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Monday, June 1, 2020

Travel Week: Best Bakeries in Denver

Over the past, almost, two years of living in Denver, I've visited a ton of bakeries in hopes of compiling a massive list of my go-tos. Now this is by no means the final version of the list — I will continue to update this page as I visit more...because there are more! Let me know if I've missed your favorite Mile High City bakery and I'll be sure to visit it soon — xoxo darling, Hayden. 

Looking for more Denver restaurant recommendations? Check out my complete guide to dining in Denver and my guide to Denver's best coffee shops


Azucar Bakery

Located on Broadway, it's hard to miss this bright pink building that has, pretty much, every baked good you could want — including some phenomenal empanadas. My favorite is the mini chocolate mousse cake, it's as light and fluffy as it sounds. The whole thing is coated in an outer chocolate shell of icing *finger kiss*.

Beet Box

Y'all know I'm not vegan but this coffee shop and bakery in north Cap Hill is adorable. Exposed brick walls, lots of plants and good wifi make for a good place to just hang while you indulge in a s'mores bar complete with a toasted, pillowy vegan marshmallow. 

Located in the Hallmark-esque downtown Littleton, Born2Bake dishes up cute cupcakes and delicious eggnog chai lattes during the holiday season. The owners are incredibly sweet at the light-filled bakery that has A+ wifi and a dedicated clientele...Sunday mornings you'll see this in action. 

One of Denver's star chocolatiers has stalls in a few of the foodhalls around town and the star is 1000 percent the massive chocolate chip cookies dusted with coarse sea salt. They do sell out quickly, so you've got to grab one up before that...might I suggest ordering dessert first? 

City Donuts

A local chain, City Donuts is just a classic. Early in the morning they'll have a massive selection of the classic flavors with nice employees. I'm a traditionalist so the chocolate iced with sprinkles is my go-to — it's like a fluffy sugary cushion. 

Colorado Cookie Company

On a side street off Colfax in Lakewood, you might miss Colorado Cookie Company, which is similar to Great American Cookie without the sketchy mall attached. They have all the classics, but I think their true successes lie in the seasonal additions, like pumpkin spice. It was similar to cake with all the right spices and just the ideal amount of cream cheese icing. 

Crumbl

Crumbl might be a chain but I would be remiss not to include this cookie powerhouse because I love it (as do my friends across multiple cities). I recently found out they are opening across from my office and I am screwed because I will be eating these far too frequently. Each week the menu changes and they have some delightful combos. My one issue is they use almond extract in their sugar cookie bases, which I'm not a fan of but if you like that, go hard. 

Das Meyer Fine Pastry Chalet

Looking like something out of the Sound of Music...I don't know if it will give those vibes to anyone else, but it feels like it could be in the Austrian countryside to me, Das Meyer is quite off-the-beaten-path. Kind of in out-there Arvada, the building is blocked by tons of foliage and you use a little wooden bridge to enter this green and white wooden building. Upon entrance you realize the magnitude of the bakery case...it extends through most of the room. They have everything and I recommend the cookies & cream brownie. It was the perfect balance of moist and crisp. 

Devil's Food is exactly what you want in a coffee shop-bakery concept. On one of the cutest streets in Denver (South Gaylord), the cozy interior with creaky wood floors and plenty of seating is where I want to spend most of my days. I haven't had a bad baked good but the ginger crinkle, studded with huge granulated sugar chunks is something I dream about. 

This is the place in Denver for pie. Truly. In Lakewood, off Wadsworth in a strip center, Granny Scott's delivers. With pretty much any flavor of pie you could ever want and attentive service, it will make your day. Plus, they have great fudge, which is something I think we've all forgotten about but deserves to make a comeback. Get a slice of the grasshopper, rocky road or key lime (yes, this comes from a native Floridian). 

Habit Doughnut Dispensary

On that weird island between the Platte and I-25, Habit is a dispensary of unique donuts that come with injections of liquor of your choice...who wouldn't want that? The Real Mint Shady is if a Thin Mint were a donut...add a shot of Jameson to it and it might be my perfect afternoon delight. 

Happy Bakeshop

Located in the Highlands, Happy Bakeshop is who you want to make your birthday cake (they made my one year anniversary of Denver Food Adventures cake). Everything that comes out of their doors is moist and a delight. I love their vanilla cupcakes because they don't overdo it on the icing...a big pet peeve of mine as I don't love frosting. Just look at that bad boy above, don't you want to eat it too? 

As a macaron connoisseur, blame a 16th birthday trip to Paris, I can say Honey B's are some of the best I've ever had. The cute shop in Highlands Ranch dishes up flavors like birthday cake, dreamsicle, London fog and apple butter. The box they come in is worth the price and they offer classes as well!

Izzio Bakery

My two favorite croissant fillings are almond and chocolate. This place combines them into one grande dame of pastry. I frequent the Izzio in Denver Central Market and I would go every day if I lived in RiNo because I love it that much. Make sure to get a frothy latte from Crema in the next stall over.

LaMar's Donuts

A Denver institution — they've been frying donuts since 1933, LaMar's is your classic Saturday morning donut shop. My favorite treat is in the fall they do pumpkin spice...yum!

Maggie & Molly's Sweet Life

On 6th, Maggie & Molly's is bringing classic baked goods with modern flare. They use sour cream in their sugar cookies, which makes it the perfect chewy, moist delight. Their mint chocolate brownie could probably solve a lot of the world's problems as well. 

Reunion Bread Co.

A Bon Appetit 10 Best New Restaurants winner, Reunion makes solid baked goods. The sourdough loaves come with their name branded on them in flour and the crust is tough while the inside is spongey (in a good way).

Downtown Arvada is a must-visit because it's adorable and could be in a small-town show on Netflix and this bakery is where you should start. Stepping into Rheinlander transports you to a German bakery form the 1400s, with the smell of fresh strudel wafting from the ovens. It's the best place to get holiday pastries when December hits as well. 

Shahrazad Bakery

If you want the most authentic baklava in Denver, this Aurora shop is should be your first stop. It's in a strip center where the parking lot is always full but the bakery cranks out delicious breads, pastries and pita. Just look at the layers of pastry in that baklava!

Taste of Denmark

Consistently the bakery I tell everyone to go to in Denver, Taste of Denmark just does everything right. It's in Lakewood, has a big parking lot, everyone who works there is incredibly sweet and their pastries are to-die-for. I like to get up early on a Thursday morning right when they open to have the freshest, still warm almond and chocolate croissants. 

The Bundt Shoppe

I don't know when we decided to have bundt cakes as a thing in the U.S. but let me tell you I am here for it. This is a local version of the chains and they do the best mini bundts — so moist and tons of flavors. You can get pumpkin pretty much any time of the year and that always brings a smile to my face. 

Tokyo Premium Bakery

The best Saturday morning pastry kind of place, Tokyo Premium does self-serve like they do in Europe. You grab a tray, make your selections and then sit down to some killer wifi. I love their banana-chocolate pastry that is incredibly flaky. 

Yum Yum Cake & Pastries

This Aurora bakery, set in a strip center on an unsuspecting street, dishes out some great delights. I had a pastry cone filled with cream for breakfast that I highly recommend and then they do good macarons in fun flavors. 

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