After a huge, satisfying meal, passing on the sweeter stuff is easy – especially if we’re watching our weight or sugar intake. That approach could be something of a godsend, being that desserts are sometimes an afterthought for certain chefs and restaurants. However, the Woodland Hills spots celebrated in this roundup are perfect for those moments when your sweet tooth is hounding you and demanding it be satisfied.

The following represents our picks for sweet treats worth saving room for in Woodland Hills.

Beignet Box, located at 6256 Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Topanga Village, is the brainchild of Christina Milian and Elizabeth Morris, beginning as a southern sweet treat brand that originated in New Orleans in the summer of 2019 – after that opening at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, the duo expanded with two brick and mortar locations in California, in addition to two food trucks. Beignets, a New Orleans specialty and popular dessert in Louisiana, are prepared by Beignet Box in quite a unique way, yielding light, fluffy, airy, and not-too-doughy treats that melt in your mouth. When fried and dusted with confectionary sugar, it transforms into pillowy, powdered perfection – and that’s why we often recommend this spot to Woodland Hills residents and visitors alike. 

Cereal Twister, located at 6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, serves smoothies, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and more, even offering a full juice bar for your refreshment pleasure. With so many unique choices to satisfy that sweet craving, Cereal Twister amazes you with ice cream topped with all your childhood cereals, yummy Acai Bowls, and delicious smoothies, making it a must-stop for the whole family. Discover why this is often called “Woodland Hills’ favorite ice cream spot.” Open Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm.

Tasty’s Donuts, located at 18521 Burbank Boulevard in Tarzana, offers everything from cinnamon raisin rolls and chocolate-frosted donuts with sprinkles to crullers, jelly-filled donuts, and more. Alongside donuts, they serve coffee, hot chocolate, Thai tea, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Conveniently located curbside, this cute little shop off the 101 and Reseda ensures everything is fresh, soft, and fluffy – just as sweet treats should be. Open Monday through Thursday from 4 am to 2 pm, Friday from 4 am to 2 pm, and Saturday/Sunday from 4 am to 1 pm.

Snap Boba, located at 19936 ½ Ventura Boulevard, was established in 2023 with one goal in mind: to offer premium and fresh Boba ingredients for the very best flavor…and we believe they’ve accomplished that. With a wide variety of boba flavors and freshly made crepes using ingredients sourced daily, Snap Boba guarantees exceptional taste and freshness. Looking for something truly different in your sweet treat hunt around Woodland Hills? Try Snap Boba’s Mango Peach Green Tea with Coconut Jelly, and add fresh fruits to send it over the top. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm.

Magpies Softserve, located at 18971 Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana, has become the consummate Woodland Hills dessert spot, with the shop’s offerings of delicious soft-serve ice creams, pies, and more. Magpies make its soft-serve mix and all toppings in-house, expanding soft-serve’s traditional chocolate and vanilla flavors to create tastes that bring us back to our childhood. Between the two owners, Rose and Warren, Magpies Softserve came up with flavors that really tell a story – from a Horchata non-dairy variety to a Cortadito (based on a sweetened Cuban espresso) and even Yuzu Honey (based on a traditional Korean tea that’s unique to the American palate). The proprietors had a blast creating flavors that were authentic to them, and we think you’ll love them too when you give them a try. Open Sunday through Thursday from 12 pm to 10 pm and Friday/Saturday from 12 pm to 10 pm. 

Porto’s Bakery and Café, located at 19467 Nordhoff Street in Northridge, was born out of Rosa Porto’s love for sharing beautiful cakes and pastries with friends and family; the current Porto family remains committed to using the finest ingredients from all over the world to ensure quality maintaining the cornerstone of the Porto tradition. Despite Rosa’s passing in 2019, her recipes and high standards remain, including her motto, “Quality is the number-one ingredient in everything we do;” indeed, everything from delicious bakery and café goods to delectable handmade cakes is on the menu here, guaranteeing something for every level of a sweet tooth. Open daily from 6:30 am to 8 pm.

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, located at 20929 Ventura Boulevard, was started in a yellow truck on the streets of New York City in 2008 with a mission to make good ice cream – that makes you feel good. Through a magic combination of milk, cream, eggs, and cane sugar – or coconuts, cashews, and oats for all vegan friends – Van Leeuwen seeks to satisfy omnivores and vegans alike, offering such mouthwatering flavors as Pumpkin Cheesecake, Malted Cookie Dough Shake, Peanut Butter Brownie Honeycomb, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin, Buttermilk Berry Cornbread and Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake. Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm and Friday/Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm.

The saying goes, “There’s always room for dessert,” and saving room is definitely the way to go with all the fantastic desserts found in L.A. From restaurants with outstanding baked goods to standalone bakeries and confection boutiques, Woodland Hills has some of the best examples of such spots, and our staff can wholeheartedly recommend all the aforementioned selections.