Small Businesses for Your Sweet Tooth to Support!

If you’re anything like us, you love a good treat. It’s one thing to grab a Boston Creme on a Dunkin run, or sneak a cookie into your Chick-Fil-A order. It’s a whole different experience, though, when you stop by a small bakery and grab something made with love that same day. The only thing our team loves more than eating a delicious baked good is supporting small businesses, so here are some local favs that may not have a national following (yet!) but are definitely worth that level of hype.

Bragg Cafe

Locations Vary

Bragg Cafe isn’t your typical bakery - it’s a food and coffee truck! The owners wake up in the middle of the night every day to begin baking all that day’s baked goods from scratch, and turn out some pretty amazing creations. Their maple bacon muffins and chai cupcakes are incredible - be sure to grab a Misch Masch latte (made with Rise Up coffee) to wash them down with! Check out their schedule and rotating locations on their Facebook page, and meet up with them the next time they’re in your area.

Dessert Junkie

15480 Annapolis Rd, Ste 204, Bowie MD 20715

Originally started as a food truck, Dessert Junkie opened its storefront in Spring 2021 in Bowie. Their cupcakes are piled high and decorated so beautifully, they look like little wedding cakes! The flavors include everything from the Blemon (blueberry lemon) and the Flying Gorilla (banana pudding) to the Crush (creamsicle) and the Grasshopper (mint chocolate). They’re also known for their allegedly “insane” milkshakes - no joke, these milkshakes are works of art and not for novice snackers. They also have cakes (the cookies & cream cheesecake is a must-have), cookies, macarons, and an assortment of candies from the owner’s Laurel sweet shop, Basket Treats. While their food truck doesn’t regularly make the rounds anymore, you can reserve it for parties, which honestly seems like the best idea ever. Get more info on their website!

Carlson’s Donuts

1022 West St, Annapolis, MD 21401

Chances are, you’ve passed by this little family-owned restaurant while driving through Annapolis. While the combination isn’t something you’d normally see (Thai food and donuts), they’re actually fantastic at both kinds of food! Get their early for maximum freshness - they open at 5am! They have all the standard donut favorites - boston cream, glazed, chocolate, pumpkin, chocolate frosted. The maple donut, the cronut, and the bear claws are my personal winners,, but you really can’t go wrong!

Kupcakes & Co.

6010 Meadowridge Center Drive, Suite H, Elkridge, MD 21075

These cupcakes, oh my goodness. There’s a reason the line is out the door at peak times! Their cupcakes fall into two categories: Signature (the more standard flavors) and Boutique (the “fancier” flavors). Some of the Signature flavors include the Black Bottom (chocolate cake with cream cheese icing), the salted caramel (chocolate cake, caramel buttercream, and sprinkling of sea salt), the key lime, and lemon pound cake. Their Boutique cupcakes change on a weekly basis, but their two standards are the cookie dough and the half baked - both are amazing! In addition to cupcakes, they sell homemade cookies, and we highly recommend the Sweet and Salty - addictive, sweet, savory, all-around contender for the best cookie in the world.

Sandy Pony Donuts

Annapolis, Chincoteague, and Bethany Beach locations

A favorite of Eastern Shore frequenters, these donuts make a mockery of Dunkin’s amateur-hour selection. Looking for sweet and salty? Try the Porky Pony (honey glaze, cinnamon sugar, and bacon), the Salted Caramel (topped with pretzels), or the Charlie Brown (complete with peanut butter glaze and mini chocolate chips). Hardcore sweet tooth? Then go for the Sea Foam (coconut flakes and honey glaze), the Cow Tail (caramel and powdered sugar), the Dirty Banana (banana glaze and oreo crumble), or the Yabba Dabba Doo-nut (dipped in Fruity Pebbles!). Someone in your party isn’t in the mood for a donut? After you side-eye them, let them know there are also fresh smoothies and Acai bowls, as well as bubble tea!

Peace of Cake

314 Love Point Rd suite 101, Stevensville, MD 21666

Our clients highly recommend this pastry and cake shop on the Eastern Shore, and it’s easy to see why! With a broad selection of pies, tarts, cheesecakes, cupcakes, pop-tarts, and other desserts, there’s no way you can go wrong here. From Bumbleberry Pie, to Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake, to Key Lime Pop Tarts to Carrot Cake Bread Pudding, you’re guaranteed to walk away with more than one delicious dessert. While we haven’t tried it ourselves yet, we definitely see a trip over the bridge in our near future just to try this shop out!