11 extravagant and tasty desserts under $10 to try in 2026

As the new year begins, everyone is trying to cut down on calories and impulse purchases. This week we’re offering a guide that will help with the latter but not the former, because everyone deserves the occasional treat.

Here’s a guide to our favorite 11 sweet treats that can be found at restaurants, bakeries and shops around San Diego County for $10 or less.

Banana pudding at Extraordinary Banana Pudding – La Mesa

Six years ago, San Diego native Toran Grays tweaked his great-grandmother’s banana pudding recipe into a thriving business with 24 varieties of his made-fresh-daily fluffy and creamy pudding, which comes in many flavors beyond the traditional, including red velvet, lemon, butterscotch, coconut, Oreo, pistachio and strawberry cheesecake (plus vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free options). He also makes frozen pops, cookies, cupcakes and other items. $2.50 for a pudding cupcake or $8 for an 8-ounce pudding tray. 8259 El Paso St., La Mesa. instagram.com/extraordinarybananapudding

Biscoff Cookie Butter Cruffin at Glutenus Maximus Bakehouse – Vista

Everything at this 18-month-old bakery is to die for, from the cinnamon rolls and bread pudding, to the cronuts and croissants. But we have a new favorite this winter: the sky-high cruffin (a croissant/muffin hybrid) filled and topped with Biscoff cookie butter cream, Biscoff cookie crumbs and a generous dusting of sugar. It’s so big you’ll want to share it with a friend, or save half of it for the next day’s indulgence. $7.50. 3265 Business Park Dr., Suite A, Vista. instagram.com/glutenus_maximus

Cannoli at Solutano Restaurant & Bakery – Little Italy

San Diegans can get a tube-shaped dessert that is soft on the stomach and not overpoweringly sweet. This cannoli is made with a cappuccino-colored fried dough, filled with rich cream cheese and topped with powdered sugar and chocolate sprinkles. The dough has a crunch similar to a pie crust, but the cream cheese filling provides a good, soft balance. 1643 India St., San Diego. $7. $3 mini version available. 619-255-7826, soluntoristoranteandbakery.com

Chocolate hazelnut twist at Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe – Point Loma

Con Pane already makes some of the best bread in San Diego, so this is one way to try it on the sweeter side. These large twists are made with imported Belgian chocolate and real roasted hazelnuts that are folded into buttery brioche bread. With a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top, “twist” is the precise word to describe how all these elements combine for a luscious, balanced dessert. $6.50. 2750 Dewey Road No. 105, San Diego. 619-224-4344, conpanesd.com

Fresh fruit strudel at Hans & Harry’s Bakery – Bonita

Since 1991, this shop co-founded by now-retired Dutch bakers Hans Zandee and Harry Eijsermans has built its fame on one signature product, its fresh-fruit strudel (though it also makes cakes, cookies and desserts). The strudel begins with a baked puff pastry base, generously layered with Bavarian cream and lightly glazed berries and other seasonal fruit. Professional pastry chef Sumi Campbell became a co-owner in the business 2015 and she now runs it with her husband, Alex Campbell. A single-serving strudel square is $5.59 (family-size strudels start at $33.50). 5080 Bonita Road, Bonita. 619-475-2253, hans-harry.com

Galaktoboureko at Olympic Cafe – North Park

If you’ve never tried Galaktoboureko, it’s time to do so, and the family-owned Olympic Cafe is the place to do it. The perfect mix of flaky and soft, it’s a custard baked in filo dough with honey syrup, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Pair it with a small, dessert-sized Greek coffee, which isn’t as bitter as espresso, for a perfect treat yourself moment under $10. $6. 2310 University Ave., San Diego. 619-692-9082, olympiccafesd.com

Honey Toast at Up2You Cafe – Convoy District

Here’s a dessert for someone who likes soft and crunchy textures combined: honey toast. This decadent dessert warms up the palate with each rich bite of thick and heavy outer bread and moist insides, similar to french toast. The large cubed-shaped dessert is garnished with whipped cream, powdered sugar and a bed of honey. 7770 Vickers St. No. 101 San Diego. $8. 619-663-6388, up2youcafe.com 

Pecan roll at Christophe Rull Patisserie – San Marcos

Traditional cinnamon and pecan rolls are usually heavy and overladen with sugary goo. But chef Christophe’s pecan roll is feather-light because it’s baked with croissant dough and loaded with cinnamon and pecans. The recently opened French patisserie sells a wide variety of fresh-baked pastries made with imported French butter, flour, fruit purées and other ingredients, all priced in the $3.50 to $6.50 range, including croissants, brioche, muffins, cruffins, cookies and macarons. $6.50. 251 N. City Drive, Suite 121, San Marcos. instagram.com/christopherullpatisserie

Pionono at Pepino Eatery & Bakeshop – La Jolla

Chef Sebastian Becerra’s three-month-old breakfast/lunch eatery serves burritos, salads and bowls with ingredients and techniques inspired by his own Peruvian heritage. His best-selling breakfast pastry is the pionono, made from his mother’s recipe. In Peru, piononos are rolled vanilla sponge cakes filled with a thick dulce de leche caramel sauce. Becerra’s decadent, gluten-free version is a chocolate sponge cake, rolled with dulce de leche and fresh whipped cream. $9 a slice. 7556 Fay Ave., Suite F, La Jolla. pepinosd.com

Tres leches cake at Sweet Bakery Mexico Lindo – Chula Vista

For fans of milky desserts, there is tres leches cake. This sweet and super-moist treat is made with three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. It also has hints of vanilla and cinnamon, with a sponge-like texture, and is garnished with whipped cream and a strawberry on top. This tres leches cake is light, melts in the mouth and should be devoured, or it will get soggy. $7.35. 212 Broadway Suite B, Chula Vista. 619-425-0886, facebook.com/LindaSweetb

White chocolate raspberry cheesecake from Skybound Coffee and Dessert Lounge — Gaslamp

This white and pink, petite cheesecake is sprinkled with white chocolate and contains a sweet surprise in the center. Sitting inside the middle of this soft cheesecake is a raspberry cream laced with chunks of fresh raspberries. The white chocolate crumbles, creamy cheesecake, raspberry filling and cake-like crust make for the perfect bite. $9. 181 W. Market St., San Diego. 619-719-2010, skyboundmelrose.square.site