The Mission is one of the sweetest San Francisco neighborhoods, as far as I'm concerned. Unlike where I live on Russian Hill, it has a very diverse population, more often than not it's sunny, has colorful murals and plenty of cafes and quirky shops where I can happily waste an afternoon.  

The Mission has some of my favorite food too, from burritos and tacos at cheap Mexican taquerias to Michelin-starred Range (http://www.rangesf.com/) where I celebrated my birthday last year. There are also Latin, Indian and Asian markets, spice stores, hipster bars and hangouts galore. If you are in the mood for a treat, never fear, the Mission has got you covered there too. Here are a few of the sweetest spots in the Mission you should make a point of visiting:

Start your day right with the best morning bun in town at Tartine Bakery (http://www.tartinebakery.com/). Really. I find the croissants here a bit excessive but the morning bun is just right. It's satisfyingly chewy and crisp in places with a good dose of cinnamon sugar and zingy orange zest. Expect the bakery to be crowded but it's well worth the wait. Find a table inside or out and hunker down. The people watching is fabulous and you'll be right down the block from other foodie favorites such as James Beard winning Delfina restaurant and pizzeria (http://www.delfinasf.com/) and Bi-Rite Market (http://www.biritemarket.com/) a top speciality food store. 

Dynamo Donut (http://www.dynamodonut.com/) is not your grandpa's donut shop. Hipsters line up for the maple bacon donut, but having done my finest research, I will tell you the best choices are either the Spiced Chocolate or the Lemon Sichuan. The chocolate donut is soft and cakey inside but perfectly crisp on the outside. It's rich in chocolate with just a hint of spice. The Lemon Sichuan is a jelly donut  filled with lemon curd that's barely dusted with sugar and sichuan pepper. If you want coffee with that, you'll be drinking cult favorite Four Barrel (http://www.fourbarrelcoffee.com/)

As far as I'm concerned, anytime is the right time for pie. Mission Pie (http://www.missionpie.com/) is a pie shop with an actual mission. They have a strong commitment to youth-at-risk and a great job development program. Oh, and they also have pie! My pick is the Banana Cream Pie. Get it to go or sit for a spell in their pretty cafe that includes a small area for kids to play.

Anthony's Cookies (http://anthonyscookies.com/home.html) is a fairly new shop, but Anthony Lucas has been baking cookies for happy customers since 1997. Smiling and charming, Anthony will win you over before you even try a bite of his soft and tender thin style cookies. Samples are available on the counter and you may find it hard to buy just one. Go ahead, half a dozen are only $5. Top flavors include Milk and Cream, Toffee Chip and Cinnamon Sugar. 

While I doubt Anthony would part with any of his recipes, through trial and error I have devised a recipe that comes close to approximating the soft and fresh cookies you find in shops around town. Keep a bag of preformed cookie dough in the freezer then just pop a few morsels of dough in the oven when you're craving a fresh-from-the-oven treat.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 dozen cookies

8 Tablespoons butter, 1 stick 

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon koher salt

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Beat in vanilla, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add chocolate chips. Chill dough for 1 hour or until firm. Portion the dough using a tablespoon onto a baking sheet, putting each ball of dough next to the next (no space in between). Freeze until solid then transfer to a zip top bag and store in the freezer until ready to bake. 

To serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies on greased or parchment lined cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 13 inutes then let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.