Located in Ballston Quarter, MidnighTreats is a late night dessert joint with a variety of sweet options. Decorated with a navy and light blue color scheme, the service at this small dessert stand was prompt and friendly, and the staff even let us know about deals they were offering on leftover cookies. All cookies were on display in a glass case, offered as either Munchies or Monster sized, with flavors such as birthday cake, cinnamon roll and more. In addition to their cookies, MidnighTreats also offers a variety of oat milk drinks, some of which come with boba as well as oat milk gelato. As their name suggests, they remain open until 12 a.m., so we went shortly before closing to get an authentic midnight snack and were not disappointed.
Lauren’s Choice: Churro Oat Milk Gelato – 4/5 stars
I’ve had my fair share of vegan desserts in my life, so I know how easy it is for a recipe to go wrong. On many occasions, plant-based “milk” just isn’t as good as the real thing. That was not the case here. If I hadn’t known what I ordered, I never would have guessed that MidnighTreats’ Oat Milk Gelato wasn’t real ice cream. The texture was rich and creamy, and the edges of each bite melted into delicious perfection. Tastes of sweet cinnamon and caramelized sugar created a flavor that was strong without being overwhelming. The only imperfection was the bits of churro frozen into the gelato, which had hardened. However, they did not take away from the overall appeal of this dessert, which I hope to order again soon. Knowing it was vegan was impressive enough, but this gelato was delicious by any standard.
Addie’s Choice: Cookies and Cream Cookie – 4/5 stars
Just like Lauren, I was wary of the lack of dairy used in this cookie before trying it. After my first bite, however, my mind was definitely blown. Freshly baked and still warm, this cookie had a firm, slightly crisp outside but a soft, fluffy middle, with chunks of oreo cookies evenly dispersed throughout, which added a slight crunch to the fluffy inside of this dessert. Not only was this cookie warm and chewy, it was also shareable. I could easily break off a piece without the entire thing crumbling in my hands. The cookie itself was less sweet than I anticipated, though its flavor was elevated with a faintly salty aftertaste that counteracted the initial sweetness of the cookie. I particularly enjoyed how this treat was not too heavy or large, as opposed to other local cookie joints like Crumbl. Especially for cookie-lovers, the portion size was sizable and filling but not overpowering. While it’s difficult for a vegan cookie to truly rise to the level of an authentic, brown butter cookie, MidnighTreats definitely rose to the challenge with their cookies and cream cookie, which was delightful in both its flavors and textures.
