Bakeries, Desserts & Specialty Foods

Elkhart County, Indiana, has some of the best bakers and confectionaries you’ll find—hand made cinnamon rolls dripping with delicious icing, bread made from scratch, fresh chocolates lovingly hand-dipped, and so much more. Some use recipes handed down through generations. Others have developed their method over time. While Amish families draw from their traditions. Whatever their process may be, one thing is for sure, it’s got that delicious Elkhart County Well Crafted taste.

Stepping inside one of our locally-owned bakeries and candy shops takes you back in time. The smell of freshly baked bread greets you at the door. Glass cases full of candy tempt your eyes. Leave the mass-produced products behind; they’ll still be there when you get back. While you’re here, take the time to try the freshly made baked goods and unique candies you can’t get anywhere else.

Authentic, well-crafted, and historic: The Olympia Candy Kitchen hits the trifecta. They’ve been making their candy for more than 100 years. This Goshen legacy shop is ready with seasonal treats all year ‘round. Candied apples in autumn. Chocolate covered cherries at the holidays. Toffee, that’s tasty at any time. Greek immigrant Nicholas Paflas began hand-dipping chocolates in 1912, and the family tradition continues today.

Blue Gate Restaurant and Theater in Shipshewana has a bakery serving up all kinds of Amish favorites you can eat there or take home. They’re famous for their Blue Gate Amish Peanut Butter Spread. They’re also turning out homemade bread, jams, jellies, cookies, and pies.

Country Lane Bakery in Middlebury is the little bakery that could. Far from being a tourist trap, this is a family operation that’s grown over the years, with the second-generation running the place these days. The cinnamon rolls are still iced fresh every day. They also bake delicious jalapeno bread and whip up homemade apple butter, peach butter, and peanut butter spread.

Also in Middlebury, Das Dutchman Essenhaus runs a bakery second to none. Word of mouth about this place travels quickly for a reason. From their freshly baked pies to donuts with the icing still settling in, sweet tooths exist for places like this. They also bake more than a dozen varieties of bread daily and more than thirty types of pies.

The Amish Log Cabin Lodging and Shipshewana Campground North Park has a sweet treat in store. They have an on-site ice cream shop ready to cool you off on a hot summer day or satisfy your craving for a well-crafted dessert any time of the year. Even if you’re not staying there for the night, they’ll still be glad to serve you up a scoop (or two!)