Everything You Need to Know About Desserts in Lancaster, Pa

The Pennsylvania Dutch are famous for their skillful baking and authentic recipes, but it doesn’t have to be fastnacht day to enjoy some of the best desserts in Lancaster, Pa. There’s no shame in treating yourself or your family. Continue reading our blog to discover how you can satisfy your sweet tooth any day of the year.

5 Lancaster County Dessert Recipes to Try

Whether you’re visiting for a short time or you call Lancaster, Pa your home, we’ve provided our list of must-try desserts in Lancaster, plus all the information you need to make them in your own kitchen.

Stroopies

Traditionally known as Dutch Stroopwafels, Stroopies are locally made sweets in Lancaster Pa. These cinnamon cookies are made with a waffle iron, resulting in a unique mix between a sugar cookie and a Belgian waffle.

People can enjoy these treats in a variety of ways including paired with ice cream or dipped in chocolate. With a waffle iron and a few key ingredients, you can start making these delicious treats today.

Ingredients for the cookie:

• 1 ounce of fresh yeast
• 1 tbsp. of lukewarm milk
• 4.4 ounces of unsalted butter
• 2.6 ounces of superfine sugar
• 1 large egg
• 8.8 ounces of cake flour
• 1 pinch of fine salt

Ingredients for the filling:

• 4.6 ounces of Dutch molasses
• 4.4 ounces of brown sugar
• 3.5 ounces of unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon

How to make Stroopies:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk.
2. Stir in the unsalted butter, superfine sugar, and egg until it is fully combined.
3. Whisk the flour and salt together, then stir into the yeast mixture.
4. Cover the dough with a warm, moist towel and allow it to rise for about 1 hour.
5. Make the filling (see directions below).
6. Once the dough rises, form it into balls about ½ inches in diameter.
7. Place each ball of dough on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet and cover with a warm, moist towel for about 15 minutes.
8. Heat the waffle iron and lightly spray both sides with cooking spray.
9. Placing 1 dough ball in the iron at a time, you will want to bake the waffle until it’s golden brown.

Note: This should take about 1 ½ minutes in an electric waffle iron or 2-3 minutes in a stovetop version.

1. Remove the waffle from the iron and immediately cut it in half, horizontally.
2. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of one waffle half, and spread evenly.
3. Place the second waffle half on top and press down lightly.

Note: You’ll want to move quickly when placing the filling, the warmer the waffle is, the better it will spread and stay together. 

How to make the filling:

1. While the dough is rising for the first time, you can begin making your filling. Start by adding the Dutch molasses to a saucepan on medium to low heat.
2. Once the syrup is warm, stir in the brown sugar, unsalted butter, and cinnamon.
3. Stir continuously until the butter is completely melted and remove the mixture from the heat.
4. Allow your filling to cool until it’s about lukewarm before adding it to your waffles.

Shoofly Pie

Another must-try dessert in Lancaster, Pa is the famous shoofly pie. This molasses crumb pie can either be wet-bottom or dry-bottom, depending on which type of crust you use for the pie’s dough. Shoofly pies consist of a sweet, syrup center and thick crumb topping.

This pie can last for a few days in your refrigerator or covered on your countertop. Plus, if frozen properly, you can even save your pie to enjoy with a friend later.

Ingredients for dough and crumb topping:

• Dough for single-crust pie
• 1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1-1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• ¾ cups of packed brown sugar
• ¾ tsp. of baking soda
• 6 tbsp. of cold butter, cubed
• Dash of fine salt

Ingredients for filling:

• ½ cup of packed brown sugar
• ½ cup of molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1-1 ½ teaspoons of all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. of baking soda
• 1 cup of boiling water

How to make shoofly pie:

1. Using a powdered surface, roll your dough to fit a 9-inch deep pie dish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. While the oven is preheating, mix your brown sugar, molasses, egg, flour, and baking soda to make your filling. Gradually stir in your cup of boiling water and let the mixture cool completely.
4. Line your unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil.
5. Fill with pie weights and bake on a lower oven rack for 15 minutes.
6. Remove the foil and pie weights. Lightly brush the crust with your egg yolk and then cook for an additional 5 minutes.
7. After 5 minutes, remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. While your crust is cooling, whisk together your remaining flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and a dash of salt to make your crumb topping.
9. Cut in the cubed butter until the mixture crumbles.
10. Add the filling to your crust and the crumb topping.
11. Bake until the filling is set and the top is golden brown, this should take about 45-50 minutes.
12. Allow your pie to cool before serving.

Amish Whoopie Pie

It’s no secret that when you hear about desserts in Lancaster, Pa, you think of an Amish whoopie pie. These sweets consist of two fluffy cakes with a creamy filling inside.

Coming in a variety of flavors including red velvet, pumpkin, and peanut butter, the traditional Amish whoopie pie is usually made with rich cocoa and thick vanilla filling.

Ingredients for the cakes:

• 4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of cocoa
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of shortening
• 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 2 freshly-sourced eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of warm water

Ingredients for the filling:

• 4 tbsp. of flour
• 4 tbsp. of milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1-1 ½ cups of vegetable shortening
• 2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• 4 cups of confectioner’s sugar

How to make Amish whoopie pies:

1. Combine flour, salt, cocoa, and baking soda in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, shortening, and eggs. Beat for about 2 minutes.
3. Stir your dry mixture and egg mixture together while gradually adding the warm water and milk. Beat at a medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is fully combined.
5. Drop rounded tablespoons of your cake mixture onto a greased baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Make the filling (see directions below).

Note: You’ll know your cakes are ready if they “spring” back when you lightly press them. 

1. Remove your cakes from the baking sheet and allow them to fully cool.
2. Spread a generous amount of filling on one cake (make sure it’s completely cooled), and add a second cake on top to make a sandwich.

Note: To keep your whoopie pies fresh, we recommend wrapping the pies individually in plastic wrap. 

How to make the filling:

1. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, milk, shortening, vanilla extract, and confectioner’s sugar. Beat at a high speed for several minutes.
3. Fold the flour mixture into the beaten egg whites. Set aside until ready to spread on cakes.

Amish Funnel Cake

You may be familiar with funnel cakes at county fairs and carnivals, but did you know that you can make this Lancaster county dessert recipe at home too?

The Amish funnel cake is a favorite for its sweet taste and light consistency. With only a few ingredients and some frying oil, you can enjoy this dessert any time you want in your own kitchen space.

Ingredients for Amish funnel cake:

• Lard, peanut, or another type of frying oil
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp of Himalayan pink salt
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• Confectioner’s sugar for topping

How to make Amish funnel cake:

1. Pour your frying oil into a skillet and heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat the egg well, then add the whole milk and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, mix your sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
5. Pour ½ cup of batter into a funnel (use your index finger to stop it from spilling out).
6. Place the funnel over your frying oil and release your finger. Move the funnel in a circular motion as the batter flows out.
7. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping your funnel cake once halfway through.
8. Remove with tongs and allow to cool. Add confectioner’s sugar on top and serve.

Apple Dumplings

If you’re a fan of cooking with apples, this is the best dessert in Lancaster. Pa for you. Consisting of pie dough and tastes of brown sugar and butter, Apple dumplings are a cultural staple for the Pennsylvania Dutch.

You’ll find these treats are most popular during the fall seasons, but with a little work and a simple recipe, you can enjoy these sweet dumplings any time of the year.

Ingredients for dough and apple filling: 

• Two 15-ounce refrigerated pie crusts
• 8 medium Granny Smith apples (or another apple variety if you prefer)
• ½ cup of packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. of cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. of nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. of butter, softened

Ingredients for syrup:

• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• ¼ tsp. of cinnamon
• 2 cups of water
• ¼ tsp. of nutmeg
• ¼ cup of butter

How to make apple dumplings:

1. Combine your sugar, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and add ¼ cup of butter. Set mixture aside.
4. Remove the core from each apple.
5. Mix your apple-filling ingredients together until it has a crumb consistency.
6. Cut each pie crust in half and roll each half into 8-inch circles.
7. Place an individual apple in the center of each circle and fill the empty core with your crumb filling.
8. Fold the dough circles over the apples and lightly pinch the tops to seal them together.
9. Place each dumpling in a lightly greased 13” x 9” baking dish and drizzle with your syrup mixture.
10. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes. The crust should be golden brown at the end.

Note: The recipes featured in this blog are not Stauffers of Kissel Hill recipes. 

There’s a reason desserts in Lancaster, Pa are famous. Whether you’re making these treats for yourself or friends and family, there’s no doubt they’ll leave everyone’s sweet tooth satisfied and wanting more.

Don’t have the time to whip up your favorite dessert? We offer fresh baked goods every day for any occasion. Browse our bakery department today!