Christmas Treats Galore at Toronto Bakeries

Still crazed from my FoodieMeet sugar high, I visited nine of Toronto's bakeshops for festive holiday treats that could keep me going straight through 'til New Year's.

Whether gingerbread, sugar cookies, mincemeat tarts, fruitcake, or a good 'ol fashioned Bûche are your fancy, little elves have been busy baking up a storm for your holiday delight.

On Queen East, Lesia and the bakers at LPK's Culinary Groove are offering up beautiful gingerbread and butter cookie gift boxes, a baker's companion gift box with organic extracts, Spicy Chèvre Noir shortbread, sweet shortbread, plus locally sourced and made Evelyn's Crackers. They also do custom cakes should you be thinking about hosting a holiday 'do.

Down in the Distillery, Michelle and the escape artists at Sweet Escapes Patisserie are tweeting about all their holiday treats as they become available: Bûche de Noël (various festive flavours like Peppermint Chocolate and Festive Cranberry), cupcakes (Candy Cane, Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread), macarons (Spicy Chocolate, Eggnog Mousse, Pistachio), caramels (Eggnog, Chocolate) and more.

At Bayview and Mount Pleasant the baker community favourite Francois Rahier of Rahier Patisserie is producing beautiful French classics: Marzipan Christmas figures, cookie gift baskets, Bûches de Noël (available with mocha, dark chocolate, almond/white chocolate, chestnut and Passionfruit mousses), Croque-en-bouche, and Pain Surprise (a large snowman bread base filled with mini sandwiches).

Stephanie and the talented bakers at Queen of Tarts are pouring all their love into some seriously adorable goodies: Their ever impressive gingerbread (houses, greeting cards, ornaments, disco Santas, snowmen, and snow flakes), the BEST mincemeat tarts and fruitcake in the city (Stephanie started soaking the dried fruit in rum months ago), festive chocolate tarts, cakes and more.

Lisa and the sweet gals at Yummy Stuff are happily baking away for the holidays: Cupcakes (Gingerbread, Chocolate, Vanilla, Red Velvet), cute gingerbread and sugar cookies, Linzer cookies, chocolate cakes, fruitcake, and holiday bark (white and dark chocolate).

Cupcakes aren't necessarily the first things that come to mind when you think Christmas treats, but cake and frosting are so easily adapted to holiday flavours, and it seems like in cupcake-crazed Toronto there is no shortage of creative holiday variations.

When not appearing on Food Network Cake Challenges, Cindy and Sarah of the Wedding Cake Shoppe make some of the best cupcakes in the city: Gingerbread, White Chocolate, Peppermint, Eggnog, Chocolate Truffle with Gold Leaf, Ferrero Rocher, Nutmeg, and Irish Cream.

Featured as one of Toronto's best new ideas in of the year, Sweet Flour is the city's favourite a-la-minute cookie shop where you pick your base and mix-ins, then enjoy a hot and gooey treat right from the oven.

Special holiday mix-ins like mint chocolate paired with a Peppermint Chocolate latte is a perfect snack for noshing while you pick up gifts like adorable decorated gingerbread cookies, gingerbread house DIY kits, and gourmet cookie gift boxes and baskets. Sweet Flour is also hosting cookie decorating days every day until Christmas! On December 22nd, profits will go towards Second Harvest.

Cora at Miss Cora's Kitchen has baked up some holiday cheer to with her gingerbread cookies and Chocolate Carrot Cake, Gingerbread and Red Velvet cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing. She also has Vegan Coconut too!

Wanda of Wanda's Pie in the Sky LOVES Christmas and you can see it all over her popular Kesington Market hangout: Vibrant gingerbread and sugar cookies, stocking stuffers like Wanda's Hands Off! caramel popcorn (which is entirely addictive), cakes, tarts, fudge, Stollen, and variety of gift baskets.

So if baking at home isn't your thang you can check out one of these shops, or bring home some holiday cheer from your favourite neighbourhood bakeshop.

Photo of products from Miss Cora's Kitchen by Kay Pollock. All others by the author.