Eight ways to enjoy fall desserts in Atlanta

Photo courtesy of Sugar Shane’s

Atlanta’s pastry chefs are known for deftly applying seasonal ingredients to their sweet creations, and fall holds no exception. Around town you’ll see treats made with sweet potatoes, apples, pears, and, yes, even pumpkins. Here’s a choose-your-own-adventure guide to autumnal desserts in Atlanta — but remember, these sweets are here for a fun time, not a long time!

Photo courtesy of Little Sparrow

If you want apples…
Go to Tiny Lou’s for the French apple pie. Each thick slice packs in green apples and a spiced custard topped with a crunchy almond streusel. An almost tart crème fraîche ice cream delightfully balances the sweetness. Or, if you prefer apples in a supporting role, try Little Sparrow’s seasonal soft serve topped with spiced apples and almond financier.

If you want pecans…
Order a slice of the bourbon pecan pie at Sweet Auburn Barbecue. The Asian-fusion barbecue spot in Poncey-Highland nails the classic, serving it a la mode with vanilla ice cream. Of course, if you’re too full from pimento cheese wontons and smoked fried rice, you can always take it to go.

If you want pumpkin…
You have options. Start with the pumpkin cake at Oak Steakhouse in Avalon, where pastry chef Nickey Boyd crafts a petite moist cake topped with brown-butter cream-cheese frosting and cranberry compote. At Canoe, the riverfront restaurant puts a tres leches spin on a pumpkin pie roll, topped with a chai anglaise. Dulce de leche “kisses” and a pie-crust garnish add a touch of whimsy.

Photo courtesy of Tio Lucho’s

If you want sweet potato…
Order the picarones at Tio Lucho’s in Poncey-Highland. Chef-owner Arnaldo Castillo teamed up with pastry chef Claudia Martinez to put their spin on the traditional Peruvian treat (and his wife, Julie Castillo, served a version of these at their pop-up, La Chingana, back in the day). At Tio Lucho’s, aeromatic spices infuse the doughnut holes made with squash and sweet potato. They’re served alongside a warm spiced syrup and a scoop of peach ice cream.

For a more sweet potato–forward dessert, there’s the sweet potato cheesecake at the Deer and the Dove crafted by pastry chef Chris Marconi. A coconut graham crust forms the base, while a cranberry meringue and gingersnap crumbs add seasonal flair on top.

Photograph by Lara Kastner

If you want carrot cake…
Umi in Buckhead has a fun dessert for you in the form of carrot-coconut bread pudding. A spiced, pineapple-studded carrot cake combines with white chocolate, fall spices like cinnamon and coriander, dried cranberries, and pistachios before it’s baked into gooey bliss. A dairy-free scoop of toasted-coconut ice cream tops it off, along with a tuile made from coconut syrup. Pair it with the sushi restaurant’s old fashioned cocktail to round out the dessert moment.

Photo courtesy of Bocado

If you want notes of maple..
Try the ricotta maple syrup ice cream brûlée at Bocado. The recently reopened restaurant in Sandy Springs specializes in pizzas and pastas, so ending the meal on a lighter note with ice cream is the right call. Scoops of maple syrup–flavored ice cream are rolled in a sugar coating and then torched for a crispy caramelized exterior.

Or, enjoy those maple notes in cookie form at Sugar Shane’s, where they make fall rolls (which are actually cookies). The cookies incorporate white chocolate chips and cinnamon cake filling for a gooey, chewy treat topped with a maple glaze.

Photo courtesy of Pata Negra

If you want pear…
Pata Negra in Brookwood has you covered with the peras del desierto (pears of the desert). A creation of pastry chef Ricky Saucedo, the dessert pays homage to prickly pears, which are harvested from prickly pear cacti this time of year in the Southwest. It’s an artful presentation with a “cactus” composed of white chocolate corn mousse and pear compote served with prickly pear sorbet, corn crumb, and a corn tuile. Pro tip: Ask them to pair this dessert with one of their many mezcals.

Photo courtesy of Miller Union

If you want plum…
Book a seat at Miller Union in West Midtown and order pastry chef Claudia Martinez’s plum torte. The stone fruit shines in this classic dessert complemented by plum compote, candied almonds, and creamsicle ice cream. Gingersnap crumbs add a nice crunch.

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