10 Florida Desserts That Make Tourists Double-Take
Beyond the beaches and key lime pies, Florida is bursting with desserts that deserve the spotlight.
Small-town bakeries, colorful ice cream shops, and roadside stands are serving sweet treats packed with tropical flavors and southern charm.
From official state staples to recipes locals try to keep secret, these desserts capture the sugary soul of Florida.
1. Chocolate-Dipped Frozen Key Lime Pie
Imagine Florida’s signature dessert transformed into a portable beach treat! Slices of tangy Key lime pie get frozen solid, skewered on a stick, then hand-dipped in dark chocolate coating.
The contrast between the cold, tart filling and the snap of chocolate creates a flavor explosion that’s uniquely Floridian.
Found primarily in the Keys, this frozen delight helps tourists beat the heat while sampling local flavors without needing a fork or plate.
2. Plant City Strawberry Shortcake
Crowned Florida’s official state dessert in 2022, this berry-licious creation showcases the state’s agricultural pride. Plant City, the self-proclaimed “Winter Strawberry Capital of the World,” produces over 75% of America’s winter strawberries.
Last year, I stumbled upon the annual Strawberry Festival where locals stack fresh-baked shortcake with ruby-red berries and clouds of real whipped cream.
The berries are so sweet they barely need sugar, making this simple dessert an unforgettable taste of Florida sunshine.
3. Knaus Berry Farm Cinnamon Rolls
Locals queue for hours at this Homestead institution, open only from November through April. These aren’t ordinary cinnamon rolls – they’re massive, gooey spirals of handmade dough loaded with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Fresh from the oven, they pull apart in stretchy, sticky layers that steam when separated.
The Old German Baptist Brethren family who runs the farm has used the same recipe since 1956, creating a seasonal tradition that drives Floridians to stock their freezers before the shop closes for the summer.
4. Sour Orange Pie: Key Lime’s Mysterious Cousin
Before Key lime pie became famous, Florida pioneers were making this tangy treat using wild Seville oranges that Spanish explorers brought centuries ago. These oranges are too bitter for eating, but create magic in desserts.
The custard filling has a complex citrus flavor – simultaneously sweet, tart, and slightly bitter. My grandmother swore it was the original Florida pie, predating the more famous Key lime version.
Today, it’s a rare find, making it a true hidden gem for culinary adventurers exploring Old Florida restaurants.
5. Guava and Cheese Pastelitos
These flaky Cuban pastries greet Miami mornings with a perfect sweet-savory balance. Golden puff pastry envelops tropical guava paste alongside tangy cream cheese, creating a portable breakfast or afternoon treat.
The pastry shatters delicately when bitten, revealing the ruby-red guava filling that’s uniquely tropical.
Cuban bakeries throughout South Florida compete for pastelito supremacy, with some adding coconut or pineapple to the classic combination, though purists insist the original guava-cheese version reigns supreme.
6. Abuela María Ice Cream
Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood birthed this cultural fusion in frozen form. Vanilla ice cream serves as the canvas for chunks of guava paste, cream cheese cubes, and crushed María cookies – essentially transforming a traditional Cuban snack into scoopable form.
The contrast between creamy, fruity, and crunchy textures makes this a sensory delight. During my first visit to Azucar Ice Cream Company, the owner explained how she created this flavor to honor her grandmother’s favorite afternoon treat, capturing Cuban-American heritage in every spoonful.
7. Guava and Cheese Doughnuts
Artisan bakeries have reimagined Cuban flavors through an American lens with these brioche-based beauties. The 24-hour fermented dough creates an airy, tender base for tropical guava filling and cream cheese glaze.
Sprinkled with crisp pastelito-inspired streusel, these doughnuts bridge culinary traditions. The result is a morning indulgence that sells out quickly at trendy shops across Miami and Orlando.
Unlike traditional pastelitos, these substantial treats require a fork and plenty of napkins to handle their generous fillings.
8. Orange Sunshine Glacier
Florida’s roadside cone-shaped Twistee Treat buildings house this refreshing layered creation. Bright orange slush alternates with swirls of vanilla soft-serve in a clear cup, creating sunset-like stripes.
The combination of icy fruit and creamy vanilla provides the perfect remedy for scorching Florida afternoons. Kids particularly love watching the orange and white layers build as they’re dispensed from the machine.
This nostalgic treat captures Florida’s citrus heritage in a format that’s become a road trip tradition for many families.
9. Publix Key Lime Pie
Florida’s beloved grocery chain produces what locals consider the state’s most reliable Key lime pie. The surprise? It rivals versions from high-end restaurants despite coming from a supermarket bakery case.
The graham cracker crust maintains perfect texture while the filling strikes an ideal balance between sweetness and lime tartness.
I’ve seen countless visitors pack these in coolers before flying home. Publix bakers use Key lime juice, creating an accessible taste of Florida available in nearly every town across the state.
10. Kumquat Pie from Dade City
Tiny orange fruits create big flavor in this Central Florida specialty. Kumquats grow abundantly around Dade City, where locals transform the small citrus into a creamy, no-bake pie reminiscent of Key lime but with distinct floral notes.
The filling features a sunny yellow hue topped with whipped cream and candied kumquat slices. Every January, the Kumquat Festival celebrates these “little gold gems of the citrus family.”
When I visited during harvest season, a local baker explained that the secret is using the whole fruit—skin and all, creating a complex flavor impossible to replicate with other citrus.