Grazing Arizona Gift Guide

From royal dates and snobby pies to handcrafted chocolate confections, savor AZ's sweetest gifts

If you haven’t discovered the goaty goodness of Black Mesa Ranch, a mom-and-pop goat cheese dairy located outside of Snowflake, there’s no time like the present. Throughout December, BMR co-owner and professional pastry chef, David Heininger complements his cheese offerings with a heavenly selection of hand-dipped truffles made with premium chocolate and farm-fresh cream.

Back in the Valley, Urban Cookies is giving Tammie Coe a run for her title as AZ’s primo pâtissier with their customizable gift packaging and standout seasonal varieties such as cocomint cookies and chocolate bottom pecan pies (4711 N. 7th St., Phoenix, 602-451-4335). Either way, we’ll take Urban’s Brown Velvet (pictured) and Tammie Coe’s Ooey Gooey cupcakes over the over-priced Sprinkles Cupcakes any day.

Meanwhile, if you scoff at the thought of store bought pies, you’ll love Pie Snob, an Arcadia-based boutique bakery that whips up everything from traditional fruit, chocolate and cream pies, to more exotic offerings such as raspberry chiffon and lemonade nectarine. (Pick-up only, 480-635-2425.)

A downtown Scottsdale institution since 1953, Sphinx Date Ranch offers Arizona specialty foods such as honey, salsas and, of course, Medjool dates. We know, it sounds like something your grandpa would eat. But try one bite of Sphinx’s chocolate-dipped or nut-stuffed varieties, and you’ll see why this lowly palm tree fruit was once reserved for Moroccan royalty. (3039 N. Scottsdale Rd., 480-941-2261.)