With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the most delicious part of any celebration—desserts! If you’re visiting friends or family and looking for the perfect items to bring, you’re in luck, as the city is home to several delightful bakeries offering everything from pies to pastries that are sure to impress your friends and family. Whether you’re bringing pies from Magpie, pastries from Sweet & Tasty, or gluten-free treats from BMC Bakes, Harrisonburg’s bakeries provide a wide variety of delicious options to elevate your holiday celebrations. Skip the stress of baking at home and indulge in the local delights these bakeries have to offer!
Bakery at Magpie
Known for its fresh breads and pastries, Magpie focuses on pies during the holiday season. Their Fall Pie Schedule, running from mid-September to early December, includes classics like Pecan Pie (available 10/29–11/10) with a rich pecan cream filling, and their Cranberry Orange Crumb Pie (available 11/26–12/08), made with macerated cranberries and fresh-squeezed orange juice, topped with an oat crumb, making it a winter favorite.
Sweet & Tasty
For a unique European flair at your holiday dessert table, this downtown bakery offers a variety of indulgent European pastries, cakes, and desserts like Éclairs, Honeycake, and the beloved Kievskoe, a crunchy hazelnut meringue layered with cream. These treats are sure to impress at any holiday gathering with their exquisite flavors.
BMC Bakes
If you’re looking for gluten-free options without sacrificing flavor, BMC Bakes has you covered. Specializing in allergen-friendly treats, they offer everything from custom cakes to cookies and macarons. Their Thanksgiving pre-order menu is here, featuring a delicious selection that includes Graham Cracker Pumpkin Pie, macarons in pumpkin pie, maple cinnamon, and cranberry flavors, vegan apple cider doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and dinner rolls.
Heritage Bakery & Café
Located in downtown Harrisonburg, Heritage Bakery brings a cozy, French-inspired touch to the holidays. They serve a rotating list of pastries daily and can whip up custom cakes and macarons. Their fall flavors, such as Chai Spice Cake with Espresso Buttercream, offer the perfect blend of seasonal warmth and sweetness.
Bittersweet Bakery
For a true taste of home-baked goodness, Bittersweet Bakery offers small-batch baked goods inspired by family recipes. Their menu includes everything from Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake to savory treats like Broccoli Cheddar Biscuffins. This holiday season, look out for their special Thanksgiving menu with an assortment of pies, dinner rolls, and biscuits, available any day now. In December, Bittersweet’s holiday menu will return for office parties, family gatherings, and dinners, along with fun DIY sugar cookie decorating kits and gingerbread house kits—adding a homemade touch to every celebration.
El Paisano Bakery
For those with a taste for Mexican sweets, El Paisano Bakery is the go-to spot. This family-owned bakery offers a wide selection of Mexican sweet bread, cakes, and other daily treats, bringing a rich array of colorful treats to the holiday season.
Bella Gelato & Pastries
Fresh bread, house-made gelato, and handcrafted pastries are available daily at Bella Gelato & Pastries. Their award-winning gelato, made using locally sourced ingredients, is the perfect way to finish off any holiday meal. Seasonal flavors like pumpkin and chai are sure to delight.
Cupcake Company
Located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, The Cupcake Company is a full-service bakery specializing in cupcakes, cakes, pies, brownies, cheesecakes, and more. With gluten-free options available daily and vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free treats by special order, there’s something for everyone. This holiday season, try their newest offerings—the Sweet Charcuterie Boxes and Mini Cheesecake Samplers—for a unique and delicious treat.
Sweet Joy’s Cakes and Desserts
Order beautifully decorated cakes, cake pops, colorful chocolate dipped pretzel rods, chocolate covered strawberries and much more. Sweet Joys, a local family run business, prides itself for baking from the heart.
Cinnamon Bear Bakery & Deli
A cozy spot offering a delicious blend of bakery treats and deli favorites, Cinnamon Bear Bakery & Deli is perfect for holiday indulgence. Their menu includes fresh-made cookies in flavors like Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, and Iced Sugar Cookies, as well as decadent brownies and oatmeal bars. They also offer gluten-free varieties to ensure everyone can enjoy a treat. For something special, their custom cakes, cupcakes, and cookie cakes come in various sizes and can be made to order. Don’t miss their cheesecakes, which include specialty flavors like Pumpkin, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and White Chocolate Raspberry—each available gluten-free upon request.