Alberta’s Best Treat & Dessert Shops

It all started with a simple Facebook question: “What Alberta restaurants are worth driving hours for?”

The response was overwhelming. Thousands of comments later (across the original post and several follow-up discussions), Albertans shared the restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and dessert shops they think everyone should experience at least once.

Focusing in on your sweet tooth, this summary of Albertan’s favourite treat shops are absolutely worth the stop on your next road trip, mommy-child date day, or just satisfying that sugary craving.

Land Acknowledgement

This land has welcomed First Nations from across Turtle Island, and settlers and visitors from around the world. Alberta lands are part of Treaties 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10, and the homeland of the Métis.

Alberta Mamas respects and celebrates the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit nations. We are striving to better listen, understand, and learn from the Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

We are all Treaty people.

Cinnamon Buns

Albertans have opinions on cinnamon buns (and rightfully so! they are delicious!). In a cinnamon-bun focused Facebook post, I received almost 400 replies about where to go!

Based on that feedback, the top spots in the province for cinnamon buns are:

1. Roy’s Place, Claresholm: Recommendations: 20
2. The Farmhouse Bakery, Camrose; Recommendations: 14
3. Nice Buns Baking Co, High River; Recommendations: 13
4. Lift Me Up Bakery in Tiramisu Bistro, Edmonton; “They have different flavored cinnamon buns. They’re TO DIE FOR!!!”; Recommendations: 10
5. Little Apple Cafe, Longview; Recommendations: 10

Honourable mentions to High Level Diner in Edmonton, Chartier in Beaumont, and Cinnamon Bear Bakery & Cafe in Coleman as solid runners up.

Want the complete list? Find all of Albertan’s Favourite Spots for Cinnamon Buns here.

Donuts

According to Albertans, The hands down, nearly universally acknowledged best donuts in Alberta are:

1. Crooked Creek General Store, Crooked Creek (just south of Grande Prairie)
2. Calmar Bakery, Calmar (south of Edmonton)

These two were mentioned over and over again, averaging about three times more than the runners up.

Want the rest of the list? Find Alberta’s Best Donut Shops here.

Ice Cream Parlours

The question has been put out to the masses, and I’m waiting on replies. What ice cream shop do you have to stop at every time you’re near?

I’m not picky whether they make the ice cream in house or purchase it from a creamery, but, I can’t stand ice cream filled with ice crystals or low in flavour. Ice cream shops should have quick, friendly service, and a fun atmosphere.

And a house-made waffle cone is always worth the extra cost (or get it in a bowl – none of those flavourless basic cones!).

My top picks include:

• Asteroid, Rosedale
• The Candy Shop, Nanton
• The Grumpy Goat, Twin Butte
• Hydration Station, Drumheller
• MacKay’s Ice Cream, Cochrane

Bonus: Anywhere that serves Marble Slab Creamery’s Cotton Candy (extra blue swirls, please!).

Pies

I’m a sucker for a good crust. Flavourful filling is easy, but finding a fluffy, flavourful crust comparable to homemade is a huge challenge!

In addition to the main restaurant recommendation post, a second “where are the best pies” has brought in additional recommendations. Here’s where Albertans think the best pie can be found:

• Copper Creek Cafe, Rocky Mountain House
• Fifendekel, Edmonton
• Freson Bros. (locations throughout the province)
• Huckleberry’s Cafe, Wetaskiwin: “Amazing dill pickle soup and to die for pies” Recommendations: 12
• The Jungle Farm, Red Deer County
• Leduc Coffee Shop, Leduc
• Mercentile Cafe, Valhalla
• Miners’ Cafe, Nordegg: “PIE!!!”; Recommendations: 10
• Only Sourdough Bakehouse & Pizzeria, Kitscoty; “Sourdough pizza, bagels, cinnamon buns, cupcakes, bread and maybe just maybe you will be lucky enough to run across the dream pie.” Recommendations: 2
• Provost Meat Packers, Provost
• Rockin’ Robyn’s Diner, Edmonton
• Station Gallery & Tea House, Viking “Get the pie!”
• Stony Plain & Parkland Pioneer Museum, Stony Plain
• Sunnybrook Hill Orchard, Thorsby: get the cherry pie and cherry iced tea; Recommendations: 2
• Train Station Cafe, Viking
• Uncle Eddie’s Ukrainian Restaurant, Edmonton: “Peach and Mango pie!”
• Vi’s For Pies, Edmonton
• Violet-Mae’s Bakery, Whitecourt

And an honorary mention for “any Hutterite colony”, which received multiple recommendations!

Unique Sweet Treats

Some of Alberta’s best desserts are the ones you never expected to find. From old-fashioned milkshakes to specialty pastries and unique local favourites, these are the sweet treats that didn’t fit into another category, but definitely deserve a spot on the list.

• Leduc Coffee Shop, Leduc: orange coconut roll
• Peters’ Drive-In, Various Locations: milk shakes
• Sweet Capones, Red Deer & Lacombe: Cannolis