The holiday season brings a long list of to-dos. And if there's anything I've learned in my many, many years on the planet, it's that you can't do it all – and you don't have to. There are people who will do things for you and make your life easier. The bakers below are some of those people. If you need breakfast items or desserts for entertaining your friends and family, these baking experts are here to help. And, truth be told, their baking results will be better than yours! Give them a call but do it very soon. Time is running out.
Photo: Holly's Creative Confections' Linzer tarts are the perfect Christmas treat.
Holly’s Creative Confections
(252) 619-2867
Holly Setnikar is known for baking the most astoundingly beautiful and tasty cakes, but don’t overlook her bakery for pies, holiday cookies, cookie trays and her signature pièce de resistance: Yule Logs! Get your orders in soon. Holly’s does not have a storefront, so she takes orders via phone and text.
Tullio’s Bakery
1187 Duck Road, Duck (252) 261-7112
Tullio’s, a favorite in Duck for 25 years, has been taking a little break since Thanksgiving and will be reopening on Saturday, December 21. Stop in for pies, cakes, cheesecakes, muffins, breads, pastries and cookies of all sorts, or contact them as soon as they open for special orders. Their cannolis, made fresh in-house with impastata ricotta in large and small sizes, are the real deal.
Proof Bakery's pecan sticky buns would certainly impress your crew on Christmas morning.
Proof Bakery
402 S. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills. (252) 480-0938
If you’re looking for expertly crafted breads and pastries, Proof is your place. Their dinner rolls, pretzel rolls, focaccia and loaves of white, wheat, challah, baguettes and more will add the perfect touch of elegance to your holiday meals. Plus their pastries, donuts, pies and cookies are incredible. Place any special orders asap.
OBX Wake N Take
2910 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head, obxwakeandtake@gmail.com
The Outer Banks’ newest bakery is OBX Wake N Take in Nags Head. It’s a breakfast bakery with a storefront, and they also offer breakfast catering. They are known for their homemade buttermilk biscuits, quiches (including a hashbrown quiche), pastries, sweet and savory scones and muffins – all of them exceptional. Special orders are taken online, and word has it the schedule is filling up so order asap.
Boxes of sweet and savory baked goods from OBX Wake N Take will make your holiday mornings easier.
Almost Heaven Bakery OBX
3022 S. Croatan Highway, Nags Head, (252) 715-5856
This sweet shop in Nags Head is the work of a mother-daughter duo who are known for their expertly crafted wedding cakes, cupcakes and specialty cakes. You can stop in the bakery for cookies, cakes and pastries over the weekend, or special order what you need for pickup on Christmas Eve.
Mia’s Bake Shop & Tea Room
101 Sir Walter Raleigh Street, Manteo, (252) 423-0040
Mia’s bakes up delicious biscuits, sweet potato biscuits (with or without country ham), quiches, muffins, scones, homemade pop tarts, pastries, cakes, pies, cupcakes and cookies. You can stop in the shop (go early as this bakery is very popular and they often sell out), but to ensure your holiday goodies you can special order. The last day to order your Christmas goodies is Friday, December 20, so don’t delay! Orders must be placed online.
Upper Crust will be selling a variety of baked goods at Secotan Market on Saturday, December 21.
Upper Crust Bakery
Secotan Market, 2868 N.C. Highway 345, Wanchese, (252) 489-9817
The Upper Crust Bakery is a small-scale artisanal baker without a storefront so you can look for them at local markets. And this bakery is definitely worth seeking out! The breads (French sourdough, naan, ciabatta rolls, seed breads and more) are sublime. And their crackers, cookies, sweets and pastries, no matter what they're offering, are incredible. The Secotan Holiday Market is the last place you'll find Upper Crust's exceptional baked goods before Christmas.
Muffins and Scones
40126 N.C. Highway 12, Avon, (252) 986-5109
This bakery in Avon is open all year round serving up fresh-baked bagels (17 flavors!), pastries, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pies and baked goods of all sorts. Their holiday treats are beautifully and festively decorated. If you want to get special orders in, they will be open through December 23 for pickup or you can stop in and make selections from the bakery case.
Holiday-themed cupcakes and cookies from Muffins and Scones will make your meals more festive.
Orange Blossom Bakery and Cafe
47206 N.C. Highway 12, Buxton, (252) 995-4109
Orange Blossom Bakery in Buxton is famous for its Apple Uglies – pastries that would be a hit at any breakfast table. But Orange Blossom also makes other pastries, turnovers, sticky buns, muffins, sweet breads, cakes and pies. You can stop in to pick up baked goods, but if you need items in bulk give them a call.
Sweaterbox Confections
3712 N. Croatan Highway, Kitty Hawk
Local cookie baker Sweaterbox Confections bakes the most outstanding cookies that are great for serving or gifting. Their packaging is beautiful, which makes their cookies a beautiful and tasty treat. I'm partial to their Cheese Pennies, Ginger Cookies and Chocolate Salted Espresso Shortbread. If you still need cookies, on Saturday there will be a rare chance to see where the Sweaterbox magic happens. Stop by their commercial kitchen on Saturday, December 21 from 9 a.m. to noon to sample and pick up cookies. Head around back and look for their flag.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
