From buttery stollen to caramelized turrón, these beloved global bakeries have been turning out holiday classics for generations. Taste tradition with seasonal sweets that locals wait all year to unwrap, each one a delicious reason to celebrate.
Demel – Vienna, Austria
Since 1786, Vienna’s Demel has dazzled with elegant confections fit for royalty. Their rich, buttery Christstollen, laden with fruit and spices and sold in wooden boxes, headlines their holiday offerings each December. Drop in for a cappuccino and apricot dumplings in the opulent café, or wait until winter, when the marbled-countered confectionery becomes a glittery, gilded wonderland during Christmas. Window displays of sugary snow scenes pull in crowds off Kohlmarkt in Vienna’s historic center.
Pasticceria Marchesi 1824 – Milan, Italy
A Milanese holiday without Marchesi’s iconic Panettone is a sad one indeed. Still baked based on the historic 1824 family recipe, it’s loaded with candied orange and sultanas (white grapes), wrapped in pastel boxes, and shipped around the world from late November to January. Step inside their historic Via Santa Maria alla Porta shop for old-world glamour, a piping espresso, and shelves stacked with holiday-ready sweetbread, or just order yours online for a taste of Italian Christmas at home.
Bäckerei Wippler – Dresden, Germany
Wippler’s family-run bakery has turned out official Dresdner Christstollen, complete with a regal seal of authenticity, for over a century. Since 1910, this buttery, boozy, powdered-sugar-coated stollen has been the ultimate Advent centerpiece across Germany. Their riverside café glows with candlelight and cinnamon lingers in the air each December. Pro tip: order early, as their Stollen sells out every year – the Stollenshop opens in early autumn, sometimes as early as late September or early October.
Bettys Café Tea Rooms & Craft Bakery – Yorkshire, England
Founded in 1919, Bettys still bakes its famed Mince Pies and Christmas cakes in the Harrogate bakery. Come December, their tea rooms fill with carols, warm scones served with clotted cream, and holiday shoppers eyeing festive hampers and tins of Cheeky Little Rascals. UK-wide shipping makes it easy to gift a little Yorkshire cheer. Just don’t wait too long – the holiday rush is real, and these delicacies run out fast.
Collin Street Bakery — Corsicana, Texas, USA
Since 1896, Collin Street’s DeLuxe Fruitcake has starred on Christmas tables from Texas to Tokyo. Individually decorated by hand with pecans and jewel-toned glacé pineapples, cherries, golden raisins, and papaya, it’s a retro classic that ships worldwide to nearly every country, with only a few exceptions. Tour the Corsicana storefront to see fruitcakes flying off the shelves and grab a sample or two while you’re at it. Not in Texas? Order at least 6 days in advance for domestic shipping and weeks ahead during the peak holiday season.
Ferrara Bakery & Café – New York City, USA
Established in 1892 in Manhattan’s Little Italy, Ferrara whips up traditional Struffoli, tiny balls of fried dough glazed with honey and stacked into festive wreaths. The scent alone draws holiday crowds in from the snowy streets. With espresso machines hissing and marzipan figurines lining the counters under the glowing neon marquee, it’s a delicious slice of old New York at its sweetest. Holiday shipping stretches across the US, but New Yorkers get fresh bakery delivery.
Hafiz Mustafa 1864 – Istanbul, Türkiye
For the New Year in Istanbul, Hafiz Mustafa’s Turkish Delight gift boxes are among the most sought-after. Since 1864, they’ve blended honey, pistachio, and rosewater into jewel-like lokum sold in elegant tins. Their ornate, chandelier-lit shops pack out during the holiday season, offering sweet souvenirs with serious Ottoman flair. Packages of mixed flavors, arranged in stunning displays of color, are available year-round, but the holiday edition is limited and sells out quickly.
Pastelería Ideal – Mexico City, Mexico
Each January, Pastelería Ideal’s ovens kick into overdrive for Día de los Reyes. Their Rosca de Reyes – an enormous, ring-shaped sweet bread topped with candied fruit, also known as Three Kings Bread – is an essential part of Epiphany feasts at the beginning of the new year. Online ordering is encouraged, as crowds often snake around the block at this beloved 1927 bakery. Glass cases glow with pink pastries, and baby figurines are hidden inside the bread, waiting to be discovered in a few lucky slices.
Toraya – Tokyo & Kyoto, Japan
With a lineage tracing back to the 16th century, Toraya unveils its elegant Hanabira Mochi each December. These white bean–filled sweets are served at New Year tea ceremonies and sold in ultra-minimalist shops across the country. Tradition meets precision in every bite: the mochi is soft, perfectly proportioned, and expertly shaped in half-moons with a single strip of burdock. Partake in a generations-old custom and take some home to serve at the New Year.
Pastelería Escribà – Barcelona, Spain
At Christmastime, Barcelona’s century-old Escribà becomes a candy-colored dream. Its Turrón de Yema Quemada – a caramelized egg-yolk nougat passed down through four generations – is the star of the holiday: smooth, rich, and slightly torched for added depth. From whimsical window displays to architecturally inspired, award-winning chocolate creations, this 1906 bakery turns festive indulgence into fine art. Bring some home this holiday – and don’t forget a box of chocolate lips!
