Americans, are serious about our sweets. Whether desserts are chocolatey or fruity, simple or decadent, our country loves sugar in almost any form. But what are the most favorite desserts the United States has to offer?
We looked into American history to find out which desserts truly make up the United States’ culinary story (spoiler alert: many of them are Southern). Here are a few of the sweets that are popular across the land, from sea to shining sea. Just don’t be surprised if you have a hankering for a baked treat after reading this scrumptious list. And once you’re done reading about the best desserts in the country, don’t miss these 15 Classic American Desserts That Are No Longer Made.
Chocolate chip cookies
No cookie is more American than a chocolate chip cookie. With very little variety, this recipe has remained basically the same since the 1930s. The chocolate chip cookie’s origin is a little unclear; some believe a baker came up with the recipe by accident, while others dispute that claim. But one thing is certain: You have Ruth Wakefield to thank for the simple, delicious treat.
Wakefield and her husband, Kenneth, ran a Massachusetts restaurant called the Toll House Inn, The New York Times reported. As legend has it, while making a batch of cookies for her guests one day, Wakefield found that she had used up all of her baker’s chocolate. A quick substitution was made with some Nestlé’s semi-sweet chocolate that she had on hand in her kitchen. She expected it to mix into the dough, but instead, it stayed suspended in the sweet batter.
After locals and guests sampled the “Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie,” it grew in reputation. Her recipe was published in a Boston newspaper, and Nestlé’s chocolate morsels began to sell in record amounts. In return for a lifetime of free chocolate, the Nestlé company was allowed to print the Toll House Cookie recipe on its package.
Apple pie
Nothing smells quite like an apple pie, with its buttery crust baking in the oven and fruit juices bubbling out the sides. Stuffed with apples, this dessert can be served hot and topped with creamy, cold vanilla ice cream. It’s especially good for breakfast straight out of the refrigerator the next morning after it’s baked, but what isn’t?
The expression “as American as apple pie” actually originated with an early 1900s newspaper advertisement for suits, according to Smithsonian magazine. The perception that apple pie was solely American was fueled by soldiers in World War II, who told everyone that they were fighting battles for “mom and apple pie,” the magazine explains.
But was apple pie really an American dessert? The first pies in the United States came to the country with the early settlers, and those were savory British concoctions filled with meat and spices. And as Smithsonian pointed out, the oldest-known apple pie recipe comes from 14th-century England, too. The United States has adopted the treat as its own, though, and it’s a holiday staple for Americans.
Cheesecake
A mix of sweet, soft cream cheese, sugar, and flavorings, cheesecake has become the official dessert of New York, with other areas of the country claiming it as well. Junior’s Restaurant in Brooklyn and Eileen’s Special Cheesecake in downtown Manhattan hold down the fort as some of the most famous cheesecake purveyors, both in New York City and in the United States.
Cheesecake’s crust is either a cookie crumb mix, pastry, or a buttery graham cracker bed. Dense or fluffy, it can be topped with fruit, nuts, cookies, or syrups. Or, cheesecake can be flavored with chocolate, pumpkin, or liqueur—any combination that the chef (and diner) desires. If you want a traditional New York cheesecake slice, try a piece of cheesecake topped with strawberries or cherries.
To bake cheesecake at home, you can use a springform pan, which allows the dessert to hold its shape while it sets in a water bath. Alternatively, there are also no-bake cheesecakes that are extra easy to make. Not sure where to start? Check out these 20 Delicious Cheesecake Recipes.
Pecan pie
If you appreciate sugar and nuts, chances are you will like a pecan pie. The super-sweet, syrupy Southern treat traditionally appears on Thanksgiving tables, but if you want to, you can bake this pie anytime to get a sugar rush all year round.
Georgia is the biggest producer of pecans in the United States, and the plentiful supply led cooks to include it in baking. The recipe became a staple in the South, especially in Atlanta’s Magnolia Room in Rich’s Department Store, according to James McWilliams, author of The Pecan: A History of America’s Native Nut.
As McWilliams explains, Callie Williams worked six days a week, baking pies at the Magnolia Room. Over the course of 1948, Williams baked a whopping 28,960 pies for the restaurant’s guests.
Stay Tuned…. Blog Part 2 is coming soon.