When I stepped inside the Alma Bakery & Sweet Shoppe the aroma took me back to my mother’s kitchen as she pulled homemade rolls out of the oven. I ordered a glazed-topped cinnamon roll that had a fluffy, soft texture and just the right amount of cinnamon throughout. My favorite purchase, though, was the cherry turnover.  With extremely light, flaky and buttery layers, the pastry had an outer crunch, a fruity center, and sweet icing on top. It truly was melt-in-my-mouth delicious![[endteaser]]

This bakery in Alma in the middle of the Flint Hills rises to every occasion with all kinds of decadent goodies – breads, tarts, turnovers, pies, cookies, candy, fudges, toffees, brittles, and even bierocks! Owner Jeanette Rohleder-Supernaw learned to bake from her grandmother of German descent and still uses many of her grandmother’s recipes as well as her own.

There’s literally a baker’s dozen of cookie flavors available here, including Lemon Whippersnapper, Snickerdoodle, German Spitzbuben, Mocha Crackle, and Coconut Chew. Customers favor the Monster and the Double Chocolate varieties, so being a chocolate lover I took a bag of the Double Chocolate home. The texture was perfect, with a tender interior and slightly crispy edge, and each was loaded with a rich chocolate flavor from the cocoa and the generous amount of chocolate chips. I also took home a bag of peanut clusters that truly tested my willpower as I wanted to eat them all in one day!

I visited the bakery in the morning, but next time I’ll come for lunch and order a German Bierock. The bread roll filled with hamburger, cabbage and seasonings is a customer favorite.

One tip – all of the menu items are not always available on a daily basis, so if you want something specific, phone Jeanette a few days before your arrival and she’ll have it ready for you.

Where is your favorite bakery?

Cecilia Harris is a professional freelance writer from Abilene who enjoys discovering fascinating attractions, events and people that reflect the arts, culture and heritage found in Kansas. She has been a longtime regular contributor to KANSAS! magazine and also has written for such publications as Midwest Living, Sunflower Living, Kansas Heritage and The Greyhound Review to inspire others to explore and appreciate her home state. She also has authored two books, “Historic Homes of Abilene” and “Abilene’s Carousel.”