Best Desserts in Tahoe

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After a fun-filled out on the slopes we know your stomach is grumbling — don’t skip dessert! From cookies and pastries, to artisanal chocolate, let your inner sweet tooth run the show. Indulge in the best desserts in Tahoe, then thank us later.

Feature photo: Courtesy of Where We Met

North Shore

A colorful bowl of ice cream topped with vibrant sprinkles, gummy bears, chocolate candies, and a waffle cookie on a bright blue background showcases one of the Best Desserts in Tahoe. Scattered candy pieces surround the bowl, adding to the playful and inviting dessert scene.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20 | Outdoor Seating

You can choose from more than 36 flavors of locally made ice cream and tons of toppings at Susie Scoops, served any which way you like it — in a cone, cup, milkshake or sunday, but dessert lovers have so many additional temptations to choose from here as well. The beloved North Shore institution also serves donuts, frozen yogurt, smoothies, shaved ice and Tahoe Pops, too. Pick up a nostalgic soda while you’re there, like Dad’s Old Fashioned Orange Cream Soda. Their reputation and customer base earned them a spot on the best desserts in Tahoe. They do not accept reservations.

899 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village, 775.831.8181
A tall sundae glass filled with layers of whipped cream and crumbled dessert, topped with additional whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. A cookie or pastry piece is placed at the top. The background shows a wooden post and greenery—truly one of the Best Desserts in Tahoe.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20 | Outdoor Seating

Sure, Cool Mess serves ice cream, but why not try one of their decadent and creative Tahoe Stormies instead like the Apple Pie Storm, vanilla soft serve, Austin’s famous apple pie, caramel, cinnamon and nutmeg? There is also mud pie, molton lava cakes and Tahoe Pops to tempt you, as well as coffee, tea and cold drink concoctions. With its cozy velvet loveseats just begging for the ’gram and outdoor seating with yard games to keep the kiddos entertained, you might as well stay for a bit and relax. They do not accept reservations.

120 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, 775.440.6044
A close-up of a waffle cone with two scoops of ice cream is held in front of a chalkboard menu at one of the best dessert spots in Tahoe. The menu lists daily special flavors: "Triple Berry Cobbler" and "Blueberry Honey Lavender." The top scoop is creamy white with purple swirls and the bottom scoop is light purple.

Little Truckee Ice Creamery

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Dogs Welcome | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20

Local favorite Truckee Ice Creamery makes its all-natural ice cream and even ingredients like the caramel, brownies, cookies, praline and chocolate chips featured in the flavors right here in its shop located across the street from sparkling Donner Lake. There are usually 12 flavors to choose from including at least one dairy-free option. A good bet: Truckee Trails, pine nut brittle and brownie chunks blended into a sweet cream ice cream. Hours vary by season; check the website for up-to-date information. They do not accept reservations.

15628 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, 530.587.2884
A tart with a golden crust and creamy filling, topped with dollops of meringue, fresh raspberries, and pink flower petals. Displayed on a wooden surface with varied wood tones, this exquisite treat is among the Best Desserts in Tahoe.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20

It pays to be patient for Sierra Bakehouse, opened in 2018, to turn out its weekly batch of baked goods on Friday, when the bakery is open to the public to enjoy the bounty. The dessert assortment always includes mouthwatering bars (raspberry linzer, brownies) and cookies (chocolate chunk, yuzu sugar) and other sweet treats. While you’re there, pick up a loaf of house-baked bread and pastries, too. They do not accept reservations.

10736 Pioneer Trail, Truckee, 530.562.9494

West Shore

Close-up shot of a container filled with creamy pink strawberry gelato, topped with fresh strawberry slices. The container is placed on a yellow surface, with a blurred background. Experience one of the best desserts in Tahoe.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20 | Outdoor Seating

You’ll soon forget this sweet little coffee and gelato shop lacks indoor seating after you take a bite of their creamy gelato, house-made with ingredients from the local farmers’ market. They typically have 10 flavors on hand, including vegan options — the vegan strawberries and cream gelato made with local strawberries is a fan favorite. They do not accept reservations.

7000 W Lake Blvd Tahoma
A close-up of an assortment of gourmet chocolates in a box, hailed as some of the best desserts in Tahoe. The chocolates are dark and milk varieties, each decorated with different patterns of drizzled chocolate in white, dark, and milk colors. They are placed in a grid-like arrangement.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20

This shop might be tucked away in a lakefront mall, but it’s worth seeking out. The old-fashioned candy store, opened in 1981, is jam-packed with chocolates, fudge and candies from around the world and also some made right on site. You’ll likely be offered samples, so you can try before you buy. They do not accept reservations.

760 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, 530.583.6652

South Shore

A hand holds up a triple-scoop ice cream cone, showcasing the Best Desserts in Tahoe with colorful scoops of pink, green, and mixed cream. The background is slightly blurred, revealing an outdoor setting with a wooden structure and some people.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20

On busy summer weekends, there’s invariably a line out the door at this old-fashioned ice cream parlor that’s part of the Camp Richardson resort. It’s right on the main road, making it an easy place to stop on a hot summer day during a bike ride or after spending the day at the lake. Richardson’s stocks classic flavors like mint chip and birthday cake, servings are generous, and you can enjoy your ice-cold cone at one of the shaded picnic tables outside under the towering pines. Open Memorial Weekend through Labor Day; check the website for up-to-date information. They do not accept reservations.

3 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, 530.494.2228
A close-up of a hand holding an ice cream sandwich, part of the Best Desserts in Tahoe. Two cookies embrace vanilla ice cream, topped with colorful rainbow sprinkles, while other treats blur elegantly in the background.

Dessert

ADA-Compliant | Grab ‘n Go | Kid-friendly | Meal Under $20 | Outdoor Seating

Childhood friends Rob Robbins and Shane Stange’s South Lake Tahoe outpost of the Baked Bear is a go-to for ice cream sandwiches. Cookies, brownies and ice cream are made onsite daily, and there are usually about a dozen choices, plus toppings, so the options for customization are endless. Will it be caramel pretzel fudge ice cream with snickerdoodle cookies rolled in almonds, or classic vanilla with chocolate chip cookies rolled in Heath bar bits? Choices, choices. They do not accept reservations.

4118 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, 530.600.0129
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