As Penn State students, we are hardwired to love and adore ice cream from the Berkey Creamery (and it truly is fantastic!). Serving up classics like Peachy Paterno, Death by Chocolate and Alumni Swirl—there’s no surprise why Nittany Lions usually revert to their favorite ice creams when they need to satisfy a sweet tooth. However, have you ever craved some other dessert? Maybe a delicately crafted tart? A subtly sweet and rich piece of dark chocolate cake? Or even a guilty pleasure dessert pizza?
This past week, VALLEY took a grand tour of downtown State College—in search of some of the tastiest dessert destinations Happy Valley has to offer. Here are a few places other than the Creamery to pick up some sweet treats!
Crust & Crumb Cafe
Located at 115 E. Beaver Ave, Crust & Crumb was our first dessert destination. This quaint little café specializes in artisan pastries and baked goods, including a wide variety of cupcakes, cheesecakes, tarts, scones and cookies. For coffee lovers, you can also pair any of the café’s beautifully crafted treats with an equally beautiful cup of coffee. Choose from an intriguing assortment of flavored lattes, cold brews, espresso drinks and drip coffees.
The most exciting thing about Crust & Crumb’s pastry menu is its variability. There is something different in their case every day! That means a new combination of flavors, desserts and treats to try. Give Crust & Crumb a follow on Instagram to find out which baked goods are featured in their case every day. Follow them @crustandcrumbcafe on Instagram and click here to see their menu.
VALLEY ordered their milk and cookies cupcake and the s’mores cheesecake—both were fabulous.
Grab a cup of ice-cold milk for this cupcake because milk and cookies are back and better than ever. With an extra piece of chocolate and a delicate cookie dusting, the milk and cookies cupcake was super moist and definitely satisfied our sweet tooth.
Up next, the s’mores cheesecake. Featuring butter graham crust, torched meringue, chocolate ganache and extra bars of chocolate baked in, this cheesecake is a show-stopper. The meringue topping (look how pretty!) was very light and fluffy, resembling a marshmallow cloud, and the chilled cheesecake was melt-in-your-mouth creamy. VALLEY’s in love. There’s no need to have a campfire this weekend. The s’mores cheesecake from Crust & Crumb is genuinely superb.
Momotaro
Located at 220 W College Ave right near the Starbucks on west campus, Momotaro was VALLEY’s second destination on our dessert excursion. Likely known best among students for their vast selection of signature milk teas, colorful fruit teas, Boba and rolled ice cream, Momotaro also displays a beautifully stocked pastry case in the front of their store. They feature artisan desserts like crème brûlée, wild strawberry cheesecake, Belgian chocolate mousse cake and more! Click here to see their full menu of dessert items.
VALLEY decided to try a piece of their tiramisu, and it was great! The mascarpone cream was super light and fluffy, and you could clearly appreciate the espresso used to prepare the ladyfinger base. Momotaro’s tiramisu is not overwhelmingly sweet and is incredibly delicate, so it makes for a perfect dessert if you don’t feel like over-indulging. Overall, it was absolutely delicious! Next time you need a dessert, definitely stop by Momotaro and explore their dessert case.
Weirdoughs
VALLEY’s final dessert destination was Weirdoughs Custom Pizzeria, located at 204 E College Ave—across the street from Old Main. Known best for their personal custom pizzas, Weirdoughs also has a great selection of dessert pizzas to choose from. With intriguing and unique toppings like those found on the Buttercup Dessert Pizza, Fruity Pebbles Dessert Pizza and the Oreo Dessert Pizza, Weirdoughs is your new late-night dessert spot. Click here to see their full menu.
VALLEY indulged ourselves and decided to try two of their featured dessert pizzas. First up is “The Bellissima.” Serving up a generous coating of Nutella, sliced strawberries and extra dollops of vegan whipped cream, the Bellissima is VALLEY’s guilty pleasure dessert. After a long day of classes and after-hours studying, this dessert pizza hits the spot! According to the store’s Instagram page, you can pick up your own Bellissima dessert pizza for a limited time through the month of April. Nutella fans—this one’s for you.
Up next is the Smore’s Dessert Pizza. Featuring melted Hershey chocolate bars, miniature marshmallows and graham cracker crumbles, the Smore’s Dessert Pizza is a childhood favorite reborn on crust! This dessert pizza is super sweet and indulgent—a great choice for chocolate and candy lovers alike.
After sampling a many dessert this past week, VALLEY has concluded one thing. This town has a seriously underrated dessert culture. While the Creamery can always feel like a Penn Stater’s go-to dessert destination, there are so many fabulous options to explore in Happy Valley! Next time your sweet tooth is calling, explore the sweets and treats scene in downtown State College!
Make sure to let VALLEY know what desserts you’re trying! Tag us @VALLEYmag on Instagram.
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