Risley Dining Hall, located in Risley Hall on North Campus, is, in my opinion, a hidden gem. Both gluten- and nut-free, Risley is overlooked compared to its North Campus counterparts, Morrison and North Star (Appel) Dining — in part due to its allergen-free, selective menu and short hours. However, this doesn’t mean Risley is not truly delicious, especially when it comes to its desserts.
Risley, unlike any other dining hall on campus, has an assortment of specially made gluten-free desserts – brownies, cakes and cookies — that they offer for lunch and dinner. While I originally thought these desserts would be disgusting, dry and tasteless because they’re gluten-free, I now believe that Risley has the best desserts any Cornell dining hall has to offer.
Whether it’s your first time trying out Risley, or you’re a frequenter looking for recommendations, here’s a review of all of the Risley desserts I was able to try in the recent weeks.
Mocha Chocolate Chip Cake
This sheet-pan cake is a chocolate cake topped with chocolate frosting, chocolate chips, and swirls of chocolate syrup. This treat is basically a chocolate overload, especially for someone like me, who is less than enthusiastic about the flavor. However, I can admit that this is a pretty good cake. While the cake itself teetered on being a bit dry, I loved the balance of the sweet chocolate buttercream frosting and the slight bitterness of the cake. Plus, the chocolate chips add a much-needed crunch. Though I’m not sure why this cake is called a “Mocha Chocolate Chip Cake.” A coffee flavor was nowhere to be found.
Chocolate Cake
This cake is basically the same as the Mocha Chocolate Chip Cake, except without the chocolate chips. Still, this cake is a delightful treat, but it just doesn’t have the crunch of the chip.
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Refreshingly sweet, this cake tastes exactly like a Starbucks lemon loaf cake — my guilty pleasure. This lemon cake, sprinkled with pieces of blueberry and frosted with vanilla buttercream, is definitely a melt-in-your-mouth combo. Though, I had qualms about the lack of blueberries and lemon flavor in my piece. The fruity flavor was overpowered by the frosting, making the flavor reminiscent of a vanilla cake. If I had picked out a piece with more blueberries and less frosting, I think this cake would’ve been a 10 out of 10.
Raspberry Brownie
I love the classic combination of chocolate and raspberry, and I think these brownies deliver a solid treat. Fudgy and fruity, I love the softness of the brownies and how they just melt in your mouth. Although, the brownie could be chewier, and I’m not a huge fan of the texture of the dried raspberries. However, I do appreciate the creativity of this pairing for a brownie!
Cinnamon Brownie
In theory, I would love this brownie. It’s a combination that can do no wrong. However, this brownie tasted like I had eaten a spoonful of cinnamon. Literally, I had to cough the taste out of my mouth and chug water. I’m hoping this was just a bad brownie pick on my part because otherwise, I have to seriously question how much cinnamon Risley is putting in a whole batch of brownies.
Snickerdoodle Cookie
Freshman year, I would hoard literal dozens of these cookies in my room because of how good they are. This cookie has a subtle crispy outer edge coupled with a soft, delectable inside that leaves your mouth with a delicious taste of cinnamon sugar. These cookies are a campus gem. However, I will say that the cookie that I picked up was a little too thick and wasn’t as soft as I’d thought it would be — alas, still delicious.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Looks are deceiving. This cookie looks like a hard, chocolatey biscuit, but trust me when I say this: Risley might have the best chocolate chip cookie on campus. Yes, I know, this is an incredibly hot take, but somehow this gluten-free cookie is amazing. Thick, but still soft and chewy, and packed with melty chocolate chips (and especially good with coffee), this treat has changed my perspective on gluten-free cookies forever. I recommend stealing at least a week’s supply for your dorm whenever Risley serves these cookies.
If you’ve never experienced the indulgent experience of trying a Risley dessert, what’s stopping you? These scrumptious treats are served on weekdays for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as for dinner between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Sanika Saraf is a sophomore in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She can be reached at ss4353@cornell.edu.
