The holiday season is a wonderful time for friends, family, generosity, and joy. It’s also a time when many of us set aside calorie-counting and sugar abstinence—if only for a brief, glorious stretch—to indulge our sweetest cravings. For some, that means a plate of neatly decorated cookies, a magnificent bûche de Noël, or a three-tiered coconut cake, while others might even find themselves craving an old-fashioned fruitcake.
Whatever temptation lifts your holiday spirits, you’re sure to find it in the city of Houston. If you have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, explore this list of bakeries, cafés, and restaurants that can make your holiday dessert dreams come true.
Magnol French Baking
Owner and pastry chef, Otto Sanchez, has a resume that would make any culinary professional envious. His organic breads grace the tables of some of Houston’s finest restaurants, and his pastries have a cult following. It should come as no surprise that the holiday season brings customers to his doors searching for a stellar dessert that will wow. His traditional coffee and chocolate bûche de Noël will do the trick, with its confectionary mushrooms on top. There are also coconut, banana, and passion fruit varieties, for a tropical twist on the French cake. Orders for Christmas must be made by Sunday, December 21. We also suggest pre-ordering a Paris brest, for a true Parisian-style Noel. 1500 N. Post Oak Rd., Houston, magnolfrenchbaking.com
Dessert Gallery
For 35 years, Sara Brook’s bakery on Kirby has been churning out cakes, cookies, and much more. Last year, she opened a shop in the Woodlands, further expanding her reach. The gallery has desserts worth “oohing” and “aahing” year-round, but especially during the holiday season.. Among the Hanukkah and Christmas offerings are decorated cakes, ginger people, and a menorah decorating kit for the kiddos. A standout is the yule log layer cake, covered in rich chocolate ganache. Multiple locations, dessertgallery.com
Three Brothers Bakery
Founded by three Polish brothers who survived the Holocaust and immigrated to Houston, this famed bakery has been a part of the Houston Jewish community for more than 76 years. It now has four locations, with each one rolling out Hanukkah and Christmas desserts for the season. Offerings are plenty for both holidays, ranging from a Happy Hanukkah cake, or a Hanukkah cookie cake fit for the kids’ table, to a Christmas light cake, available in white or chocolate, and gingerbread house kits. Multiple locations, 3brothersbakery.com
Moeller’s Bakery
Houston has no shortage of longstanding bakeries and Moeller’s is its oldest at 95 years. Holidays are joyful with one of Moeller’s Christmas bow cakes, or a selection of petit fours, but one of the most popular seasonal treats is the Christmas stollen, a German fruit bread that’s filled with fruit, nuts, and raisins, and topped with a glaze and decorated with candied cherries and pineapple. 4201 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, moellersbakery.com
Common Bond Bistro & Bakery
Through December 20, Common Bond is offering pre-orders for its stunning lineup of Christmas desserts. Its black forest bûche de Noël is a work of art, with layers of brownie, cherry compote, vanilla, and chocolate, enrobed in a red mirror glaze. Common Bond also has a sweet vanilla pistachio raspberry wreath entremet that is almost too pretty to eat. Multiple locations, commonbondcafe.com
Phoenicia Specialty Foods
Phoenicia’s holiday offerings include a wide selection of panettone, a sweet fruit bread that has been eaten at Italian Christmas feasts for centuries. Like fruit cake, some people love it and some people hate it. Often, Italian Americans will buy it simply for tradition’s sake. Phoenicia stocks imported varieties in different flavors. Once you see the shop’s huge selection of seasonal sweets, odds are, you’ll go home with all kinds of holiday goodies. Multiple locations,phoeniciafoods.com
El Bolillo
Houstonians have been going to this Mexican bakery since 1998 for its traditional pan dulce and Latin pastries. This year, it is offering two 6-inch holiday cakes that are sure to pep up your dessert table. The snowman features vanilla tres leches with strawberry mousse, and the reindeer is vanilla tres leches cake with chocolate cream. There is also a Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread traditionally served for Three Kings Day in January. Multiple locations, elbolillobakery.com
French Riviera Bakery
For nearly 48 years, this rustic French bakery has been known for its almond croissants and chocolate eclairs, but during the holidays, it gets inundated with orders for its bûche de Noël. Made with sponge cake, rolled and enveloped in a dark chocolate or mocha buttercream frosting, it’s an elegant centerpiece for a dessert table. There is also a tiramisu version, made with coffee-liquor ladyfingers and whipped mascarpone cream, covered with a rich espresso cremeux. 3100 Chimney Rock Rd., Houston, frenchrivierabakery.com
Eat Cake
This little Heights bakery has eye-catching made-from-scratch cakes, created with high quality ingredients and lots of love. Its seasonal raspberry ripple cake is pretty in pink, with snowflake decorations. The cake is created with white chocolate and made-in-house raspberry puree. Be forewarned: If you make a trip to the store, you might return home with more than just one cake. 1901 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, eatcakebar.com
Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen
This New York-inspired delicatessen has a Hannukah menu filled with traditional holiday bites and desserts, including sufganiyot, an Israeli jelly doughnut typically eaten during the Jewish holiday. They can be ordered individually, or by the dozen. Kenny & Ziggy’s also offers a wide variety of cakes and pies, including a 10-inch cheesecake. The strawberry version makes a colorful addition to the dessert table. 1743 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, kennyandziggys.com
Raja Sweets
Located in the Mahatma Gandhi District, this family-run restaurant and bakery has trays and boxes of curated mithai in vibrant colors, perfect for the holiday season. There is a wide array of confections to choose from, including the bright red coconut ladoo, traditional gulab jamun, and the unique orange jalebi. The boxes make great hostess gifts, and the trays of treats are sure to make any holiday party more memorable. 5667 Hillcroft Ave., Houston, rajasweets.com
Jane & the Lion Bakehouse
Chef Jane Wild has several awe-inspiring pies available for pre-order this holiday season, including salted honey and salted caramel apple, but the eggnog custard pie may be the true showstopper. Layered with organic eggnog custard and gingersnaps, the filling is topped with a dome of toasted marshmallow fluff. For those looking for an excellent host gift, Wild has a $25 box of cookies that includes double chocolate chip, oatmeal cream pies, and Texas pecan snowballs.4721 N. Main St., Houston, janeandthelion.com
