We decided to end our summer with a weeklong trip to Cape Cod with our family of 6 and my brother’s family of 4. Although we stayed in a 4 bedroom house with a regular-sized kitchen, I found it difficult to cook without my own tools. So, while on vacation, I indulged in baked goods not made by me. (Gasp! Michele served non-homemade desserts!)

Heading out for daily ventures, we drove by Marion’s Pie Shop. This little shop on the side of the road always had parking lots filled with customers, which piqued my curiosity. So, one morning my sister-in-law and I went right at opening time to purchase breakfast for our tribes.

Stepping inside the bake shop the smell of freshly baked pies, rolls, and muffins filled the air. All of their treats were generously sized, including cookies almost the size of cds. While awaiting our turn to order, I heard a clerk caution a shopper that the brownie she was about to be handed was very warm. What a great warning to receive!

Checking the display case, we decided to order cinnamon rolls and Chatham muffins for our breakfast. Tempted by the large assortment of pies available, we couldn’t resist and chose a Dutch apple for our dessert later in the day. With 2 bags full of treats, we headed home to surprise our families.

The Chatham muffins were the big winner for our breakfast. Described by our clerk as coffee cake batter baked as a muffin and then dipped in melted butter and cinnamon-sugar, this muffin was amazing. Heated for a few seconds in the microwave, it was delicious.

The cinnamon rolls were very large with a generous amount of frosting. The dough was tender, though a little undercooked. The cinnamon swirl was in good balance to the dough, enough to give flavor but not overwhelming. Although, enjoyed by our crew, there were mumbling of preferring a certain someone’s homemade version.

In the evening, we served the Dutch apple pie for dessert. This was the overall winner for baked goods, surpassing the muffins. The crust was perfect with a hint of sweetness and flaky consistency. The apple filling had a pleasing cinnamon flavor, which was complimented by the crumb topping. The one detractor from this treat was the presence of apple seeds in some pie slices. However, even with seeds, everyone in our crowd found this to be the best tasting baked good.

If you are on Cape Cod, a trip to Marion’s Pie Shop is well worth the drive.