Where to Find the Best Dessert in Chattanooga
Your sweet tooth doesn't care about your plans — when it calls, you answer. And luckily, in Chattanooga, the answer is just right around the corner. From handcrafted ice cream to freshly made donuts, Scenic City offers delicious desserts that rival any big city. If you're searching for the best dessert in Chattanooga, you're in for a real treat. Here's where to find the most memorable spots in town.
Clumpies Ice Cream: Handcrafted Excellence Since 1999
When it comes to the great desserts, Clumpies Ice Cream Co. stands out for one simple reason: originality. Since 1999, Clumpies has been handcrafting exceptional ice cream using only the finest ingredients for a small-batch process that sets them apart from anything you'll find in a grocery store freezer.
What Makes Clumpies Special
The difference starts with the process. Clumpies churns their ice cream in micro-batches of about nine gallons at a time. This isn't just a marketing talking point, it's a commitment to quality that you can taste in every scoop. Each batch receives individual attention and care, ensuring consistency and flavor — something mass-produced ice cream simply can't match.
Everything is made in-house, from the ice cream mix that they pasteurize themselves using fresh milk and cream, to the house-made cookies, cakes, jams, and sauces that get mixed into the final product. The result? A rich, creamy ice cream that delivers on both texture and taste.
Clumpies maintains a lineup of classic flavors available year-round with tried and true favorites that have earned their permanent spot on the menu. Throughout the year, they also develop new and exciting seasonal flavors that rotate on and off, giving regulars a reason to keep coming back to discover something new.
You can find Clumpies ice cream at one of their three locations in Chattanooga, where friendly staff will help you navigate the flavor options and find your new favorite.
Other Must-Try Dessert Spots in Chattanooga
While Clumpies earns top marks for ice cream, Chattanooga's dessert scene offers plenty of other exceptional options worth exploring.
The Hot Chocolatier
The Hot Chocolatier specializes in artisan chocolates, truffles, gourmet pastries, and decadent desserts crafted with premium ingredients. Their handmade confections are perfect for chocolate lovers looking to treat themselves or find the ideal gift.
When Wendy and Brandon Buckner returned from their travels abroad to their hometown of Chattanooga, they realized it deserved a gourmet chocolate boutique — the kind of place you'd find in San Francisco, New York, or Chicago.
They opened The Hot Chocolatier in 2008, and the shop has grown significantly since those early days. What started as a truffle and bonbon operation has expanded into a full-scale dessert destination offering in-house gourmet pastries, desserts, and chocolate drinks alongside their signature chocolates.
Today, The Hot Chocolatier operates two locations: their Market Street shop near the historic Chattanooga Choo-Choo and a newer location in the St. Elmo neighborhood that houses their chocolate production facility. Both locations offer handcrafted chocolates and desserts that showcase the artisan quality and European inspiration the Buckners set out to bring to Chattanooga.
Julie Darling Donuts
Julie Darling Donuts serves creative, made-from-scratch donuts with rotating flavors that go far beyond standard glazed varieties. Paired with locally roasted coffee from Mad Priest Coffee, they've created the perfect combination for donut lovers.
Back in 2008, Kent Davis went searching for a good locally made donut in Chattanooga and came up empty-handed. After perfecting his recipes with feedback from friends and family, Davis opened Julie Darling Donuts in 2009. The shop makes all their donuts fresh daily and constantly experiments with new flavors and products.
Julie Darling Donuts has become a fun place to meet up with friends, treat your office, or simply indulge yourself and your family with handmade donuts that showcase creativity and quality in every bite.
Niedlov's Bakery & Cafe
Niedlov's specializes in rustic, naturally leavened breads made with organic whole grains, along with handcrafted pastries — all made without added sugars or preservatives. Using centuries-old techniques and pure ingredients, they bring European-style artisan baking to Chattanooga.
Since 2002, this family-owned and operated bakery has been perfecting their craft with a distinctly old-world approach. Head baker Erik has studied at the San Francisco Baking Institute multiple times to perfect new techniques and incorporate ancient grain flours into their offerings. The bakery proudly uses organic flours from Central Milling, one of the nation's most premium artisan flour mills, to produce all their breads and pastries.
What sets Niedlov's apart is their community-first approach. As a small business without shareholders, they answer directly to their customers, employees, and neighbors. This commitment to authenticity, transparency, and quality has made them a Chattanooga institution for over two decades.
Crumbl
Crumbl is known for their oversized gourmet cookies and rotating dessert menu that includes pies, cakes, and over 300 different flavor combinations throughout the year. Everything is baked fresh daily in the store.
From classic chocolate chip cookies to decadent seasonal creations, Crumbl offers variety that ensures there's always something new to try. Their generous portions and creative flavor combinations make them perfect for gifting or sharing with friends and family.
Crumbl offers convenient in-store pickup, delivery, and catering options, making it easy to satisfy your sweet tooth whenever the craving strikes.
Your Chattanooga Dessert Adventure Awaits
Chattanooga proves you don't need to live in a major city to enjoy world-class desserts. From Clumpies' handcrafted ice cream to artisan chocolates, creative donuts, and fresh-baked pastries, the city offers something special for every type of sweet tooth.
Got a hankering for ice cream? Stop by one of Clumpies' three locations and taste the difference that handcrafted quality makes. Check out our list of classic and seasonal flavors featured in the shop now.