Where to Find a Great Dessert in Garland
Garland has quietly built a dessert scene that rewards anyone willing to look beyond the usual chain options. Whether you are after artisan ice cream, a flaky pan dulce, or a slice of pie with a story behind it, the city has real options worth seeking out — many of them concentrated in or near Downtown Garland.
Downtown Garland: The Dessert District
If you only have one afternoon to spend exploring Garland’s sweet side, Downtown Garland is the place to start. Several of the city’s most talked-about dessert destinations are within walking distance of each other along and around the main square.
Scoop N’ Buns at 507 W Walnut St is the anchor of the downtown dessert scene. The menu spans ice cream sandwiches, churros, halo halo, elotes, and aguas frescas, drawing from both Filipino dessert traditions and broader street-food culture. One of its more unexpected features is Cafe Frida, a zen coffee shop accessible through a hidden green wall inside the store — the kind of detail that makes a place worth visiting twice.
The same team behind Scoop N’ Buns launched Scoop N’ Boba, also in Downtown Garland, which fuses their signature ice cream flavors with boba tea drinks. The standout offering is the ice cream boba float, made with all-natural ingredients — a natural next stop if you want to sample both concepts in one visit.
Latham Bakery at 700 Main St rounds out the downtown trio. Ranked among the top bakeries in Garland on multiple 2026 Yelp lists, it is open seven days a week and carries savory sandwiches alongside its pastries and desserts. Reviewers consistently single out the chocolate croissant as the item that overshadows everything else on the menu, which is saying something given how much else is on offer.
Stretchy Ice Cream and Crepes at Firewheel
Bigdash Ice Cream and Pastries, located at 4280 Lavon Dr in the Firewheel Town Center area, is the place to go if you have never tried dondurma — a Middle Eastern-style ice cream known for its stretchy, chewy texture. The experience of watching it served is half the appeal. Beyond the ice cream, the crepes have drawn their own following, with the triple chocolate variant earning particular praise for its texture and depth of flavor.
Mexican Bakeries and Paleta Shops
Garland has a strong tradition of Mexican bakeries, and two stand out as community staples.
Latinos Bakery at 565 W Oates Rd is the kind of neighborhood spot where the smell of fresh baking reaches you before you get through the door. The menu includes pan dulce, corn and flour tortillas, choco-flan, and fluffy croissants — everyday items made with care and consistency that keeps regulars coming back.
For something cold, Paleteria y Neveria La Super offers a wide selection of Mexican ice cream flavors and paletas, running from familiar options like strawberry to bolder combinations like mango chamoy. The shaved ice is another draw, especially during the longer stretches of warm weather that define a Garland summer. Confirm the current address via Google Maps before heading out.
Churros and Pies: Two Specialty Spots
Churroland Cafe has appeared consistently on Garland dessert and ice cream lists through 2026, earning a reputation as a top-ranked spot in the city. The focus is churros and cafe-style desserts in a themed setting that makes it a natural choice for a casual outing. No official website has been confirmed, so check Yelp or Google for current hours and location details before visiting.
Piefalootin rounds out the specialty category with a focus on pies. What sets it apart, according to reviewers, is the staff’s willingness to walk customers through the weekly rotating pie specials — the kind of personal touch that turns a dessert stop into an experience. It has appeared on Yelp’s best desserts and best bakery lists for Garland through 2026. As with Churroland, confirm current hours via Yelp or Google.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best ice cream in Garland, TX?
Scoop N’ Buns on W Walnut St in Downtown Garland is consistently one of the most recommended ice cream and dessert destinations in the city, known for its Filipino-inspired flavors, ice cream sandwiches, and the hidden Cafe Frida coffee shop inside. Bigdash Ice Cream and Pastries at Firewheel Town Center is the top pick for stretchy Middle Eastern-style dondurma ice cream.
Are there any Mexican dessert shops in Garland?
Yes. Latinos Bakery on W Oates Rd is a well-regarded Mexican bakery offering pan dulce, choco-flan, and fresh tortillas. Paleteria y Neveria La Super specializes in Mexican ice cream, paletas, and shaved ice with flavors like mango chamoy.
What dessert spots are in Downtown Garland specifically?
Downtown Garland has three dessert destinations within walking distance of each other: Scoop N’ Buns, Scoop N’ Boba, and Latham Bakery. All three are within or just off the main square area, making a combined visit easy to plan in a single afternoon.
Does Garland have any unique or unusual dessert options?
Several spots offer something beyond the ordinary. Scoop N’ Buns serves halo halo, a Filipino shaved ice dessert that is hard to find in the area. Bigdash Ice Cream and Pastries serves dondurma, a stretchy Turkish-style ice cream with a texture unlike standard soft serve or hard-scoop ice cream. Scoop N’ Boba offers ice cream boba floats made with all-natural ingredients.
