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Missouri Holidays are Sweet!

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Cookie Jar Bakery - Lee's Summit
Credit: JC Photography
Nathaniel Reid Bakery - Kirkwood
Credit: Nathaniel Reid Bakery
Assumption Abbey Bakery

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year…a time for sugar and spice and everything nice. Don’t spend precious time away from your family and friends in the kitchen. Let the pros do the baking. Here are some ideas for where you can find delicious Missouri holiday sweets that will have you and your guests begging for more. You might want to call ahead to pre-order.

Northwest

Andre’s Confiserie Suisse in Kansas City – Pastry Chef and Chocolatier René Bollier puts a Swiss twist on an old-fashioned bourbon ball using Missouri-made bourbon from local KC distillery, J. Rieger & Co. This fun take on a traditional holiday sweet combines fresh ground roasted almonds, pecans, sugar and local raw honey, then adds bourbon-soaked roasted pecans blended with the chocolatier’s signature Swiss white chocolate and that’s not all. It’s topped off with fresh roasted pecans and twice dipped in Swiss dark chocolate.

Shatto Milk Company in Osborne – Milk might not be top-of-mind when looking for a sweet treat, but the flavored milk from Shatto Milk Company is utterly delicious. Shatto Milk Company is a small family-owned and operated dairy farm located just north of the Kansas City. They offer several flavors of milk, but take note during the holidays of their classic and pumpkin spiced egg nog flavors.

Northeast

Sugar and Spice Laura’s Delight in Montgomery City – Go to town on seasonal cookies from this delightful bakery, featuring 25 different types of cookies available individually or in trays. Many of their holiday sweets feature a German heritage, including anise-flavored springerle cookies with imprinted designs. Other favorites include fruit cake and old-fashioned date bars rolled in sugar.

Nathaniel Reid Bakery in Kirkwood – Award-winning pastry chef Nathaniel Reid makes sure every treat on the menu is perfectly executed. Imagine the reaction you’ll get when you set fresh stollen a traditional German Christmas bread or a rich yule log in front of your guests. For an unforgettable experience, try the Chef Reid’s bread pudding. It’s a vanilla-chocolate chip creation made with chocolate croissants and served with a side of caramel sauce.

Central 

Peggy Jeans Pies in Columbia – Pies are a great holiday hostess gift and one from Peggy Jean’s Pies won’t disappoint. Stick to the traditional fruit and cream pies or try something different like the Butterscotch Bourbon Pecan or the Banoffee – a layer of caramel sauce, fresh bananas, traditional vanilla cream filling, with homemade whipped cream and caramel drizzle. 

Two pies sit boxed and ready to go at Peggy Jean's Pies.
Flaky crust and yummy fillings. You can’t go wrong with a slice or whole pie from Peggy Jean’s Pies.

Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor in Jefferson City – I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! Jefferson City’s Central Dairy Ice Cream Parlor has been a tradition since the 1930s. Get a taste of nostalgia and a holiday treat at the same time with a scoop or two of Peppermint Stick, peppermint flavored ice cream!

A clear cup sits on a green table with a napkin underneath. Inside the cup is creamy white ice-cream with specs of red and green peppermints scattered throughout.
Celebrate the holidays all year with Central Dairy’s Peppermint Stick ice cream.

Southeast

Pie Safe Bakery and Cafe in Pocahontas (just north of Cape Girardeau) – Located in a 1910 bank (it has an old-fashioned candy store in the vault!), Pie Safe Bakery can’t be beat for comfort food for the holidays. Enjoy old-fashioned “grandma” cookies and German yeast coffee cakes. Their homemade jams and jellies made from local fruit make great gifts. If you plan to dine at the cafe while you’re picking up your treats, reservations are encouraged.

Sweet Mayhem Bakery and Bistro in Kennett – They have it all when it comes to desserts and treats: custom-made and ready-to-go cakes, pies, cinnamon rolls, iced sugar cookies, fudge, homemade candy and delectable mini cannoli. Sweet Mayhem’s chef, Chad Stone, was a contestant on Food Network’s Holiday Gingerbread Showdown in 2018, and he returned to the show in 2022 to compete to create the ultimate gingerbread showpiece.

Southwest

Assumption Abbey Bakery in Ava – Fruitcakes sometimes get a bad rap, but one taste of the rich and indulgent delicacies from the Assumption Abbey Bakery will change your mind. Each fruitcake weighs in at two pounds and comes packed with raisins, pineapple and cherries. It’s injected with rum to keep it moist and delicious. Originally developed with the help of a world-class chef, the cakes are handcrafted with care by monks who live at the monastery.

A moist and colorful holiday fruit cake sits on a dark wood table with a white tin in the background.

Sugarleaf Bakery & Cafe in Branson – A year-round favorite, Sugarleaf Bakery & Café takes advantage of the holidays to focus on mouth-watering, small-batch, from-scratch designer treats ranging from incredible homemade peppermint marshmallows to whimsical cookies in the shape of mittens, Christmas trees and exquisite snowflakes. An added bonus for pet lovers, the patio is dog-friendly.

Can get enough? We’ve got you covered. Visit Missouri’s Sweetest Stops to find more ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.