In a city known for its excess, a world-class dessert is never more than a block away. All-night diners serve pie and ice cream, bakeries put together enormous boxes of donuts, cheesecakes are consumed with unbelievable frequency. And then there are your New York variations, from the doughnut holes to the cake pops, the ice cream sandwiches to the cronuts.

Take a tour of the city’s sweet-tooth favourites.

The New York cheesecake

Appropriately dense, rich and creamy, New York’s take on the classic cheesecake is not to be missed. Fight the crowds at Magnolia Bakery for one of their mini cheesecakes, be it red velvet, key lime or caramel pecan. Always worth the wait.

The Magnolia Bakery bonus

Since you’ve waited this long for your cheesecake, make sure you pick up a whole stack of Magnolia’s iconic cupcakes, which come in over a dozen varieties. Just make sure one of them is a red velvet.

Pie

You can get a decent slice of pie at most eateries in New York, such is its popularity with locals and travellers alike. However, go for a slice (or several) at the Little Pie Company in Midtown West. All the classics are represented here but you have to try both the traditional apple and the southern pecan.

Pancakes

You can (and absolutely should) have pancakes two ways: sweet, and crazy sweet. The former makes for a perfect breakfast, a stack served with a melting knob of butter, several strips of crispy bacon and a couple of eggs, all covered in syrup. The latter makes for a decadent meal at any time of day. Head to Clinton St. Baking Company on the Lower East Side and immediately order the house classic pancakes with warm maple butter.

Cronuts

Well, they’re hardly a local delicacy at this point, but Dominique Ansel’s donut conversion is still worth the trip to Lower Manhattan. Just make sure you turn up early -- like, before the doors open early -- before they’re cleaned out, which happens around lunchtime on a daily basis.