cult following, and you can visit one of the three in the Denver area. Treat yourself to flavors like hibiscus, the spicy Ring of Fire, and PB&J, a vegan option. The shop serves classics like blueberry cake donuts and glazed old fashioned, too. 

Insomnia Cookies

🍽️ Cookies | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (719) 242-9200

If you want a late-night Denver dessert from the comfort of your home, Insomnia Cookies has you covered. You can get warm cookies, a cookie ice cream sandwich, brownies, or a cookie cake until the wee hours of the morning. Bonus: you can even order milk on the side. 

Azucar Bakery

🍽️ Bakery | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 283-3294

Azucar Bakery has lots of delectable desserts, and the cheesecake comes highly recommended! You can also pop in for cookies, bonbons, cupcakes, and chocolate flan. The bakery is also known for special occasion cakes, namely with dulce de leche filling. 

Little Man Ice Cream

🍽️ Ice Cream | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 455-3811

Little Man serves up one of Denver’s must-try foods: ice cream. Sure, you can get similar creamy confections elsewhere, but this massive milk jug draws crowds for good reason. 

In the summer, the line winds around the block. Chat with locals and on several nights, catch live music! It’s common to see folks dancing to swing and bluegrass under the string lights. 

Come for the vibe and undeniably good flavors, like cinnamon toast crunch and caramel sea salt — my personal favorite! I love to take my family here, as it’s one of the best things to do in Denver with kids. 

Deiter’s Chocolates

🍽️ Chocolatier | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 925-5982

All of Deiter’s truffles, turtles, toffees, chocolate bars, and other sweets are made in-house. You can pick out a variety of chocolate, or go for a pre-packaged box for a special occasion. For the ultimate treat, sign up for its subscription box to get chocolates on the regular.

Happy Bakeshop

🍽️ Bakery | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 477-3556

Happy Bakeshop offers classic desserts like cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, as well as cheesecakes and pies. It even sells a line of desserts for your dog! 

One of its unique offerings is a DIY decorating kit. Pick up frosting and sprinkles with your baked cookies or cupcakes, and enjoy creating your own masterpiece. 

Neveria La Mexicana

🍽️ Ice Cream | $$ | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 322-0461

Expect ice cream flavors with a Mexican twist at Neveria La Mexicana. Creative options include horchata and Gansito, a strawberry-chocolate combo. Escamochas, similar to fruit salad, paletas, and agua frescas is also on the dessert menu. 

duo Restaurant

🍽️ New American | $$$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 477-4141

duo Restaurant has a great cocktail and dinner menu, which is centered around farm-to-table ingredients. Though, you’ll want to leave plenty of room for dessert! 

The restaurant’s chocolate French silk pie is to die for. But you can’t go wrong with sticky toffee pudding, poached pears, or any of the other delicious dessert choices.  

French for Sugar

🍽️ Bakery | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 522-6886

French for Sugar has cream puffs, cupcakes, fanciful meringue cookies, macarons, and other pastries and treats. It also specializes in custom cakes for weddings and birthdays. There’s a charming event room on-site, which hosts events like Mother’s Day tea and private parties.

Sweet Action

🍽️ Ice Cream | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps

You can find delicious Sweet Action ice cream at four locations around Denver. The company prioritizes sustainability, using wind power for its shops and manufacturing sites. It also uses locally-sourced ingredients in several of its flavors. 

One such flavor, Stranahan’s whiskey brickle, features a local distillery! Other favorites include salted butterscotch and a variety of vegan options.  

Istanbul Café and Bakery

🍽️ Turkish | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞  (720) 536.5455

Stop by this Turkish bakery for flaky, sweet baklava in several flavors. You’ll also find treats like sarma, kadayif, and simit. Order a hot cup of Turkish coffee to complete the experience. 

Boba & Crepes

🍽️ Creperie | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 324-0169

Bubble tea can be a dessert in itself. But at this little cafe, you can combine it with sweet crepes, filled with fruit or ice cream! There are also savory options, allowing you to enjoy an entire meal when visiting. 

Miette et Chocolat

🍽️ Chocolatier  | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 6580861

Miette et Chocolat creates chocolate confections that are as gorgeous to look at as they are tasty to eat! It has two locations in Aurora, both serving traditional and contemporary treats. These include bonbons, truffles, and unique candy bars by its world-renowned chefs.

Maria Empanada

🍽️ Argentinian | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 934-2221

You can get Maria’s delicious empanadas and sweets at three locations around Denver. Find shops on Broadway, on Platte Street, and in the Stanley Marketplace in Aurora. 

For dessert, be sure to try the “banatella” with bananas and Nutella. The shortbread cookies, known as alfajores, are also delicious. Pair one (or several!) with a shot of espresso.

📚 Related Reading: 24 Best Coffee Shops in Denver (By a Local)

Granny Scott’s Pie Shop

🍽️ Bakery & Deli | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 986-6240

Granny Scott’s Pie Shop is located in Lakewood, one of the best Denver suburbs. Stop in for a slice, or order a pie for a family gathering.

It bakes more than 25 varieties! You’ll find all the popular flavors, plus some unique options like New England blueberry cheese and rocky road. Gluten-free pies are also available, as are sandwiches, salads, breakfast burritos, and other deli foods. 

Sweet Cooie’s

🍽️ Ice Cream | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 550-7140

Sweet Cooie’s serves up its delicious ice cream in handmade waffle cones. You can also get old-fashioned malts, sundaes with whipped cream, shakes, and chocolate truffles at this nostalgic shop. 

Devil’s Food Bakery

🍽️ Bakery | $$ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 777-9555

Devil’s Food Bakery offers a variety of savory and sweet baked goods. For dessert, choose between cookies, donuts, tarts, cakes, strudel, and more! You can also get coffee or tea to go along with your treat. 

🫖 Love Tea? Check out my guide to the best tea houses in Denver! 

Inventing Room Dessert Shop

🍽️ Dessert | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (303) 960-6656

Shop owners say The Inventing Room was inspired by Willy Wonka! Watch its sugar science demonstrations to learn about the different stages of cooking with sugar. Even better, five samples are included! 

These include unique creations like glow in the dark cotton candy and a liquid nitrogen sundae. There’s also a candy shop if you want to add to your sugar stash. Hands down, this is one of the most unique Denver date ideas! 

👉 Pro Tip: The Inventing Room requires tickets for each demo, so be sure to plan ahead. 

Sweet Cow Ice Cream

🍽️ Ice Cream | $ | Website | 📍 Google Maps | 📞 (720) 479-8838

Sweet Cow has several locations, including one in the Denver Highlands. Along with traditional ice cream flavors, you’ll find creations like mint Girl Scout cookies, peanut butter and jelly, and candied ginger. 

You’ll want to check the website, though, because flavors can change. What won’t change? The fact that you’ll get a great-tasting cone to perk up your day! 

Lala’s Bakery

🍽️ Bakery | ($$) | Website | 📍 Google Maps 

The ladies at Lala’s Bakery met while working at a former Larimer Square eatery. Fortunately, they are back together at Lala’s Bakery in Arvada.

Here, they make its signature “Spring Fling” zucchini cake with fruit filling. The mixed berry chantilly cake is another crowd favorite, though there are so many delicious flavors to choose from.

👉 Heads Up: Lala’s Bakery is not a storefront, and their confections are only available via pre-order. 

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Hopefully, this list of desserts in Denver, Colorado will help you indulge your sweet tooth. Bon appétit!