State College just got sweeter, folks.

Dulce Luca Café, located at 214 East Calder Way, opened its doors last month, introducing Happy Valley to the “crookie,” which has recently gone viral on TikTok.

The cafe has a wide selection of homemade, sweet treats such as tres leches, tiramisu, cheesecake, cookies, and beverages like iced coffee and aqua fresca.

A few of our staffers headed downtown to fulfill those sweet cravings and check out State College’s newest bakery.

Ally Eaton: Crookie

I made my trip down to Dulce Luca on a rainy Wednesday morning. A sweet treat was the perfect pick-me-up for a dreary day, and Dulce Luca didn’t disappoint. Upon entering the doors, I was greeted with a bright ambiance and good vibes.

After some deliberation, I decided to go for one of the crookies it had on display. For those who are unfamiliar, a crookie is a croissant combined with a cookie. I had seen these viral creations all over my TikTok, and I thought a fresh, warm one from Dulce Luca was the perfect treat to try. My croissant was handed to me almost instantly and I bit into the buttery, doughy goodness. It was the perfect croissant-to-cookie ratio and every sweet tooth’s dream. The $6 price was pretty average for such a decadent creation, and I will definitely be returning if I’m in need of something sweet!

CJ Gill: Nutella Cookie

First off, the inside of Dulce Luca was beautiful and gave off a great atmosphere a bakery should have. I went with a group of my friends in the late morning and the new spot downtown was completely empty. The service was great and the man behind the counter was so nice and did a great job explaining the menu to us.

I ended up getting the Nutella cookie and it was delicious! It had all the essentials of a perfect sweet treat. The chocolate on chocolate was daunting at first, but it tasted so good. The only recommendation I have is to ask the workers to heat it up. There really is nothing better than a warm cookie.

Ashley Connington: Red Velvet Cookie

While that croissant thing looked so good, they were baking more when I got there, and it was time for a change in reviews anyway. I got the red velvet cookie with a cream cheese filling. Now, I’m not usually a red velvet stan, but something about this cookie just called to me, and it was so good. It has the same vibe as a Crumbl cookie and was freshly baked with the perfect amount of filling. There were so many cookies at the bakery that weren’t just the generic chocolate chip. I’ll definitely be going back again to try them all.

Kyra Birmingham: S’mores Cookie & Crookie

I tried the s’mores cookie and the cookie croissant (crookie?). Overall, they were both pretty good. The cookie was better than some chain places, you could really tell it was homemade. There were also a lot of different flavor options, but the s’mores marshmallow won me over. The crookie was super sweet, so I couldn’t eat it in one sitting, but I’m a huge croissant and cookie fan and not complaining. I’m definitely going back to try more. Not only was the food good, but it was pretty inside with nice couches to hang out on.

Evan Halfen: Crookie & Strawberry Watermelon Aqua Fresca

Right when I walked into Dulce Luca, I was immediately sold. Between the smell of freshly baked cookies and the good vibes inside, I knew I found my newest addiction. The place was filled with nice seating and a cool place to hang out with some friends.

The toughest part, however, was when it was time to order. My mind was overwhelmed with all the unique options. I went with the crookie and an aqua fresca. I’ve never had anything like either of them, so I didn’t really know what to expect. However, after the first bite of that croissant cookie, I couldn’t stop. I also finished the strawberry watermelon drink within minutes.

I really liked how fresh and homemade everything came out, and my stomach couldn’t have been happier. Next time I stop in, I definitely want to try either the tres leches or one of the cookies.

Haylee Yocum: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie & Nutella Cookie

To be clear, I walked into Dulce Luca with high expectations. I had seen a few posts on the Foodies of State College Facebook group about the bakery, including that all baked goods were made in-house daily.

I selected a chocolate peanut butter cookie because it’s my favorite flavor combination, along with a Nutella cookie because the kind worker recommended it. While the containers make the cookies look a lot smaller than they are, they’re pretty big — and also tall. At the highest point, each cookie had to have been at least an inch tall, if not more.

I cut each cookie in half to sample, and both cookies were amazing. There’s a small crisp on the outside and a perfectly soft interior, and both cookies were loaded with their respective flavors. The drizzle on top is a huge plus, too!

While the price for the cookies is around what you’d pay at Crumbl, I would argue Dulce Luca’s cookies are miles better. I’m looking forward to going back in the future to try more cookie flavors and their tiramisu!

Ericka Apolskis: Iced Mocha & S’mores Cookie

I love two things in this world: iced coffees and a sweet treat. Dulce Luca has both. I was super excited to try this place since I walked by it all the time when it was being built. I got an iced mocha with almond milk and then got the s’mores cookie since it was recommended to me. However, there were tons of different options to choose from. I feel the prices of both were pretty comparable to other local coffee shops downtown. Both items were super good and I definitely will be going back again.