Kansas City's Best Sweets

Kansas City has quite a few choices when it comes to satisfying that sweet tooth. From the ever-popular Christopher Elbow to Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard, chances are there's something for everyone.

Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolate
With shops in Kansas City and San Francisco, Christopher Elbow's chocolate is on the list of Oprah's favorite things and Food & Wine magazine named the No. 6 Dark their top chocolate. It features 63 percent dark chocolate blended with popping candy to create a unique, irresistible chocolate bar.

Russell Stover Candies
Russell Stover, which was started 1923 by Russell and Clara Stover in Denver, now calls Kansas City home. This candy company sells in more than 45 company-owned retail shops throughout the United States and Canada, and more than 70,000 drug stores, card and gift shops, grocery stores, department stores, and retail stores throughout all 50 states and more than 20 countries around the world.

Panache Chocolatier
Panache Chocolatier, located on the Country Club Plaza, has long been one of Kansas City's favorite chocolatiers. Panache has everything a chocolate lover desires and is famous for their chocolate-covered popcorn called ChocoPoppo.

Chips Chocolate Factory
Chip's Chocolate Factory, located in Kansas City's Crown Center, uses the same marble tables and copper kettles as it did when it opened in 1983. Chip's has patented Kansas City Fudge. Flavors spanning from cookies and cream to amaretto to the Kansas City Special (vanilla fudge, swirled with chocolate fudge and fresh pecans). Chip's still schedules tours where you can watch the house confectioner make fudge from the cocoa bean to the finished project.

André's Confiserie Suisse
André and Elsbeth Bollier, who emigrated here from Switzerland, founded André's Confiserie Suisse in 1955. More than 50 years later, the Bollier family still runs the business and have added a second store as well as a tea room, serving gourmet lunches, pastries including the famous Matterhorn, and of course chocolate. Indulge yourself in creamy truffles, deluxe tortes, and specialty gifts.

Jude's Rum Cake
If it is cakes or cookies you are looking for, Kansas City has that covered, too. Jude's Rum Cakes are the creation of chef and caterer Craig Adcock, who owns Belly Up BBQ. The place is named after his mother-in-law, and Jude's Rum Cakes use only the best-quality ingredients. Whole eggs, real butter, Barbancourt Rum from Haiti, a local rum from Tennessee, and locally grown pecans from Missouri Northern Pecan Growers. The cakes are soaked in the rum for 24 hours in order for it to saturate through the cake, and the result is a rich, moist, and fragrant cake.

Best Regards Bakery and Café
Best Regards Bakery and Café has everything! Cinnamon rolls, cookies, chocolates, pound cake, brownies, and more. Owners Cherrie and Robert Duensing started Best Regards as a gift basket company and it has now expanded to one of the best bakeries in Kansas City. All goodies are made from scratch in-house and use the best ingredients. If you cannot find something at Best Regards to satisfy your sweet tooth, then it probably does not exist!

Glacé Artisan Ice Cream
Glacé Artisan Ice Cream is the brainchild of the Kansas City chocolate genius Christopher Elbow and has two locations in Kansas City. Using many local and seasonal ingredients, Elbow hand-makes the ice cream and sorbets in-house. Unique flavors include Thai peanut curry, lavender lemon, goat cheese and wildflower honey, Christopher Elbow dark chocolate, strawberry balsamic, and more!

Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard
Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard has two locations in Kansas City. Though similar to ice cream, custard is richer, thicker, and creamier because there is more egg yolk and butterfat mixed in and less air incorporated.  Made in-house, Foo's has perfected the recipe and it is delightfully sweet and creamy. KC Magazine selected Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard as Kansas City's Best Local Ice Cream/Custard in 2010. 

Sharmin Meadows is a food writer and blogger from Kansas City. Find more reviews and information on her website at www.whatyouremissingkc.com.