There’s something in that crisp fall air that makes you crave a sweet treat a little bit more than usual — especially when temperatures have dropped so low, it might as well be winter. Fall is the season when pastries seem to thrive: Bakery windows light up, filled with limited-time goods that get New Yorkers in the mood for the holidays. To make the early sunsets more bearable, stop by one of these bakeries near campus during your next free afternoon to catch these fall specials before it’s too late.
Librae Bakery: Banana Caramel Bread Pudding | $6.50
35 Cooper Square
Next door to Sixth Street residence hall, the ever-popular Librae Bakery is the first Bahraini bakery in New York City. This fall, Librae is selling its bread pudding mixed with roasted bananas and generously topped with cardamom caramel. The buttery pieces of bread are packed with flavor, baked until golden and crispy and coated with powdered sugar. The inside of this pastry is custardy and creamy, offering a contrast to the toasted pieces. Embodying a warm fall day, the roasted banana gives the pudding a warm smokiness, while the cardamom in the caramel sauce adds a kick that cuts through the sweetness.
La Cabra Bakery: Concord Grape and Almond Cookie | $5
152 Second Ave.
Hailing from Aarhus, Denmark La Cabra Bakery has become a cult-favorite in the city. The bakery has three locations in New York City, one of which is located a few blocks from Astor Place. This fall, its seasonal cookie flavor features a dollop of Concord grape jam and a swirl of almond butter praline — so velvety that it tastes like the cream inside of a truffle — sandwiched between two delicate streusel cookies. On top is a thin layer of hardened chocolate, sprinkled with cocoa nibs and flaky salt. Picture an elevated peanut butter and jelly cookie — nutty, smooth and tangy all in one.
Petit Chou: Tiramisu Cream Puff | $8
229 First Ave.
On the fall menu at this East Village bakery is an extravagant cream puff — or as the French call it, a “choux pastry” — that emulates the flavor of tiramisu. This pastry is a two-in-one: A large cream puff, dusted with cocoa powder for a hint of bitterness, is topped with a mini one, sitting on a bed of mascarpone whip. The cream puffs’ delicate dough softly cracks upon bite, and are filled with a refreshingly light coffee cream. The only quibble with this cream puff is that its overall flavor is a bit earthy, overpowering the elegant coffee mousse. However, once that initial taste subsides, this pastry feels like a more airy version of the classic tiramisu.
Maman: Martha Stewart’s Rum Butter Bundt Cake | $5.50
67 University Place
A few blocks up from Washington Square Park, Maman is offering numerous fall-themed treats this season. One standout comes from the bakery’s Martha Stewart collection, a classic pound cake with a hint of lemon, coated with vanilla and rum glaze. This cake melts in your mouth immediately upon first bite, opening with a kick of rum followed by the sweet, soothing warmth of vanilla. While the lemon zest is subtle, it nicely complements the cake’s primary flavors, turning the dense dessert into a light and balanced treat.
Dough Doughnuts: Apple Doughnut | $6.75
14 W. 19th St.
All of the donuts at this Flatiron shop are fluffy, thick and large — and the Apple Doughnut is especially worth it. A classic sweet donut with a tangy apple glaze, it is sprinkled with a generous amount of crunchy almond streusel with a touch of cinnamon. Your first bite is marked with a punch of green apple flavor, and as you chew, you get that satisfying crunch of the almond bits. As a fan of apple flavored treats, I wished that the apple flavor was a little stronger. Nevertheless, it tastes like a light apple pie in a donut form.
Contact Christobelle Rudes at [email protected].