Michigan isn’t just about beautiful lakes and automotive history – it’s also home to some seriously amazing dessert spots! I’ve spent months exploring the sweetest corners of the Great Lakes State, sampling everything from artisan chocolates to exotic bubble teas. Whether you’re craving something traditional or adventurous, these six unique dessert cafes offer treats that’ll make your taste buds dance with joy. Grab your sweet tooth and join me on this delicious journey!
1. Mochi Dough: Chewy Donut Paradise
Walking into Mochi Dough feels like entering a colorful dreamland where traditional donuts got a major upgrade! The signature mochi donuts combine the chewy texture of Japanese rice cakes with the familiar comfort of American donuts.
What makes these treats special is their distinctive flower shape and incredible range of flavors that rotate weekly. My personal favorite is the ube coconut – its purple hue and tropical taste transport me straight to vacation mode.
Though relatively new to Michigan, these Hawaiian-inspired delights have quickly developed a cult following. Many customers become regulars after just one bite, and I’ve seen people drive hours just to get their mochi donut fix!
2. The Mitten Made Cafe: Midland Mall’s Local Treats
The Mitten Made Cafe in Midland, Michigan, is a family owned café and marketplace combining sweet treats, snacks, and local artisan goods under one roof. It’s known especially for its freeze dried candy line “The Frozen Mitten,” which evolved into a full café offering made from scratch baked goods, local snacks, lunch items, soups and sandwiches.
Visitors also browse locally made crafts, candles, and quirky gift items. One highlight is its focus on sourcing from local makers – breads, preserves, and sweets that reflect the state’s bounty. While it doesn’t specialize in ornate showpieces or state shape cookies, its airy shop, cheerful staff, and assortment of nostalgic treats make it a cozy stop for dessert lovers and mall walkers alike.
Perfect for those who want something sweet, simple, and distinctly local without fuss or pretension.
3. Bon Bon Bon: Chocolate With Attitude
Bon Bon Bon, based in Hamtramck / Detroit, produces handcrafted chocolates and “bons” that mix artistry and bold flavor. Their offerings range from classics like Better Butter Crunch and Bumpy (a nod to Detroit favorites) to more creative combinations like High Tea (Earl Grey and cream), Strawberry & Balsamic, Lil Hottie (chile – honey), and seasonal collections.
The chocolate shop produces gift-worthy boxes, collaborates with local artists for packaging and flavor inspiration, and emphasizes fresh, local ingredients where possible. Their downtown and Midtown locations are artistic and vibrant, radiating creative energy in décor and menu.
While they don’t officially make “hot dog ingredient bons,” their flavors are often inspired by local culture. It’s the kind of place chocolate aficionados plan visits around, and their experimental but rooted approach to chocolate has earned them a strong following.
4. For the Love of Sugar: Instagram-Worthy Cake Heaven
Detroit’s For the Love of Sugar presents an elevated dessert café experience focused on cakes, cookies, macarons, and frozen treats. This café offers a range of stylish cakes (layer cakes, celebration cakes), macarons in flavor combinations like lavender and honey, chocolatey cookies, and rotating dessert jars.
The interiors tend to be bright, modern, and welcoming, with plush seating and decorative touches ideal for get togethers or special occasions. Though some menu items are Instagram friendly, such as elegantly decorated layer cakes, the café emphasizes flavor and quality over show.
Local customers appreciate the moist cakes, variety of dessert sizes, and choice between elaborate and comfort sweet treats. While it doesn’t offer every exotic item described in travel essays, For the Love of Sugar is decidedly real and a favorite for indulgent desserts in Detroit.
5. Bambu: Exotic Che Dessert Drinks
Bambu Desserts & Drinks in Ann Arbor serves a colorful menu of bubble tea, Vietnamese chè, smoothies, and dessert drinks that are both refreshing and playful. Known for halo halo taro, Thai milk tea, and creative specialty drinks like the “Bambu Favorite” with longan, pearls, and coconut milk, it balances flavor with a welcoming vibe.
The shop offers options for dietary restrictions like vegan or dairy reduced drinks, and its walls are often lined with whimsical dessert photos and friendly staff ready to make recommendations. Their Canton and Madison Heights locations also include pandan waffles and bubble egg waffles among popular customers’ favorites.
Prices are moderate, and hours tend toward afternoon through evening. While not all the exaggerated flavor experiments from travel tales are on the permanent menu, Bambu reliably delivers authentic Southeast Asian sweet drinks with a local twist that many returning customers enjoy.
6. The Mitten Made Cafe: Michigan-Shaped Sweetness
If you’re looking for desserts with true Michigan pride, The Mitten Made Cafe serves up state-shaped cookies and treats that celebrate all things Great Lakes. Stepping inside feels like walking into your favorite aunt’s kitchen – warm, welcoming, and smelling absolutely divine!
Their signature Michigan-shaped sugar cookies come decorated with edible maps highlighting different regions of the state. For something extra special, try their Detroit-style hot chocolate topped with a tiny chocolate Belle Isle or Mackinac Bridge.
Locals love bringing out-of-state visitors here for a taste of Michigan hospitality. The owners source ingredients from local farmers whenever possible, making each bite a true celebration of the state’s agricultural bounty.
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