The wave of seasonal desserts that arrive at New York City bakeries every December is always a treat, and finals season is the perfect time to indulge in a sweet one. From cream puffs to chocolate cookies, here are five of the best holiday-themed treats to help you end the semester on a sweet note.
Hani’s Bakery and Cafe: Prune Rugelach Box of 8 | $9.00
67 Cooper Square
Hani’s — pronounced “honey’s” — Bakery and Cafe is one of New York City’s hottest new bakeries, located just a block away from Astor Place. Created by Miro Uskoković, a former Gramercy Tavern pastry chef, and his wife Shilpa Uskoković, an editor at Bon Appetit, this bakery honors Uskoković’s Serbian heritage with unique twists on American pastry classics. Made with cream cheese dough and prune lekvar, a Hungarian prune jam, Hani’s prune rugelach is flaky and coated in a generous dusting of sugar. While this dessert was initially intended to be a holiday special, it recently earned a spot on Hani’s year-round menu. The alternating layers of dough and prune create a well-rounded balance of flavors, making the prune rugelach one of the city’s most unique holiday treats.
For students staying on campus during winter break, keep an eye out for two limited edition holiday items at Hani’s — the banana bread and pumpkin spice latte bread coming out on Dec. 23 and 24 respectively.
Daily Provisions: Gingerbread Cruller | $5.95
29 Bedford St. or 103 E. 19th St.
With locations near Greenwich Hall and Carlyle Court, this restaurant-cafe is currently offering a gingerbread cruller — a seasonal twist on the popular pastry. While Daily Provisions serves a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, its dessert items remain a menu highlight. The cruller dough is sweet and fluffy, coated with a creamy gingerbread frosting and topped with colorful sprinkles and a few tiny gingerbread men. The subtle aroma of Christmas spices makes this treat a standout, and its appearance screams Christmas.
Maman: White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Cookie | $4.50
67 University Place
Take a five-minute walk from Washington Square Park and you’ll feel like you’ve arrived at a cozy cafe in the south of France. This NYU staple is known for its pastries and savory breakfast items — but the white chocolate peppermint pretzel cookie, one of Maman’s winter specials, is a unique sweet and savory treat.
As its name suggests, this cookie contains pretzel pieces and white chocolate chips — but the peppermint pieces are the true star of the show. The refreshing minty layer adds to its sweet and savory flavor profile, complementing the saltiness of the pretzels and the sweetness of the dough and white chocolate. As a result, the cookie achieves a delightful balance of flavors and textures, along with a satisfying pop of red from the crushed peppermints. Don’t forget to use your 15% student discount when you stop by.
Barachou: Chestnut Cream Puff Box of 3 | $10.00
15 Eighth Ave.
Make your way over to the West Village, just a 15-minute walk from Washington Square Park, and visit this French bakery known for its iconic cream puffs. Barachou’s special flavor of the month is chestnut — and its chestnut cream puff is one of the lightest sweet treats in the city. Its soft golden pastry shell contains a delicate chestnut filling and is topped with fluffy whipped cream. The chestnut flavor is subtle yet earthy, making for a dessert so airy and smooth that you’ll want to eat two boxes in one sitting.
Levain Bakery: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookie | $5.75
340 Lafayette St.
A few blocks away from campus, the famous Levain Bakery has a limited edition dark chocolate peppermint cookie that will remind you of hot cocoa on a cold winter day. This rich cookie is filled with sweet pieces of white and red peppermint chips, and like any Levain cookie, the outside is crunchy, while the inside is fudgy and chewy. The peppermint balances out the richness of the chocolate dough, adding some freshness to every bite of this holiday treat. Pro tip: pop your cookie in the microwave to make it extra ooey-gooey.
Contact Christobelle Rudes at [email protected].
