Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium Offers Yummy Fun in Ferndale

Looking for the most creative, crazy dairy treats in metro Detroit? Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium in Ferndale may just take the cake.

Will this week’s ice cream be Honey Goat Cheese Fig or Hot Jalapeno? Oo – or maybe Chocolate Covered Potato Chip, Macaroni & Cheese or Sunday Breakfast – complete with bacon?

One thing’s sure with Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium, which opened in late March 2019 in Ferndale: There’s always something to please kids and parents. And it’s never the same menu twice.

At this wildly creative shop, which is a collaboration between the former Treat Dreams ice cream shop and D’Vine Cookies, the tastes are always a surprise. And it certainly earns its spot among independent ice cream shops in metro Detroit.

The man behind the curtain

So who’s the Willy Wonka-esque mixologist whipping up these funky blends? His name is Scott Moloney. And, until starting up Treat Dreams in 2010, this Birmingham dad of two was – wait for it – in the finance business. A pretty far cry from the ice cream industry.

“I felt like I was someone else trapped in a banker’s body for 13 years,” he quips. Moloney quit the money business for a more creative venture in late 2009. He officially opened during August and, since that was the end of the summer ice-cream season, winter gave him time to experiment with different flavors and get feedback from locals.

The community, he says, has embraced him and his business. And vice versa: You’ll often find the store crew at local events, running fundraisers or mixing special blends on behalf of special causes.

Zany flavors and personal touch

At Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium, inspiration comes from all corners. For instance, after hearing that a customer’s pregnant friend was craving mint chocolate shakes (think McDonald’s Shamrock Shake), Moloney made her an entire tub of mint chocolate ice cream (the tub was in the cooler with her name on it).

It’s that rapport with patrons – from knowing their first names and favorite flavors to taking special requests – that keeps people coming back, despite the ever-changing flavors.

Moloney offers 12-14 hard ice creams per day, along with one or two lactose-free sorbets and a homemade vegan ice cream.

“Our two most popular are Kooky Monster (made of blue vanilla ice cream, chocolate cookie dough and Oreos),” he says, “and salted caramel.” Moloney makes the caramel from scratch and, while the process can be tedious, the end result is delicious.

Other flavors served daily include dark chocolate chip, vanilla, chocolate and Mound Road, featuring coconut and chocolate, along with vegan picks, including a version of Mound Round sporting dairy-free chocolate chips, gluten-free options and keto-friendly picks.

Not all of his flavor combos have been hits. Notable flops? Salt-and-vinegar, along with a butterscotch ice cream – and a caramel corn and Oreo mash-up. “The candy corn froze like rocks,” he laughs.

Beyond ice cream

Hits and misses aside, fans keep flocking back. And Moloney continues to experiment with flavors – north of 1,000 total flavors and counting.

And ice cream isn’t the only sweet treat that this spot offers. Thanks to the partnership with D’Vine Cookies, Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium also offers a 5-pound, ice cream cookie sandwich, 14-layer ice cream cakes and outrageously huge sundaes.

“All of the new products are very over-the-top, beautiful, Insta-worthy desserts. We’re going for a wow dessert experience in a fun environment,” says Rebecca Abel, the founder of D’Vine Cookies.

In addition, the the shop now offers sampling flavors in a flight of four to eight scoops along with the option to make a personal ice cream cookie sandwich with your favorite flavors of ice cream and cookie.

But that’s still not all.

The shop also offers variety of ice cream flavors in store freezers for purchase in larger quantities and their Dessert Kids Camp July 8-12 and 15-19, 2019.

Visit Treat Dreams

Treat Dreams Dessert Emporium is located at 22965 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. Regular hours are noon-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Single-serve cookies, ice cream scoops and cake slices run $2-$8 per item. Catering is available upon request.

This post was originally published in 2011 and is updated regularly.

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