Cynthia L. Herzog 
Even during the coldest winter months, Long Island’s dessert scene is anything but desolate. From over-the-top slushies to make-your-own donuts, here are five new places to satisfy your sugar rush.
Crazy Cakes, Port Washington
Gone are the days of Erica Tiger serving her sweet indulgences through a food truck window. Since establishing the Crazy Cakes food truck in 2013, it has outgrown the space and now makes baked goods in a prime location on Main Street in Port Washington.
The spacious cafe has a menu of chocolate-covered treats — Oreos, Rice Krispies, pretzels, and marshmallows; huge cookies with flavors such as chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisins; as well as cake-based muffins and waffles. Coming soon: pancakes.
Customers can create their own cupcake ($1.75 to $4.50) choosing from the range of Cake of the Day flavors, which includes Red Velvet, Strawberry, Banana, Chocolate and Vanilla . Then choose one of nearly 20 frosting flavors (dulce de leche, salted chocolate, fudge, lemon, and cannoli among them); and toppings (50 cents), including whipped cream and ganache. Creations can be completed at the sprinkle and candy display wall.
On the drinks side, there are hot drinks like coffee, tea, and cocoa, as well as cold drinks like bubble tea, egg custard, iced hot chocolate, and half lemonade iced tea.
More information: 52 Main St., Port Washington; 516-462-7299; crazycakescafe.com
Duck Fritters, Garden City Park
After opening its first two New York locations in Hauppauge and Selden, this popular North Carolina-based donut chain has opened its first Nassau County location in Garden City Park.
The shop follows a build-it-yourself concept, where customers can start with a signature vanilla donut and add a coating (cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, glazed or leave bare), toppings (like sprinkles, graham crackers, bacon or Oreos) and toppings (hot fondant, marshmallows, salted caramel or raspberry).
Duck Donuts also offers ready-made creations like “The Beach,” with vanilla frosting and cinnamon sugar; “The Boardwalk,” featuring Oreo crumbles, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of vanilla; and “Beach Ball” topped with vanilla frosting, rainbow sprinkles, and a drizzle of chocolate. Donuts are $2.99 each; $14.99 for six or $25.99 for 12.
Pair your creation with ice cream and turn it into a sundae; order a milkshake in flavors like salted caramel, birthday cake, and cookies and cream; or a drink from the java range – hot or iced coffee, cold brews, lattes, cappuccinos or macchiatos.
More info: 2425 Jericho Tpke., Garden City Park; 516-400-6919; duckdonuts.com
Alternate locations: 586 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge (631-656-8400) and 49 College Plaza, Selden (631-846-7777)
Manny’s Little Sweet Treats, Rockville Center
Five years after the original Manny’s Sweet Treats launched in Mineola, Hector Carvalho has added a second location. Beyond frozen pancakes and waffles, cereal and cookies, milkshakes and various ice cream creations, customers can order burrito pancakes, offered three ways: cheesecake, Nutella and Oreo; red velvet cake; and the Chocolate Cake Obsession (all served with churro bites; $12.99 each) and the popular Homer Simpson Ice Cream Sandwich, featuring homemade, air-fried donuts stuffed with cream ice cream and cereal and topped with a drizzle of homemade cinnamon sauce ($9.99).
Different from the original Mineola location: Manny’s 2.0 does not offer alcohol or savory items. It’s also “entirely halal,” Carvalho said, explaining that the candy is made with beef gelatin instead of pork gelatin.
More information: 280 Merrick Road; 516-285-2425, mannyst.com
Alternate location: 156 Jericho Tpke., Mineola, 516-299-8099
Slshology, Roosevelt Field
You’ll find more than your typical brownies and cupcakes at SLSHology, an elevated spot that debuted in November at Roosevelt Field in Garden City.
Strawberry, Mango, and Blue Raspberry bases are available daily, with at least two other flavors rotating every two weeks. Order a small pouch (10 ounces; $7) or a large “yard” (24 ounces; $13) and fill it with unlimited flavors. Add an abundance of fruit or candy toppings for an extra $5. Slushies also come in shareable sizes, like a fishbowl for two, which costs $18, and a three-foot-tall option that holds 100 ounces and serves up to 10 people; $40.
Owners Max Kamenetsky and Jon Prigan “wanted to take it back to slush basics,” Kamenetsky said. “It has an Italian gelato thickness and is made entirely with real fruit bases.”
While granitas are the way to go, SLSHology also offers yogurt-based fruit bowls (one size fits all; $10), warm pretzels, brownies, churros, and cookies. All items sold here are kosher.
More information: 630 Old Country Road, Garden City, 516-234-8514
Coming soon: Chip City, Oceanside
A challenge between childhood friends Peter Phillips and Theodore Gailas to see who could create the best cookie led to the creation of this over-the-top candy store, which opened in Astoria in 2017. Now Long Island’s first-ever location is will open in Oceanside, joining 10 other stores dotted around Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. In February, Long Island customers will be able to choose from four different flavors per day, a total of more than 40 in rotation throughout the year. Take 5.25 ounces of cookies in flavors like funfetti, all cookie, lemon berry, oatmeal apple pie, and candied pear; $4. Wash it all down with milk (regular, chocolate and non-dairy alternatives).
More information: 3446 Long Beach Rd., Oceanside, chipcitycookies.com
