With colder temperatures and the holiday season upon us, it's time to hunker down and eat comfort food- in particular baked goods and many kinds of desserts! Eater has compiled 12 of the area's favorite sweet treats that you can not only enjoy at their location, but also take 'to go' as a foodie inspired gift or to share with loved ones over your holiday meals. Enjoy!
Sputino, a neighborhood Italian style cafe and restaurant located in the Highlands neighborhood is co-owned by chef couple John Broening and Yasmin Lozada-Hissom. Lozada-Hissom, the pastry chef, is a four time James Beard Foundation semifinalist and her desserts are well-known near and far. Popular items include 12 rotating gelatos, the olive-oil citrus cake, a lemon meringue copetta, and a chocolate crunch bar which includes seven layers of ganache, chocolate crunch praline, hazelnuts, and more. This holiday season, Spuntino is hot chocolate- a blend of French, Venezuelan and Belgium chocolates packaged in a festive gift box. The treat is topped off with homemade salted caramel marshmallows.
Guided by Executive pastry chef Christopher Jordan, EDGE has elevated its pastry program by offering reinterpreted American classic desserts like warm sticky toffee pudding with Stranahan’s whiskey ice cream and organic turbinado sauce. EDGE has created homemade macarons like the S’mores, a cinnamon macaron with ganache and marshmallow fluff as part of the Chocolate Tasting dessert. For the holidays, a to-go option includes two macarons, the S’mores macaron and a peppermint macaron. You can pick them up in a bag, tied with an EDGE ribbon for $6. Bonus? Check out the 12-foot macaron Christmas tree in the lobby of the Four Seasons.
Chefs Joe Henderson and MJ Szymanski provide some of the best desserts in Denver in their sophisticated, downtown cocktail lounge. Opening early and offering their signature hot cocoas and Novo Coffee they stay open throughout the day until late-night (between 10-midnight depending on the evening) offering wine or signature cocktails. Popular cakes are the Guinness Chocolate Cake with espresso coulis or the Mile High (flourless chocolate) Layer Cake - 20 layers strong. Perfect for grabbing to go off their December menu is the Roasted Euphoria, mocha brownie with Bailey’s marshmallows, graham cookie, swiss meringue, candied pecans and more for $11.
Owned by husband and wife team, Jake and Kim Rosenbarger the no-frills specialty cake bakery in South Boulder is known to produce interesting cake combinations, often filled with alcoholic ingredients. Jake, a former bicycle racer, has been baking since he was a kid and Kim baked cakes in the South, decidedly bring delights like their Vino Rosso cake with red wine, cream cheese frosting and Manchego cheese or their Darker Storm with two layers of ginger molasses cake, soaked in dark rum, lime juice and ginger beer. Just for the holidays, they feature five special cakes. Their stand-out is the Cafe Brulot cake which is a chocolate spice cake, filled with orange zest, coffee, brandy, Grand Marnier and butter cream. It serves 12 and rings in at $50. This cake may just be the perfect addition to a special holiday celebration.
Owned by pastry chef Kim Boos and graphic designer Brian Wood off of Pearl Street’s Mall in Boulder stands their cozy cupcake bakery, wedding and cake shop, coffee & espresso shop combining delicious sweets, screen print shirts and gifts. With specials throughout the week, don’t forget about Friday Doughnuts or their sticky, cinnamon buns. It’s best to arrive first thing in the morning before work to get the piping hot special treats of the day. Known for their cupcakes, one of their more infamous is the chocolate maple bacon cupcake that comes with shaved bacon on top combining for a sweet maple taste, with savory crunchy bacon for just $2.75. Bacon lovers rejoice!
South of Denver, pastry chef and native of Limoges, France, Pascal Trompeau makes a variety of baked goods from scratch, every morning. You can find breads, quiches, many styles of croissants, French cookies and more in the small bakery that has been open since 2001. Alongside your Kaladi coffee or espresso, you can enjoy one of Trompeau’s turkey, jalapeno cheddar croissant or lorraine-ham swiss quiche if you’re craving something savory. On the sweet side, their flaky, layered, melt-in-your-mouth almond croissant is famous (especially warm if you arrive early).
Open since 2008 at TAXI in Denver, Fuel’s funky industrial space restaurant offers a full menu, bar and desserts always reflecting the latest harvest and organic, seasonal food. Chef/Owner Bob Blair is also decisively known for his soft and crisp chocolate-chip cookies. Filled with pecans and oats, they’ve been featured as Denver’s favorite chocolate-chip recipe one more than one occasion. That’s no small feat. We suggest you head on over to try for yourself and pick up for your family to enjoy together!
Next to nationally-acclaimed, James-Beard award-winning restaurants, Frasca and Pizzeria Locale from Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, sits their small, Italian-style Frasca Caffè. Caffè only has a few small tables but the cozy space is also designed to offer to-go panini, salumi, espresso, desserts and even specialty Italian grocery items. Their biscotti and buttery croissants are popular (the almond croissant is their best croissant) but the real stand out are their coconut chocolate macaroons. Perfect for picking up for a party or enjoying over your holiday meal, these macaroons are available for $1.25 each.
Created by Keegan Gerhard and Lisa Bailey in 2008 with a focus on providing a “destination dessert dining experience,” Gerhard, a food celebrity, hosts Food Network Challenge and Bailey has been working in pastry amongst the elite, for years. You can expect to find delectable sweets alongside their smaller menu of savory bites like mac & cheese and Kobe beef sliders. With one glance at their inviting pastry case filled with the likes of crème brulee, milk and cookies, cupcakes and even the well loved cake and shake with manjari frosting, you will be immediately enticed. For an easy to-go option, try their Bag “O” Donuts filled with 10 cinnamon sugar donuts, alongside vanilla, chocolate or caramel sauce.
Owner Natalie Slevin, runs Sugar Bakeshop and Coffeehouse with elevated service and delicious baked goods known especially for their pies, scones, cookies, cupcakes and even paleo muffins! Their cupcake flavors range from cherry blossom to banana boat cupcake and for most of their baked goods you can find a seasonal option available. Known for their pop-tarts, which you can watch them make in their open kitchen, they offer blueberry, strawberry, pumpkin pie (seasonal flavor), nutella, browns sugar cinnamon and caramel apple. Gooey filled pop-tarts are fun to share, so pick your favorite flavor and enjoy!
Opened recently in October of this year by owner Tamara Brink, the Baker neighborhood pie shop has just 15-seats, but with its brick and recycled barn wood walls, the space is cozy and welcoming. Humble Pie serves tea, Huckleberry Roasters coffee, sweet and savory pies, quiches, sweet or savory galettes, croissants, muffins and even their well-known pie shakes (ice cream and pie blended up for an epic milkshake). You can purchase savory or sweet pies by the slice or whole in 5” or 9” options ranging between $19-23. They offer a weekly-rotating menu to reflect the freshest ingredients from local, organic farms. Available for in-store pick up or even holiday special order, their pies this month range from root veggie pie, dark rum walnut peanut pie, apple cranberry lattice, toasted coconut cream and more. With such a variety you’re sure to find something that pleases your taste buds, especially with their rotating, large list of sweet pies. Available for special order - we suggest Farmer Dave’s famous buttermilk banana cream pie with house-baked graham cracker crust, as your holiday choice pie.
House of Commons is an English Tea House inspired by the tearooms of London from owner and Yorkshire native, Jessica Avery. You can find triangle cucumber sandwiches, salads, quiches, scones with lemon curd or Devonshire cream and hot tea. Afternoon tea is served 11 AM - 5 PM. In their bakery case you can also find iced tea cookies, cupcakes and shortbread cookies. For a special, English treat try their popular chocolate Parliament Bars for just $2.50 each, they go great as a to-go dessert.
Sputino, a neighborhood Italian style cafe and restaurant located in the Highlands neighborhood is co-owned by chef couple John Broening and Yasmin Lozada-Hissom. Lozada-Hissom, the pastry chef, is a four time James Beard Foundation semifinalist and her desserts are well-known near and far. Popular items include 12 rotating gelatos, the olive-oil citrus cake, a lemon meringue copetta, and a chocolate crunch bar which includes seven layers of ganache, chocolate crunch praline, hazelnuts, and more. This holiday season, Spuntino is hot chocolate- a blend of French, Venezuelan and Belgium chocolates packaged in a festive gift box. The treat is topped off with homemade salted caramel marshmallows.
Guided by Executive pastry chef Christopher Jordan, EDGE has elevated its pastry program by offering reinterpreted American classic desserts like warm sticky toffee pudding with Stranahan’s whiskey ice cream and organic turbinado sauce. EDGE has created homemade macarons like the S’mores, a cinnamon macaron with ganache and marshmallow fluff as part of the Chocolate Tasting dessert. For the holidays, a to-go option includes two macarons, the S’mores macaron and a peppermint macaron. You can pick them up in a bag, tied with an EDGE ribbon for $6. Bonus? Check out the 12-foot macaron Christmas tree in the lobby of the Four Seasons.
Chefs Joe Henderson and MJ Szymanski provide some of the best desserts in Denver in their sophisticated, downtown cocktail lounge. Opening early and offering their signature hot cocoas and Novo Coffee they stay open throughout the day until late-night (between 10-midnight depending on the evening) offering wine or signature cocktails. Popular cakes are the Guinness Chocolate Cake with espresso coulis or the Mile High (flourless chocolate) Layer Cake - 20 layers strong. Perfect for grabbing to go off their December menu is the Roasted Euphoria, mocha brownie with Bailey’s marshmallows, graham cookie, swiss meringue, candied pecans and more for $11.
Owned by husband and wife team, Jake and Kim Rosenbarger the no-frills specialty cake bakery in South Boulder is known to produce interesting cake combinations, often filled with alcoholic ingredients. Jake, a former bicycle racer, has been baking since he was a kid and Kim baked cakes in the South, decidedly bring delights like their Vino Rosso cake with red wine, cream cheese frosting and Manchego cheese or their Darker Storm with two layers of ginger molasses cake, soaked in dark rum, lime juice and ginger beer. Just for the holidays, they feature five special cakes. Their stand-out is the Cafe Brulot cake which is a chocolate spice cake, filled with orange zest, coffee, brandy, Grand Marnier and butter cream. It serves 12 and rings in at $50. This cake may just be the perfect addition to a special holiday celebration.
Owned by pastry chef Kim Boos and graphic designer Brian Wood off of Pearl Street’s Mall in Boulder stands their cozy cupcake bakery, wedding and cake shop, coffee & espresso shop combining delicious sweets, screen print shirts and gifts. With specials throughout the week, don’t forget about Friday Doughnuts or their sticky, cinnamon buns. It’s best to arrive first thing in the morning before work to get the piping hot special treats of the day. Known for their cupcakes, one of their more infamous is the chocolate maple bacon cupcake that comes with shaved bacon on top combining for a sweet maple taste, with savory crunchy bacon for just $2.75. Bacon lovers rejoice!
South of Denver, pastry chef and native of Limoges, France, Pascal Trompeau makes a variety of baked goods from scratch, every morning. You can find breads, quiches, many styles of croissants, French cookies and more in the small bakery that has been open since 2001. Alongside your Kaladi coffee or espresso, you can enjoy one of Trompeau’s turkey, jalapeno cheddar croissant or lorraine-ham swiss quiche if you’re craving something savory. On the sweet side, their flaky, layered, melt-in-your-mouth almond croissant is famous (especially warm if you arrive early).
Open since 2008 at TAXI in Denver, Fuel’s funky industrial space restaurant offers a full menu, bar and desserts always reflecting the latest harvest and organic, seasonal food. Chef/Owner Bob Blair is also decisively known for his soft and crisp chocolate-chip cookies. Filled with pecans and oats, they’ve been featured as Denver’s favorite chocolate-chip recipe one more than one occasion. That’s no small feat. We suggest you head on over to try for yourself and pick up for your family to enjoy together!
Next to nationally-acclaimed, James-Beard award-winning restaurants, Frasca and Pizzeria Locale from Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, sits their small, Italian-style Frasca Caffè. Caffè only has a few small tables but the cozy space is also designed to offer to-go panini, salumi, espresso, desserts and even specialty Italian grocery items. Their biscotti and buttery croissants are popular (the almond croissant is their best croissant) but the real stand out are their coconut chocolate macaroons. Perfect for picking up for a party or enjoying over your holiday meal, these macaroons are available for $1.25 each.
Created by Keegan Gerhard and Lisa Bailey in 2008 with a focus on providing a “destination dessert dining experience,” Gerhard, a food celebrity, hosts Food Network Challenge and Bailey has been working in pastry amongst the elite, for years. You can expect to find delectable sweets alongside their smaller menu of savory bites like mac & cheese and Kobe beef sliders. With one glance at their inviting pastry case filled with the likes of crème brulee, milk and cookies, cupcakes and even the well loved cake and shake with manjari frosting, you will be immediately enticed. For an easy to-go option, try their Bag “O” Donuts filled with 10 cinnamon sugar donuts, alongside vanilla, chocolate or caramel sauce.
Owner Natalie Slevin, runs Sugar Bakeshop and Coffeehouse with elevated service and delicious baked goods known especially for their pies, scones, cookies, cupcakes and even paleo muffins! Their cupcake flavors range from cherry blossom to banana boat cupcake and for most of their baked goods you can find a seasonal option available. Known for their pop-tarts, which you can watch them make in their open kitchen, they offer blueberry, strawberry, pumpkin pie (seasonal flavor), nutella, browns sugar cinnamon and caramel apple. Gooey filled pop-tarts are fun to share, so pick your favorite flavor and enjoy!
Opened recently in October of this year by owner Tamara Brink, the Baker neighborhood pie shop has just 15-seats, but with its brick and recycled barn wood walls, the space is cozy and welcoming. Humble Pie serves tea, Huckleberry Roasters coffee, sweet and savory pies, quiches, sweet or savory galettes, croissants, muffins and even their well-known pie shakes (ice cream and pie blended up for an epic milkshake). You can purchase savory or sweet pies by the slice or whole in 5” or 9” options ranging between $19-23. They offer a weekly-rotating menu to reflect the freshest ingredients from local, organic farms. Available for in-store pick up or even holiday special order, their pies this month range from root veggie pie, dark rum walnut peanut pie, apple cranberry lattice, toasted coconut cream and more. With such a variety you’re sure to find something that pleases your taste buds, especially with their rotating, large list of sweet pies. Available for special order - we suggest Farmer Dave’s famous buttermilk banana cream pie with house-baked graham cracker crust, as your holiday choice pie.
House of Commons is an English Tea House inspired by the tearooms of London from owner and Yorkshire native, Jessica Avery. You can find triangle cucumber sandwiches, salads, quiches, scones with lemon curd or Devonshire cream and hot tea. Afternoon tea is served 11 AM - 5 PM. In their bakery case you can also find iced tea cookies, cupcakes and shortbread cookies. For a special, English treat try their popular chocolate Parliament Bars for just $2.50 each, they go great as a to-go dessert.
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