If the pressure to perform a miracle with a pie crust every Thanksgiving gives your heart palpitations, skip the fuss and leave it to the professionals. Here’s a lineup of North Shore pâtissiers and bakers who would love to take that task off your hands this Thanksgiving.
J Cakes, Peabody
J Cakes’ Thanksgiving dessert menu puts a delicious new spin on classic fall flavors. Their apple cider donut cake, featuring caramel swirl filling and cinnamon buttercream is also available as cupcakes, as is their pumpkin spice cake with sweet cream cheese filling and vanilla buttercream. The cupcake options are rounded out with a spiced cranberry orange offering, which pairs spice cake, orange Bavarian cream filling, cranberry preserves, and vanilla buttercream, and a “turkey leg” cupcake: vanilla cake filled with French cream, topped with caramel buttercream, graham cracker crumbs, and a white chocolate bone. Or go big with the Tri-Caken: layers of pumpkin cake, apple cider donut cake, and carrot cake, with cinnamon cream cheese and caramel apple filling, crowned with a dollop of apple pie filling.
View the menu on J Cakes’ Facebook or Instagram pages, then call 978-871-2516 to order.
Honeycomb, Hamilton
No longer to be considered a newcomer to the sweets scene, Honeycomb has proven its pie-making skills year after year. Working to fulfill their mission of bringing beautiful foods made with top-notch ingredients to Hamilton, North Shore natives Lauren and Billy Moran have actualized that goal by harnessing their almost 40 years of culinary experience and pouring it into their mouth-watering desserts. This Thanksgiving, gluten-free apple crisp is on offer beside black-bottom pecan pie, chocolate hazelnut cream pie, traditional apple and pumpkin pies, and apple streusel pie.
Check out the full line-up and order online at honeycombhamilton.com/thanksgiving.
Appleton Farms, Ipswich
Under the guidance of culinary director Jess Porter, Appleton Farms’ baked goods have developed a passionate following in recent years. This year, in addition to Porter’s signature naturally leavened breads, the farm is taking preorders for apple crumble pie, pumpkin and kabocha squash meringue pie (made with veggies grown right on the property), pumpkin cake, and cinnamon-laced coffee cake, as well as a cheese board kit for those who prefer a more savory final course.
Order online at shopthetrustees.org/collections/appleton-farm-store.
Table Manners, Ipswich
Chef Christoper DeStefano is offering up an array of Thanksgiving treats that will make sure you bookmark his site for regular orders even after the holidays have passed. Apple cider or pumpkin whoopie pies with cream cheese filling, cranberry crumble pie, pumpkin walnut bundt cake, and classic homemade pumpkin or apple pies will all have your mouth watering and wanting more. Don’t miss the chance to bring a special hostess gift with the chocolate fudge with bourbon sugar or the Thanksgiving chocolate bark.
Order online at tablemanners.shop.
A&J King Bakery, Salem
Pumpkin cream pie, apple tart, bourbon pecan pie…beautiful, simple, familiar, tried and true recipes are A&J King’s bread and butter, so to speak. Make sure all your out-of-town guests have a little something special to nibble with their coffee and include a mix of cranberry orange cornmeal scones, pumpkin brown butter mini cakes, and butternut squash candied walnut danishes with your pie order.
View their full lineup of Thanksgiving items at ajkingbakery.com/collections/all-thanksgiving-items.
Sandpiper Bakery, Ipswich
Sandpiper co-owners Molly Friedman, a Cape Ann native, and North Shore transplant, Susanne Clermont, pour their philosophy of sharing the highest quality food in a manner that feels comfortable and welcoming into every recipe. Short and sweet is the perfect description of Sandpiper’s Thanksgiving dessert menu. By sticking to familiar, comforting favorites such as apple, bourbon pecan, triple berry, and pumpkin, Sandpiper’s pie line-up evokes a nostalgia that will have you coming back for more year after year.
Preorder by Nov. 17 at sandpiperthanksgivingorders.square.site.
Cake Ann, Gloucester
Why have only one pie when you can taste them all, with Cake Ann’s mini pies box, an assortment of pecan, pumpkin, apple crumble, and key lime pies. Whimsical and decadent, Cake Ann’s turkey cake is a chocolate confection that sits 6” wide and several layers high and comes adorned with an adorable expression and colorful feathers. Or, if your dessert desires lean a bit more toward the refined, the pumpkin tiramisu might be the right choice, with its exquisite blend of velvety pumpkin flavors and luscious tiramisu layering. One last option to consider: the pumpkin roll cake, crafted with cream cheese frosting, and topped with pecan and caramel drizzle.
Check out the options and order online at cakeann.com/thanksgiving-menu.
Source Bakery, Gloucester
Celebrating their first holiday season in their new bricks-and-mortar location in downtown Gloucester, Source Bakery’s owners Julie White and Ashley Barnett will be bringing their signature dedication to locally sourced ingredients to their Thanksgiving offerings. On the carefully curated menu are apple pie, pumpkin pecan pie, cheddar and leek biscuits, and pumpkin cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream.
Order online by Nov. 19 at sourcebakery.com/thanksgiving-orders.
Twist Bakery & Cafe, Burlington
Holidays centered around food can be a significant stressor for parents and caregivers who have to account for allergies. Set their minds at ease with a trip to Twist Bakery & Cafe, and you’ll come away knowing that your items are safely free from all gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy (except for coconut and soy lecithin). And most of their items are also dairy-free. Their allergy-conscious Thanksgiving line-up includes pumpkin pie with maple cream, cran-razz cheesecake pie, traditional double-crust apple pie, and mixed-berry crisp. Or pop over to their everyday menu for individual rustic apple tarts and chocolate chip pumpkin Bundt cakes.
Order online at twist-bakery.com/order.