New York’s Best Holiday Desserts
It’s no wonder so many people vow to lose weight in the New Year; because the days leading up to Christmas are generally chock full of alluring, hard to resist sweets! But since there’s no need to worry about your resolutions until January, go ahead and gorge on these festive holiday desserts now, from Dominique Ansel Bakery’s Mexican Hot Chocolate-spiced Penguin Religieuse to awesomely authentic German stollen at Glaser’s Bake Shop and the extravagant Buche de Noel at Epicerie Boulud!
Dominique Ansel Bakery
Pastry genius Dominique Ansel always seems to be in the news for something, whether it’s the debut of one of his newest, groundbreaking creations, such as Magic Soufflés or Milk and Cookie Shots, or merely the release of his latest flavor of Cronut. And he’s definitely not resting on his laurels over the holidays; expect tongues to be wagging over celebratory creations like Gingerbread Croissants, Cookie Dough Truffles, Peppermint Brittle Plaques, and adorable edible Penguin Religieuse, made with Mexican Hot Chocolate-filled Cream Puffs.
Read MoreEpicerie Boulud
It takes an incredible amount of skill to construct a Buche de Noel; a traditional French Christmas cake shaped like a snow-dusted yule log. So go ahead and make your holiday cookies at home, but outsource your extravagant buche to Epicerie Boulud, which offers the opulent pastry in a variety of flavors, including candied chestnut, almond with coffee cream, chocolate and hazelnut, raspberry-pistachio-mascarpone, and silky caramel-mocha.
Read MoreLi-Lac Chocolates
Founded in 1923, Li-Lac is Manhattan’s very oldest chocolate house, so biting into one of their Cherry Cordials, French Mint Bars or Nonpareils is like nibbling on a little bit of history. And why not stop by their new production facility in Brooklyn’s Industry City this season, to watch their Wonka-esque candy makers in action, constructing everything from Santas to Snowmen to cozy, detailed Cabins entirely out of chocolate, along with chewy Christmas Logs made from Peppermint, Coconut and Pistachio flavored Marzipan.
Read MoreMelt Bakery
Who says ice cream sandwiches are exclusively a warm weather dessert? This Lower East Side store serves the sweet frozen treats all year round, and they’ve devised a number of festive flavor combinations for the holiday season, including the “Jack,” made with Molasses Cookies and Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, the “Bumpkin,” featuring Brown Butter Pumpkin Meltcakes and Maker’s Mark Eggnog Ice Cream, the “Fezziwig,” boasting Sticky Toffee Meltcakes sandwiching Butter Rum Ice Cream, and the “Lecker;” Gingerbread Meltcakes filled with Chocolate Spice Ice Cream.
Read MoreGlaser’s Bake Shop
Now 112-years-old, this iconic German bakery is the place to go for traditional Christmas sweets, like crunchy Gingerbread Men, Cherry Spritz Cookies, and an utterly fabulous, seriously dense Stollen, flavored with almond paste and sweet butter, paved with rum-soaked raisins and cherries, and finished with a coat of fluffy powdered sugar.
Read MoreLady M Confections
Lady M is known for their utterly elegant Mille Cakes; a tower of 20 or more paper-thin French crepes, layered with clouds of ethereal pastry cream. But their Gateau aux Marrons — a delicate almond flour cake, piped with ribbons of chestnut-infused cream — will make the ultimate centerpiece for any holiday table, finished with roasted walnuts and a smattering of finely ground sugar, that looks like a sparkling drift of freshly fallen snow.
Read MoreChikaLicious Dessert Club
The all-sweets eatery, ChikaLicious, is taking a cue from Dominique Ansel this season by offering a variety of dessert mashups. Check out the Pumpkin Puff Pie; pumpkin pie and almond filling in a golden puff pastry, the Smash Pie; 1,000 layers of warm, caramelized croissant, and a selection of Christmassy cupcakes, such as Gingerbread, Egg Nog and Peppermint.
Read MoreSpirited
True to its name, Spirited infuses every baked good and plated dessert it sells with a stiff dose of liquor (many of the sweets even boast 2-4 different kinds)! And their new roster of seriously buzzy treats are sure to get you into the holiday spirit, including Bourbon Truffles, Whiskey-drenched Fruitcake, and Spicy Dark n’ Stormy Ginger Cookies.
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