Make your visions of sugarplums a reality this December with seasonal specialties from local restaurants and bakeries. From the traditional to the fanciful, our picks are sure to keep you jolly as an elf, and you don’t have to go over the river and through the woods to get them.
Festive Cupcakes
What would the holidays be without a cupcake or three? Shortly after her victory on the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars in 2012, self-taught confectionary expert and Los Angeles native Abby Jimenez set up shop in Maple Grove. With its pink-cushioned booths and bistro-style tables, the décor is almost as scrumptious as the cakes themselves. Since its Midwest debut, Nadia Cakes has never been far from the spotlight, and this December you can watch as Erin Campbell of Nadia Cakes’ Palmdale (CA) store puts her whimsical and luscious recipes to the test on The Food Network’s The Next Great Holiday Baker. Or, stop by and judge for yourself: As Campbell competes for the $50,000 grand prize, the shop will feature select items from each episode.
Here are four more sweet reasons to stop into Nadia Cakes this holiday season:
- Peppermint Mocha Cupcake: Chocolate espresso-infused cake topped with peppermint butter cream frosting and a melt-in-your-mouth puff mint.
- Gingerbread Cupcake: Spiced cake with cream cheese frosting, decorated with a fondant gingerbread man.
- Eggnog Cupcake: Cake flavored with real eggnog, French brandy butter cream frosting and a fondant holly leaf.
- Holiday Pupcake: Featuring all natural, canine-friendly ingredients, just for the furry friends on your gift list.
Cupcakes are $3.25–$3.50 each; 4 for $12.50, 6 for $18, 12 for $33. 11650 Fountains Drive, Suite 107; 763.575.8885.
Tiny Pies
The Minneapple pie represents the combined efforts, wisdom and imagination of two generations of restaurateurs and bakers. Its prized crust was perfected by Libby Atsidakos and her children George and Joanne over the course of nine months back in 2008. Since then, Minneapple pies have been sold at the past four State Fairs, and remain the most sought-after treat on the menu at Minne’s Diner—even drawing visitors from several states away. This year, the pies have hit the shelves at Kowalski’s Markets statewide.
With the State Fair stamp of approval (and the State Fair mode of preparation), these flaky, deep-fried (but never greasy) delicacies are chock full of fresh fruit, locally sourced spices and regional pride, making them an ideal Christmas gift for out-of-state friends and family. Also try: the Minnepumpkin pie. $4.99 each; with cinnamon ice cream $6.48, 6 pack to-go $21.99. 13105 Main Street, Rogers, 763.428.4176.
Chilly Pies
As any (punch) card-carrying froyo enthusiast will tell you, frigid temperatures are no reason to give up frosty treats. Maple Grove’s self-serve frozen yogurt bar, CherryBerry, embraces the season with an inventive holiday dessert that’s as sure to thrill as it is to chill. In addition to their weekly featured flavors—including low-fat wintertime winners like pumpkin pie, apple pie, and peppermint—they also offer a build-your-own pie with a graham cracker crust, filled with up to two of the featured frozen yogurts and your choice of two toppings. $12 pie serves 6. 11630 Fountains Drive; 763.273.4538
Pine(apple) Trees and (Coconut) Snow Flakes
Luna’s Specialty Bakery and Café
Craving an old favorite, but lacking the time, patience or ingredients to whip it up? From Grandma’s banana cream pie to gluten-free peanut butter cookies and everything in between, Steven Bedgood of Luna’s Specialty Bakery & Café wants to help. Bring him your recipe, and he will bake it for you! “But I’m not competing with Grandma!” the self-taught baker warns. Since turning his high school hobby into a full-scale business three years ago, Bedgood has made a name for himself with from-scratch pies, including top-sellers like French silk, apple and banana cream. His fresh fruit bouquets are another popular holiday gift item. Available in a variety of sizes and price ranges, these succulent arrangements feature Fannie May’s chocolate. In the spirit of Christmas, Steven proposes a pineapple Christmas tree with chocolate-drizzle garlands; as well as chocolate-dipped apples with coconut snowflakes. Custom designs are included in the price. Pies $14.99 and up, small fruit bouquet $40. 319 Central Ave, Osseo; 763.496.1284.
Bûche De Noël
Patrick’s Bakery
For over a decade, master pastry chef Patrick Bernet has been bringing one of France’s most central (and tasty) yuletide traditions to the Midwest: the Bûche de Noël. While the chocolate bûche—chocolate sponge cake, rolled in chocolate butter cream frosting, around a brownie-like center—remains the winningest of chef Bernet’s recipes, there are also three more to choose from. Raspberry-vanilla features vanilla sponge cake, vanilla butter cream frosting and a raspberry center; mocha is a vanilla sponge cake rolled in mocha butter cream with a chocolate center; and praline is a vanilla sponge cake with vanilla frosting and a hazelnut wafer center. Winter-themed figurines add an adorable finishing touch to this classic French delicacy. Just like in the days of old, you can divine your fortune in this yule log’s bark. Large $40, medium $36. 12489 Elm Creek Blvd.; 763.420.7770.
Macarons
Chez Arnaud whips together extensive knowledge of French patisserie, a commitment to top-quality ingredients, and a team of passionate bakers in its kitchen. Add a generous sprinkling of creative ambition, et voilà: You’ve got an authentic taste of France in the Midwest.
This holiday season, regale your friends and relatives with macarons in your choice of pistachio, lemon lavender, salted caramel and raspberry, or a custom flavor of your choice (on orders of three dozen or more). Stay tuned for seasonal varieties, which change on a biweekly basis and are sure to include festive flavors. $1.95 for one, $19.95 for a dozen. 13332 Bass Lake Road; 763.568.7756.
Eggnog French Toast
Although the original Original Pancake House is in Oregon, we are fortunate to have a local franchise in our community, offering up made-from-scratch options for those who like their sweets in the form of a decadent brunch. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, owner Tom Bruins delights customers with Gingerbread Pancakes and Eggnog French Toast: three slices of cinnamon swirl bread, soaked in an eggnog-spiked batter, grilled, and topped with nutmeg and cinnamon sugar.
Winter is also the prime season to enjoy some of the restaurant’s other staples such as the ever-popular apple pancake. You won’t be asking your server for the maple syrup; this dish is a high custard with cinnamon-sugar glaze over a tower of granny Smith slices. It’s hard to believe that this treat is meant to be enjoyed with your morning coffee.
And, enjoy some Hanukkah latkes—potato pancakes—without having to endanger your knuckles slicing potatoes or smoke up your kitchen. OPH’s recipe for thin, lacy pancakes, made from freshly grated potatoes, dates to the 1950s. Eight per order, served with sour cream and cinnamon applesauce. Potato pancakes (8) $8.95; eggnog French toast $9.50; gingerbread pancakes (6) $9.50; apple pancake $10.95 each. 6322 Vinewood Lane N.; 763.383.0888.
Holiday Mochas and Lattes
While their year-round drink menu includes a wide range of hot bevvies to wrap your frosty mittens around—from gourmet hot chocolate to the cinnamon roll latte—the owners of this laid-back café prepare for the holidays with a handful of enticing seasonal offers sure to please coffee fiends and mocha-latte dabblers alike. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, Curt Medina and Ben Havn invite you to try the eggnog latte, made with steamed eggnog instead of milk.
All winter long, you can also try the snowflake mocha (vanilla syrup, white chocolate sauce), peppermint mocha (peppermint, chocolate), gingerbread latte, gingerbread white mocha, frosted pumpkin (pumpkin spiced latte with white chocolate), midnight pumpkin (pumpkin spiced latte with dark chocolate) and caramel apple steamer (apple cider, caramel) or customize your own Christmas-y concoction with peppermint and gingerbread flavored syrups.
Don’t forget to check out their fresh baked goods. You just might catch the gingerbread, man! $3.75–$4.75. 15517 Grove Circle N.; 763.657.0919.
