It’s (almost) always a good time for a sweet treat. Sure, we’re big proponents of moderation, too—but that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate a delicacy when the chance comes. If you’re in the same camp, these seven dessert spots are some of the Susquehanna Valley’s most revered.
Yum Yum Mini Pancake Bar & More
For Guadalupe Islas, no individual culture influenced her palate. Instead, having emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. at 11 years old, and having lived in New Jersey, Texas, and Pennsylvania, her taste is uniquely multicultural.
Yum Yum Mini Pancake Bar & More (emphasis on the more) is a representation of that. It offers mini pancakes, bubble waffles, walking tacos, street corn, taiyakis, aqua fresca, milkshakes, and specialty chips straight from Mexico, among many other delicacies.
Islas says, “It’s just that fusion that you get from growing up with so many different cultures.”
Order a batch of mini pancakes and you can choose three toppings. Islas recommends caramel, tres leches, and fresh whipped cream for first timers. More adventurous eaters may be inclined to try the bubble waffles, made from a tapioca flour batter and sporting a crispy-outside-gooey-inside appeal.
If you’re a savory lover, just know that the Mexican street-style corn cob sells out every day, so it may be best to plan ahead.
3401 Hartzdale Dr, Suite 131, Camp Hill | facebook.com/yumyum.officialpa
The Copper Crust Co.
Chef owners of The Copper Crust Co. in York, Nicole and Sean Austin, first met at the Culinary Institute of America, where they not only fell in love with their craft, but also with each other.
That passion speaks loudly in their products. “Everything we create is incredibly thoughtful,” says Nicole Austin. After more than a decade serving legendary pizzas, pastries, and more, they’re preparing to make their existing operation even more robust—much to the pleasure of all who frequent the establishment. Austin expects to have a whole extra pastry case thanks to additional production capacity, plus the team is opening a brewery next door.
Perhaps Copper Crust’s most famous pastry is the Paris bun, a type of sticky bun made with a flaky laminated dough. Not to be missed is the Paris-Brest. Originally created for a bicycle race from Paris to Brest, France, it’s shaped like a ring and made from baked pâte à choux dough, nutella, pastry cream, whipped cream, almonds, and powdered sugar.
On the savory side, Copper Crust does something most places don’t—they cure and smoke all of their own salmon, bacon, and pastrami. Try the Stern, made with lox, red onion, capers, and cream cheese on a bagel to indulge in the fresh taste for yourself.
The Austins are classically trained chefs and honor all ingredients for incredible balance and texture that, quite frankly, is obvious from the first bite.
996 S George St, York | thecoppercrustcompany.com
Bistro Barberet & Bakery
Chef Cedric Barberet has a storied career, but it’s one of his most recent accomplishments—surpassing the elusive seven-year threshold of Bistro Barberet & Bakery in Lancaster—that puts a smile on his face. In the industry, if you make it past seven years, you can rest easier on the premise you’re around for the long haul. Given the fact that Barberet was once named one of the top 10 pastry chefs in the U.S. by Dessert Professional Magazine; has won Chopped Sweets; and has been honored around the world for his talents; this is truly a treat for those who live near the bistro and bakery.
On the bakery side, the sight of a jewelry case full of artfully crafted high-end French pastries is drool-worthy in and of itself, and the flavors really do match the aesthetic.
Visitors can enjoy the seven-layer chocolate cake (a gluten-free flourless chocolate cake coated in dark chocolate), ruby (a raspberry mousse with key lime center and yellow sponge), and upside-down snickers (a play on the famed candy bar), just to name a few. That’s not to mention the chocolate truffles, French macarons, and danishes made with laminated doughs that add to the mix. The cakes are low in sugar, the creams are light, and the pastries are refreshing.
26 E King St, Lancaster | 26eastlancaster.com/barberet
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Helena’s Cafe & Creperie
“It isn’t just serving coffee and making cake,” says Chef Matt Hicks, owner of Helena’s Cafe & Creperie in Carlisle. “It’s us getting to know people.”
Helena’s is a communal meeting point that just so happens to be known for its rainbow-colored case full of French macarons (except, of course, when demand eats into the stockpile). With options like dulce de leché, salted caramel, and pistachio, the macaron flavors run the gamut.
In addition to the macarons, take note to try the sourdough donut holes in the morning, a sandwich in the afternoon, and even some local-only grocery items while you’re in for a visit at any time of day. If you’re after a crepe, Helena’s has sweet (like chocolate and raspberry) and savory (like gruyere cheese, bacon, and egg). Then there are the cakes—red velvet, chocolate lavender, and orange creamsicle, just to name a few.
Altogether, Helena’s has the bakery thing on lock, and Carlisle locals and visitors alike can rely on the spot to be “the first smile they get in the morning,” Hicks says.
36 W High St, Carlisle | helenascafe.com
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Mill 72 Bake Shop & Cafe
Manheim’s Mill 72 is the epitome of a family-oriented establishment. Owner Melanie Miller is a mom of four daughters, and her family of six (plus two sons-in-law) all play a role in the success of the bakery. With a second location in Lebanon preparing to open, that teamwork comes in handy now more than ever.
The family vibes extend to the customers as well. “We know their history, their backgrounds, their stories,” Miller says about her regulars. People love their cupcakes, tandy cakes, and energy balls as a morning or midday pick-me-up. To accompany their sweet treats, Miller loves to see people order creative drinks like lavender or rose flavorings with espresso.
As Mill 72 settles into its second location, guests can expect new varieties of pastries, danishes, and turnovers, among other surprises.
45 N Main St, Manheim | Lebanon | mill72.com
Desserts Etc.
Reney Bartolomei is general manager of Desserts Etc., a Hershey-based upscale bakery with a diverse array of baked goods. She’s also part of the family that owns the family-owned operation, and knows firsthand just how much they all appreciate everyone who enters. “We want to make you feel like you belong here,” Bartolomei says.
Clearly, the family’s love language is baked goods. Cream cheese stuffed muffins, chocolate peanut butter cakes, sticky buns, and more line the shelves. The fudge bomb—an almost-unbelievable concoction made of a chocolate cookies-and-creme crust, lava cake, opera fudge with varying flavors, and chocolate ganache—is a wildly rich, cupcake-sized treat and a half.
Over the warmer months, guests can expect Desserts Etc. to take part in more events, like hosting live music or partnering with the Palmyra Greenhouse flower truck. If you make yourself a regular, just be warned that you will find yourself as integral to the operation as the cakes themselves.
840 E Chocolate Ave, Hershey | dessertsetc.com
Urban Churn
Adam Brackbill’s ice cream nostalgia didn’t start with a cone. Instead, it started with old-fashioned salt-and-ice churns. At family gatherings in Juniata County as a kid, he’d participate in churning ice cream by hand, made with dairy from the family’s own cows.
Fast forward to the present day—Brackbill’s churning pastime has turned into a regional empire of sorts. With three locations, a churning facility, and expansion into wholesale for grocery stores and restaurants, Urban Churn has become integral to the Susquehanna Valley.
One flavor, honey lemon lavender, is a cult favorite—especially as an affogato, Brackbill says. “Folks would think that lemon and lavender with coffee might not turn out well, but it actually does,” he adds about the so-called secret menu item.
Dark soul—a midnight Brazilian cocoa with shards of Lititz-based Wilbur Chocolate’s Brandywine chocolate chunks—offers a deeply bold flavor for chocoholics. “It was supposed to just be a Halloween flavor, but so many people wanted to keep it,” Brackbill says.
In addition to its two locations in Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg, Urban Churn recently expanded into Carlisle. You can also find Brackbill’s creations at certain Giant Food Stores and other retail and restaurant establishments moving forward.
Harrisburg | Mechanicsburg | Carlisle | urbanchurn.com
