Easy Dessert Picnic Ideas

When I was a senior in high school, my family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Now, there are certain things that aren’t so great about relocating your senior year. However, shortly after arriving and making some new friends, I was introduced to some things that are unique (and pretty awesome) about Winston-Salem. They took me to walk through Old Salem. They introduced me to the local parks. But the best thing I learned (quickly) upon arriving in Winston-Salem was then when it comes to sweets, only one destination will do and that’s Dewey’s Bakery. Truthfully, I might not have ever noticed this little bakery except that even as a teen, it was the talk of the town. From fresh cookies to cakes to delicious bakery creations, Dewey’s Bakery was where we went. When I moved from Winston-Salem to the mountains almost 13 years ago now, leaving Dewey’s Bakery behind was one of the things that I was most upset about.. That’s why I’m thrilled to not only share with you how you can now get Dewey’s Bakery baked goods without ever setting foot in Winston-Salem (although if you’re in town a stop there is a must!) but also how to incorporate them into easy dessert picnic ideas that your whole family is sure to adore.

Before I get to my easy dessert picnic ideas, I want to get nostalgic for a minute so come along with me. While I didn’t discover Dewey’s Bakery until I was in my teen years, it still is a taste that makes me feel like I’ve gone home. I can close my eyes and remember for years walking in the door and smelling the baked goods that are created in this family-owned business that goes back for generations. Opening in Winston-Salem, NC in 1930, you’re not only greeted by great smells but also smiling faces when you walk through the door. Once you’re inside, you see cookies and pies, pastries and more. Not only is every item cooked at Dewey’s Bakery delicious (and trust me, I’ve tried most of them over the years) but there’s also just a Southern feel that wraps itself around you and makes you want to grab a sweet treat, share it with a friend and have a long conversation. I’ve had more that one trip inside Dewey’s Bakery for a cookie to turn a bad day around and they have even been part of some of life’s biggest celebrations. Just look at this amazing birthday cake they made for my oldest son’s 4th birthday way back in 2006!

Because so many of my memories from my late teens and early 20’s include Dewey’s Bakery, it’s the perfect way to create sweet Southern memories with my family even when we’re located miles away. We still stop by every time we go through town but now that we live in the mountains, I’ve discovered the perfect way to bring the Southern charm of Dewey’s Bakery home with their Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies that are now available at Walmart (WOW!) and some easy dessert picnic ideas.

Now, I’ll be honest and tell you that until recently I had no idea that Dewey’s Bakery products were available at Walmart. In fact, when I saw them on the shelves in the cookie aisle I did a double take. At first I thought some other company was trying to impersonate my favorite Southern bakery but after a little googling right there in the aisle, I learned that these cookies were indeed from my beloved Winston-Salem bakery. After doing a short dance in the cookie aisle and tearing up a little bit thinking back to all the memories that Dewey’s Bakery had been involved in for me, I added Dewey’s Bakery Lemon Bar Soft Baked Cookies and Dewey’s Bakery Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Soft Baked Cookies to my cart and headed home to share with my family the fact that those same sweet Southern memories I created at Dewey’s in my younger years could now be ours.

These soft, chewy cookies come in unique bakery-inspired flavors (seriously, try the lemon bar variety!) aren’t like the cookies you’ve tried before. For me, they are tied to memories that mean happiness. But even if you’ve never stepped foot in Dewey’s Bakery, you won’t be able to help but feel the Southern magic that engulfs you with that very first bite. Boasting real, simple ingredients that are free of artificial flavors, synthetic colors, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, they taste oven fresh and delicious enough to bring out the Southern belle in any mom! But even better, because I can now find them at Walmart, I can bring the magic of Dewey’s Bakery home to share with my family as we create memories for them that are tied to this delicious Southern tradition. In fact, they are perfect for creating dessert picnics that are a fantastic way to slow down, reconnect and enjoy some good old fashioned family time. So, how did I take Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies from Walmart and transform them into a perfect Southern dessert picnic? Well, it’s was actually super easy.

I didn’t need much to make this memory-inducing dessert picnic come to life. Since I already had Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies from Walmart, all I needed was a little fruit, some milk and of course mason jars (because that’s want you serve any drink in when you live in the South). Once I had my simple necessities assembled, I was able to lay out a quilt, arrange my sweet afternoon snack and savor the Southern taste with the ones I love most.

For a little while, we were all able to tune out the distractions, get lost in the moment and share old and new memories while we snacked on my dessert picnic spread.

With each bite of the Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies, I gave my children a little piece of my history while creating new, unforgettable moments that we can share as a family.

While I had thought for years that we would have to only sporadically have sweet moments like this when our travels took us through Winston-Salem, I’ve now discovered that the ability to bring Dewey’s Bakery into my home and even better into our dessert picnics any time I want is the perfect way to carry on a Southern tradition that started in my teen years. I adore watching my guys savor the same delicious bakery tastes that I discovered all those year ago but even more, I love watching them create their own memories that are tied to the one-of-a-kind, Southern taste of Dewey’s Bakery.

Whether you’re like me and have had the chance to experience Dewey’s Bakery in Winston-Salem in person and want to recreate that memory or if you’re just looking to add a little Southern sweetness to those special family moments, I encourage you to head to Walmart today and pick up your favorite variety of Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies. To find Dewey’s Bakery products at a store near you, click here. Then to help you get started in planning the perfect sweet celebration, be sure to text “DEWEYS” to 79495 to get your second bag of Dewey’s Bakery Soft Baked Cookies for FREE when you purchase one bag at Walmart, Wegman’s or Giant retailers! This offer is good from 9/17-11/16 and is the perfect way to introduce your family to the Southern charm that is Dewey’s Bakery. Then, once you’ve stocked up, you can plan an easy dessert picnic like me, add them to your bag for your next adventure, or simply enjoy them as you spend time with your family, celebrating life and enjoying everyday moments. No matter which option you choose, I know you’ll fall in love with the taste that us Southerners know can only come from Dewey’s Bakery!

Now tell me, have you ever been to Dewey’s Bakery or tried their Soft Baked Cookies? What memories do they invoke for you?