There’s no better time to indulge your sweet tooth than while you’re on vacation! The good news is that Alaska is home to numerous tasty and unique desserts that are perfect for everything from mid-afternoon snacks to rounding off hearty meals.
As leaders in food-centered Anchorage guided tours, we could talk for days about how special our city and state’s food is. Our search for the best burger in Anchorage, Alaska is the perfect case in point!
In this blog, however, we focus exclusively on our picks for five of the best Alaskan desserts. Prepare to crave something sweet! If you have any questions for us in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us for the answers you need.
Treat Yourself to an Authentic Alaskan Fireweed-Glazed Donut!
Native to Alaska, fireweed donuts are one of our state’s most popular delicacies. As the name suggests, fireweed, a common wildflower found in Alaska, is the key ingredient here. However, this sweet treat starts with a good old-fashioned donut. The fireweed is incorporated into a glaze that is then coated onto it like frosting.
And because of the fireweed glaze, you can’t miss these donuts — they’re a vivid pink color! When you bite into one, the taste is unique too. Expect a mix of sweetness and tanginess; a flavor that will electrify your tastebuds.
Fireweed’s uses aren’t limited to food either. The flower also has powerful anti-inflammatory qualities, so it can be incorporated into medicines to treat fevers, swelling, and wounds. Fireweed can even be used to waterproof mittens!
Connect with Alaska’s Abundance with a Wild Berry Cobbler
The wild berry cobbler — made from a layer of juicy wild berries mixed with sugar and finished with a biscuit or cake-like topping — is a beloved dessert in Alaska. When baked, the resulting dessert is warm, comforting, and full of flavor. It’s often served with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to balance the zestiness of the fruits.
During the summer months, the Alaskan wilderness provides a rich array of wild berries, including blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, and salmonberries. The wild berry cobbler is the perfect opportunity to live off the land and showcase our region’s organic flavors.
Take your appreciation for Alaskan fare even further by reading our picks for five dishes that you have to eat in Alaska.
Delicious Ice Cream Made Using Fresh Local Alaskan Produce
As you can see, locally grown and harvested produce is at the heart of the best Alaskan desserts, and our ice cream options are no different! Sitting alongside the more typical flavors you can find local specialties like birch syrup, blueberry, and fireweed.
The fireweed is the same wildflower used to glaze the donuts mentioned above, while the blueberries come from the same abundant crop that goes into the wild berry cobbler. Birch syrup is an Alaskan staple made from birch sap and is produced in a similar way to maple syrup.
Harvested from birch trees, this syrup has a unique flavor that combines everything from honey and caramel to molasses. It even has a much more acidic and spicier aftertaste compared with maple syrup, making it reminiscent of balsamic vinegar.
With this varied flavor profile, birch syrup has a wide range of uses, including dressings, sauces, and glazes for salmon and pork dishes, as well as an ingredient in soft drinks, beer, wine, and, of course, ice cream. You may even find birch syrup at our tips for the best places for a great breakfast in Anchorage.
So, while you’re enjoying all the unique experiences Alaska has to offer, don’t forget to treat yourself to an ice cream you might not be able to find at home!
Tuck into a Traditional Alaskan Rhubarb Pie
We can’t have a list of five unforgettable Alaskan desserts without including rhubarb pie! Many Alaskan locations have the perfect conditions for rhubarb to thrive, and once it’s established, that’s exactly what it does. In fact, rhubarb is so ubiquitous here that one of its nicknames is “pie plant”.
In addition to its prolific growth, rhubarb also has a long harvest period, so we’ve found plenty of delicious ways to include this sour-sweet ingredient in desserts and more. But one of our favorites is the rhubarb pie, or variations like rhubarb raspberry pie, complete with a crumbly golden crust.
The perfect rhubarb pie is sweet, tangy, and old-fashioned in the best possible way.
Read our blog Why Choose a Food Tour in Anchorage, Alaska? when you have finished here. Find out why a trip with our friendly, knowledgeable, story-telling guides is the ultimate way to explore our city.
Embrace a Liquid Dessert with an Alaskan Duck Fart!
You read that right — the Duck Fart is one of Alaska’s most quintessential drinks! Invented at the Peanut Farm bar and grill right here in Anchorage, a duck fart is a layered drink made from Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish cream, and whiskey (ideally Crown Royal). Served in a sturdy shot glass, this drink packs a hefty punch!
But why “duck fart”? Well, according to legend, Dave Schmidt was tending an empty bar on a snowy midweek night. A woman who appeared to be in her 70s entered and the two soon started experimenting with drink recipes to pass the time.
When the now-famous drink was finally created and consumed, the lady reportedly let out a sound best described as “blllpppp” as a seal of approval. The outburst was akin to, well, a duck fart.
While a duck fart may not be a true dessert, we say it counts! Remember to drink responsibly, and always order your duck fart layered, not stirred.
Looking for more ways to discover sweet treats in the Land of the Midnight Sun? We think you will love our Chocolate and Wine Tasting Experience in Anchorage, Alaska.
Don’t Miss Out on Our Guided Anchorage Food Tours
Food naturally enhances experiences. It forces you to become fully immersed in the moment, instantly locking in the location, who you were with, and how you felt when you chewed down on those mouth-watering morsels.
And in Anchorage, Alaska, you can combine delectable food with Mother Nature at its finest!
By opting to book one of our Anchorage food tours — or allowing us to create a tailor-made private tour in Anchorage designed around you — we can provide you with delicious, captivating experiences. If you have any questions about our tours, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
