By Eliana Goodman
Photo by Kathy Tran
Whoopie-pie! Summer is finally here, and Preston Hollow is rolling in the dough. From cake and cookies to pops, the search for “insta-worthy” items is on. My sugar-hungry friends, family and I sampled, slurped and savored some of our neighborhood’s finest. Here’s the scoop.
Steel City Pops
6025 Royal Lane, suite 105
Backstory: The stores originated from Jim Watkins and his family near Birmingham, Alabama. Each location is decorated with both the skyline of the local city and the skyline of Birmingham. Steel City Pops now has more than 20 locations.
Love: Savor the coffee popsicle, dipped in a creamy dark chocolate coating, and the cookies-and-cream popsicle, which my brother says is the best cookie to cream ratio he’s ever had.
Like: Try the lavender lemonade popsicle, even though the lavender flavor is potent.
Skip: The dairy-free banana popsicle leaves a weird aftertaste.
Insider tip: The store features a monthly special, which is not on the menu. May spotlighted the white chocolate wedding cake pop, which is an amaretto cream popsicle, dipped in white chocolate, drizzled with raspberry and dredged in almond slices.
Price: $3.49-$4.49.
Sprinkles
8413 Preston Center Plaza
Backstory: This store launched the cupcake trend. The Dallas location opened in 2007, and Sprinkles added an ice cream parlor in 2013. The cupcake ATM allows anyone to serve themselves — especially since there’s still frequently a line to get into the store.
Love: Order the sprinkles sundae, a scoop of ice cream sandwiched within a cupcake of your choice. Don’t miss the peanut butter cupcake with a scoop of cookie dough ice cream.
Like: The chocolate cupcake is creamy on the inside, has a rich flavor and contains the right amount of icing.
Skip: While the cinnamon sugar cupcake has a piquant pop and the sprinkle cupcake is adorably adorned with rainbow sprinkles, they are a little dry.
Insider tip: Join the rewards program. It’s free and saves you money.
Price: $3.95-$7.52.
The Dough Dough
5915 Forest Lane, suite 320
Backstory: Eating raw cookie dough at home may cause salmonella poisoning, but this new store sells dough that is safe to eat. Owner Gina Ginsburg lives nearby. The Dough Dough offers more than 15 flavors of cookie dough, including Birthday Party, the Chocolate Grizzly and the Unicorn. Gluten free and pet-friendly options are available. But beware, the line can sometimes consist of dozens of people.
Love: Chocolate chip is a yummy classic.
Like: If you’re in the mood for chocolate, try the brownie batter.
Skip: The Junkyard, which is packed with pretzels, M&Ms and chocolate chips, tastes slightly dry.
Insider tip: The dough is so rich that it’s best to split a cup with a friend.
Price: $4 for a single scoop.
SusieCakes
6100 Luther Lane
Backstory: Founded by Susan Marich, SusieCakes originated in California and uses recipes inspired from Marich’s two grandmothers, without mixes, artificial preservatives or trans fats. The store, which opened in Dallas in April 2016, is decorated in white with pops of turquoise blue. The staff is kind and flexible; our order was picked up 30 minutes earlier than planned with no problem.
Love: Those who don’t like overbearingly sweet desserts should opt for a slice of carrot cake. Those with sweeter palates should go for the whoopie pie, cream sandwiched between two little cookies.
Like: The classic chocolate cupcake is moist and rich, and the lemon bar is all the right kinds of tart and tangy.
Skip: The marble cake and chocolate chip cookies are average compared to other items.
Insider tip: Do not refrigerate items that you take home. They will last longer at room temperature.
Price: About $3.50 each.
