The Most Classic Desserts of New England

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New Englanders love their desserts! Whether you live in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont, we ALL enjoy our local sweets. Some of us prefer frozen treats or at times, something way more decadent. We even love our classic desserts, that give us a feeling of nostalgia and some, can be as American as a slice of pie. What is so wonderful about our desserts from this part of the country is how comforting they are, not to mention traditional.

Here are a few of our favorite treats and desserts from the website New England from the editors at Yankee. ALL RECIPES INCLUDED! You can click on the link for the full list.

I will start with a true classic, especially if you are from the Boston area of Massachusetts. Who could turn down a slice of rich, decadent Boston Cream Pie? ''A chef at Boston’s Parker House Hotel invented the Boston cream pie. At the time, the term “pie” and “cake” were used interchangeably, and the designation of “pie” stuck to this dessert despite its resemblance to a cake. The Boston cream pie is a two-layer yellow cake separated by a generous layer of yellow custard and drenched in a chocolate glaze.

We also have desserts that bring us back to our childhood, with such fond memories, like Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies ''The chocolate chip cookie is perhaps the most famous and widely enjoyed of the New England Desserts, and is the only dessert that originates in New England without question. Ruth Wakefield invented the cookie in the 1930s at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts.''

Another all-time favorite childhood dessert growing up was the marshmallow-filled Whoopie Pies ''The Amish people of Pennsylvania originally invented the whoopie pie, however, the treat became more popular in New England when it was brought to Maine around 1925. The chocolate cake-like cookie sandwich held together with a thick layer of fluffy marshmallow or cream, has become one of the most recognizable New England desserts. Maine even adopted it as its official “state treat”.''

Another classic that started in Connecticut, from way back in the day is Indian Pudding which, ''dates back to colonial times. Some believe that the Native Americans introduced early settlers to this hearty treat, others claim that it was a modification of Britain’s Hasty pudding. Either way, Indian pudding has been a part of the New England menu for hundreds of years... sweetened with molasses, seasoned with cinnamon and perhaps a little ginger, this cornmeal-based dessert resembles a very thick porridge, though certainly more flavorful.''

Another dessert that was born in the Nutmeg State is Rhubarb Pie. ''Some claim that Benjamin Franklin was the first person to introduce Rhubarb to the New World, but other sources suggest it was a farmer from northern New England. In any case, the plant became a popular ingredient in the pies of colonists and has thrived in New England ever since. While you can make a delicious sweet pie with only rhubarb, a lot of people prefer to add strawberries for strawberry-rhubarb pie. Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Connecticut sells strawberry rhubarb pies.

Lastly, is a frozen treat that is as classic as it gets, especially if you are from Vermont. Maple Walnut Ice Cream with ''flavors ranging from pumpkin to coffee often land at the top of “most popular ice cream” lists in New England, but Maple Walnut ice cream is perhaps the most New England ice cream flavor there could ever be. It existed at least as far back as 1948 when Howard Johnson, restaurateur of New England, advertised it with his 28 flavors of ice cream... It includes two things we in New England take very seriously, ice cream and maple syrup..''