Sugar Shack

Since 1996, Sugar Shack has been a Wimberly go-to for hand-made goodies, more than earning its nickname: “Wimberly’s sweet spot.” Luckily for us, their talents don’t stop there, and the bakery also offers weekend brunch.

Though they make a point to tell you everything is made from scratch and might take a little longer than usual, they also provide a lovely outdoor spot to sit while we wait and sip on hot coffee. 

We’re in Texas, so we have to try the savory kolaches, which were brought to Central Texas by Czech families in the late 19th century and are now as famous in Hill Country as brisket. Savory kolaches are the newer kids on the block and almost entirely Texan (you’d be hard-pressed to find a meat-filled kolache in the Czech Republic).

We also get the Hill Country hash with Southern-style hash browns made with grilled onion, cheddar cheese, bacon and sausage, then topped with two fried eggs. It’s heavy and comforting. 

The ham and cheese croissant might be the winner. It’s buttery outer layers give way to moist inner layers, and an excellent ratio of ham to cheese. My only complaint is that I want it to be twice the size.

Two cookies are next. The cowboy cookie has huge chunks of chocolate, oatmeal and chewy toffee. The snickerdoodle is a bit drier and light on the cinnamon. Both are thin as pancakes. 

Finally, the huge, big-as-your-hand yeasty cinnamon bun is swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon, and topped with thick cream cheese frosting. You could use a steak knife to cut it, or easily pull it apart with your hands. It could be a meal on its own, or served as a sweet side. We opt to make it last over the next day, and are grateful every time we get to dig back in.