In the not-so-distant past, finding plant-based goodies at a bakery was like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Now, there has never been a better time to have a sweet tooth! Now, there are so many fantastic bakeries, with dessert displays jam-packed with baked goods that you thought only existed in your wildest dreams — there are even bakeries that are allergy-friendly and gluten-free!
Maybe you’re a connoisseur of new and innovative desserts, like The Cinnamon Snail’s Vanilla Bourbon Crème Brûlée doughnut. Or maybe classic desserts are more your thing, like whoopie pies in fun flavors. Whatever kind of dessert you love, there are bakeries all across the United States that have something for everyone. Here is a list of bakeries (in no particular order) that are guaranteed to satisfy your strongest cravings.
Sticky Fingers Eats and Sweets/Facebook
You may have heard about Sticky Fingers Eats and Sweets when the owner, Doron Petersan, was featured on the Food Network show Cupcake Wars. The Washington DC shop has a retro vibe and a fun, comfort food-oriented menu. Challah French Toast, Cheesy Mac, and a Smoky Barbecue Burger are just a few of the house specialties, but who goes to a bakery without saving room for dessert? The Cowvin Cookie, Whoopie Pies, Little Devils, and of course, their cupcakes are just a few of their mouthwatering treats.
Vegan Divas/Facebook
Brazilian baker, Fernanda Capobionco, has combined her love of indulgent desserts with her passion for healthy eating at this Upper East Side treasure. After years of peddling her vegan goodies at specialty markets and online, Capobianco decided to open Vegan Divas, a contemporary and cozy brick-and-mortar. With a strong focus on exotic and healthy ingredients, Capobianco’s goal is a destination where anyone can enjoy a guilt-free dessert.
When at the counter, you couldn’t make a bad dessert choice even if you were trying to. The brownies, doughnuts, and macaroons are all amazing. I have always been intrigued by a well-done vegan cheesecake, and the cheesecake at Vegan Divas is no exception.
Beet Box/Facebook
Beet Box is a bakery and café located in Denver, Colorado. Their goal is to create innovative vegan desserts and breads by using mostly organic and minimally processed ingredients. Their unique sandwich menu includes rich and interesting items, like the Cremini Panini and the “ABC” — that’s roasted almonds, beets, cashew cream cheese, butter lettuce, and mustard, served on country bread. Their pastry menu changes seasonally, but will always satisfy cravings for both savory and sweet. And if you’re gluten-free, no problem! They always have a large selection of gluten-free goodies.
Pattycake Bakery/Facebook
Pattycake Bakery, a purveyor of “Conscientious Sweets, Handmade with Love,” can be found in Columbus, Ohio. They source their ingredients locally, make deliveries via bicycle, and do whatever else they can to make sure they treat the Earth with the same respect that they treat their customers and workers. The specialty flavors for their famous whoopie pies, like mint, peanut butter, chocolate, and pumpkin, will blow your mind.
Reverie Bakeshop/Facebook
Reverie Bakeshop is the perfect name for this Texas gem. Meaning “a daydream,” the word perfectly describes what happens to you as you ponder their menu. They have a strong focus on organic ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. If you have a special dietary request, they are only too happy to comply. Their savory pastries include kolache, breakfast scramble turnovers, and tofu quiches. Desserts include a wide selection of brownies, doughnuts, cream pies, and a decadent raw vegan dessert menu.
Karma Baker/Facebook
“Enlightened” is the key word that describes the kitchen of this Westlake, California vegan and gluten-free bakery. The staff at Karma Baker is truly a team where they share ideas and work together to create treats that everyone can enjoy. Cake pops, cookie sandwiches, pies, and tarts can be found on their menu, along with an amazing selection of other vegan desserts.
Parlour Vegan Bakery/Facebook
Parlour Bakery is a bakery and breakfast/brunch restaurant located in Plantation, Florida. If savory flavors are your thing, try the black bean empanada and ask for extra “Wolf Sauce,” a cilantro-based green sauce. Their dessert case is full of doughnuts and cupcakes, including flavors like S’mores”, and Cinnamon Toasty (like the cereal). No matter what you choose, don’t leave without trying a Chocolate Hybrid Cupcake, a combination made of chocolate cake, peanut butter filling, and salted caramel frosting.
Blossom Vegan Bakery/Facebook
Blossom Vegan Bakery is just one of the amazing Blossom locations in NYC. Their desserts are available for purchase at the retail store on 9th Avenue, as well as at Blossom du Jour locations. Indulge in their delicious cookies, pies, red velvet cake, and carrot cake. If you stop by, don’t miss their chocolate selection, including the Betterfinger Bar, Peppermint Patty Discs, and the gluten-free truffles.
Vegan Treats/Facebook
The goal at Vegan Treats is to create baked goods that are not only kind but also more delicious than their traditional counterparts. That could explain why they were named one of the top bakeries in the world. Here’s just a selection of what you can find in their pastry case: Confetti Cake, Sticky Bun Cheesecake, Death by Chocolate, and their famous Peanut Butter Bomb. Many have gluten-free versions, as well. If doughnuts are your thing, the Bavarian Cream, Boston Cream, and Triple Chocolate have die-hard fans all across tri-state area.
Pixie Retreat Raw’r Laboratorie & Makery/Facebook
Although it’s technically not a bakery Pixie Retreat, a purveyor of raw treats, is a “laboratorie and makery.” Everything on their menu is soy-free, dairy-free, and free from refined sugar. Enjoy their puddings and chocolates, or give their decadent Oreo Mint Cookie Cake and Salted Caramel Cake a try. Pixie Retreat makes the raw diet a piece of cake.
Nami/Facebook
Located in Phoenix, Nami is a pastry, coffee, and ice cream shop. The name comes from their original and organic ice cream treat, The tSoynami, which is full of just about anything you could want, like cakes, cookies, peanut butter, and chocolate. When the tSoynami captured the hearts of the locals, they decided to expand their menu with coffee, fluffy doughnuts, turnovers, and fritters. Signature cake flavors include Chocolate Blackout, Horchata, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Cookie Dough.
Cakewalk Baking Company & Dillos Vegan Snack Cakes/Facebook
Cakewalk Baking Company is located within Frisch Compassionate Eatery in Salt Lake City, Utah. On any given day, you can find a large selection of their baked goods in their pastry case, but you can also find them in some local specialty shops. They also take direct orders for parties and special events. Cookies and pastries with classic flavors like chocolate chip and peanut butter, are sold by the dozen, as well as brownies, eclairs, and cream puffs. Their claim to fame is a cream-filled snake cake called the Dillo In addition to the classic vanilla cream filling, the Dillo also comes filled with crazy flavors like coconut lime, Mexican chocolate, red velvet, and chai.
Erin McKenna’s Bakery/Facebook
Erin McKenna’s Bakery opened in NY in 2005. Since then she has been serving up delicious vegan and gluten-free treats on the Lower East Side. A second location was added in LA, and a third in Walt Disney World! Cupcakes, Frosties, cookies, donuts,”bread” loaves, brownies, muffins, and crumb cakes are there to tempt you at all three locations.
Dulce Vegan Bakery & Café/Facebook
At Dulce Vegan Bakery & Café in Atlanta, they specialize in treats that are allergy-friendly and free from refined sugars. Their menu is rotated around seasonal availability of organic, local, and fair trade ingredients. Specialty cake flavors include Chocolate Mint, Orange Caramel Pecan, Carrot, Banana, and Orange Cardamom.
Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffeehouse/Facebook
Mud Pie Vegan Bakery and Coffeehouse in Kansas City opened its doors in 2011. Since then, they have been serving up their muffins, sweet scones, biscotti, and stuffed pretzels. Their savory cheddar scones are available with unique flavors like herb, sausage, and jalepeño. They also have an amazing selection of dessert bars, breads, and candies.
Back to Eden Bakery/Facebook
Back to Eden Bakery, located in Portland, Oregon, is 100 percent gluten-free. Their goal is to show you how you can nourish yourself and enjoy what you eat while keeping the planet in mind. Stop in to their perky storefront for their savory menu items, and stay for their wide selection of desserts, like whoopie pies, toffee bars, and raw cheesecake!
Clementine Bakery/Facebook
Clementine Bakery in Brooklyn is an organic bakery with some gluten-free options. The weekend menu can be slightly more extensive, and if it’s one of their amazing cinnamon rolls you’ve got your heart set on, make sure to stop in on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. They also have dog treats for your canine companions!
Sweet Freedom Bakery/Facebook
In a city that has amazing restaurants like Vedge, Hip City, Charlie Was a Sinner, and Blackbird Pizza, Sweet Freedom Bakery in Philadelphia holds the distinction of being the only completely allergy-friendly bakery. Since opening their doors, Sweet Freedom has made it their mission to create a bounty of treats that anyone can enjoy. Here, you can enjoy the classic bakery eats like cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, and breads, and specialty items, like their Magic Bars.
Cinnamon Snail/Facebook
After years of selling his vegan goodies at farmers markets in New Jersey, Adam Sobel opened his wildly successful food truck, The Cinnamon Snail. In a city where no one has time to wait for anything, people found the time to line up around the block at lunchtime to get their hands on one of Sobel’s confections. In early 2016, Sobel opened a brick-and-mortar location at the Pennsy in NYC. While it is not a bakery, per se, you will be hard-pressed to find yummier baked goods anywhere. If you stop in for lunch, grab a Maple Mustard Tempeh Sandwich and follow it up with a Vanilla Bourbon Creme Brulée Donut.
Cinnaholic Berkeley/Facebook
If you absolutely have to have a cinnamon roll, but need it to be frosted with flavors like root beer, peanut butter, or butter pecan, and topped with just about anything you can think of, Cinnaholic is the place to go. The bakery was founded in Berkley by the husband and wife duo of Shannon and Florian Radke, who are now expanding their franchise business throughout the country. Stop by one of their locations in California, Texas, or Georgia.
Vegan Vee/Facebook
Vegan Vee is a gluten-free bakery that uses mostly organic ingredients and only certified gluten-free flour. Their American and European-style takeout bakery also offers a variety of raw desserts and a huge selection of traditional bakery favorites. Cookies, doughnuts, brownies, cupcakes, and savory rolls are always available in their Nashville, Tennessee storefront.
Capitol City Bakery/Facebook
If you find yourself in Austin with a hankering for some sugar, don’t panic! Capitol City Bakery will do the job. This community-oriented and eco-friendly bakery is about more than just sweets. They locally source their ingredients, recycle, compost, and all of their bakery boxes are made from recycled materials. They serve up a wide array of their cupcakes, Rice Krispie treats, and Cookie Sammies, all while focusing on protecting the environment.
Sweet Theory Baking Co./Facebook
Sweet Theory Baking Co. is an allergy-friendly bakery located in Jacksonville, Florida. Stop in for a biscuit sandwich and try their doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, brownies, and cupcakes. What does the staff recommend? There’s no question there: try a Maple Bacon Doughnut!
Sweet to Lick Vegan Bakery/Facebook
Located on Long Island, NY, Sweet to Lick is the place to get delicious and mostly organic treats. They have an amazing selection of cakes for special events, as well as fun twists on classic desserts, like their Ginger Ale Crumb Cake and Bourbon Pecan Cookies. If you stop by, be sure to pick up their Vegan Chocolate Cake Mix!
My Vegan Sweet Tooth/Facebook
My Vegan Sweet Tooth in Virginia Beach uses only fair trade evaporated cane juice and organic agave to sweeten their confections. They also have a strong focus on locally sourcing their ingredients. Stop in for their signature treats, like the Peanut Butter Crunchie, Yummy Bar, Whoopie Pie, or one of their amazing cakes!
The bakeries on this list prove that having no place to find something sweet and delicious to eat is quickly becoming a thing of the past! Where do you satisfy your sweet tooth? Share your favorite bakery with us! Or, is one of your favorite bakeries on the list? We’d love to hear that, too!
Lead Image Source: Apple Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Vanilla Icing