As National Dessert Month comes around this October, you might consider what sweets are on your menu and how you can follow the latest dessert trends of 2016. Customers will be looking for popular desserts after a good meal at your establishment, and staying on top of the latest trends will assure that you’re offering a well-rounded dining experience and optimizing profitability.
Different types of desserts rise and fall in popularity just as any other menu item. This year restaurants have seen dessert trends in Portland, OR and nationally that involve innovative uses of alcohol, as well as the rise of mini dessert cups for the increasingly health conscious consumer who still has a sweet tooth to satisfy. Ice cream is still king, but hot dessert items have made a strong comeback with the trends of 2016.
Alcoholic Sweets
La dessert flambé has been on menus since the late 19th century, but 2016 has seen a diverse selection of new and innovative desserts with alcohol. Flavor & The Menu describes some of the latest boozy desserts, like milk shakes with liqueurs, or floats with stout beers. Cakes, pies, brownies, and even French toast can take on a whole new flavor when topped with alcohol-infused sauces.
Mini Desserts
Americans nation-wide have become more conscious of health, especially when it comes to food. Yet, dieting consumers and people with diabetes often want a little dessert at the end of the meal. Providing an item like a mini dessert cup gives the customer an option for a small portion that they don’t have to feel guilty about.
New Twists on Classic Candies
Another popular trend we’ve seen this year are innovations on classic flavors. Drawing on familiar flavors like Oreo cookies, Nutella, or Butterfinger candy bars to make cakes, brownies, ice creams, and other complex desserts adds a nostalgic layer to your dessert menu.
Exotic Spices
While cinnamon and vanilla have been staple dessert flavors for years, creative restaurants are experimenting with more exotic flavors, like ginger and cardamom. Classic fruit pies and cobblers such as apple gain a new flavor profile with a unique spice combination. Chai—Indian milk tea with spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and anise—has gone from a drink to a dessert flavor in itself, with chai cookies and chai ice cream.
McDonald Wholesale can help your restaurant stay on top of this year’s dessert trends, as your local distributor of fresh, frozen, and dry ingredients and prepared foods. We stock well-known brands, food from local sources, and ingredients for specialty food items to meet your exact needs. We also offer menu planning and development services and can help you plan a dessert menu for this year or next that follows the latest trends. To learn more about how partnering with McDonald Wholesale can help grow your restaurant business, call us today at (877) 722-5503.