12 best bakery desserts for the holidays

Picking up holiday desserts for your table or someone else’s? Seattle-area bakeries are stocked with seasonal favorites and new twists on traditions. Here are 12 delicious choices for your holiday celebration. Call ahead to place an order.

Pumpkin pie from Dahlia Bakery

With heirloom squash and pumpkins from Jackie Cross and Tom Douglas’ farm in Prosser, this delicious pie packs a layer of gingersnap and an all-butter crust. $32 for 9-inch pie, $18 for 6-inch. 2001 Fourth Ave., Seattle (206-441-4540 or tomdouglas.com).

Maple sugar apple pie from Macrina Bakery

It may look like a traditional apple pie, but this baby weighs in at three pounds, and that’s after baking. Made with Granny Smith apples and Macrina’s famous flaky pie crust, it’s bursting with flavors of cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and maple. $28 for 9-inch pie, $5.25 for 3-inch minis. Seattle locations in Belltown, Queen Anne and Sodo (macrinabakery.com).

Cranberry walnut tart from Bakery Nouveau

A tart shell is layered with walnut frangipani, lingonberry jam and cranberry jam, then finished with candied walnut pieces. $24 for 8-inch tart, 6-inch for $17.50 and 3-inch for $4.40. 4737 California Ave S.W., Seattle, 206-923-0534, and 137 15th Ave. E., Seattle, 206-858-6957 (bakerynouveau.com).

Salted caramel pear pie from High 5 Pie

Bosc pears are baked in a salted caramel sauce, then baked again in an all-butter crust (the flaky crust recipe is from the owner’s grandmother). This 9-inch pie is nicely balanced with just the right amount of sugar and salt. $25. 1400 12th Ave., Seattle (206-695-2284 or high5pie.com).

Cardamom cake from The London Plane

This simple tea cake is a 12-inch rectangular loaf flavored with alluring cardamom. $25. 300 and 322 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle (206-624-1374 or thelondonplaneseattle.com).

Pumpkin macarons from Belle Pastry

With shops in Bellevue and Redmond, this bakery turns out Parisian-style macarons made with almond flour and pumpkin butter cream ganache (gluten-free). $1.25 each, 6 for $6.50. 10246 Main St., Bellevue, 425-289-0015, and 8918 161st Ave. N.E., Redmond, 425-702-9482 (bellepastry.com).

Gluten- and dairy-free gingersnap cookies from Nuflours

These 4-inch gingersnaps are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, made with Nuflours’ blend of gluten-free flours. $3.75. 518 15th Ave. E.., Seattle (206-395-4623 or nuflours.com).

Sugar cookies from Hello Robin

Add color and playfulness to your celebration with turkey-shaped sugar cookies, decorated with pink frosting and white polka dots. $3. 522 19th Ave. E., Seattle (206-735-7970 or hellorobincookies.com).

Pecan hand pies from Pie

Looking for rich, gooey caramel filling? These handcrafted gems are loaded with pecans, brown sugar and pure vanilla extract and baked in a buttery crust. Deliveries to area neighborhoods; Fremont pickup on Thanksgiving Day from 9 a.m.-noon for last-minute pie panic. $4.75 for a 4-inch pie, $15 for a dozen 2-inch mini-minis. 3515 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle, 206-436-8590, and 305 Harrison St., Seattle, 206-428-6312 (sweetandsavorypie.com).

Pumpkin cheesecake from 60th Street Desserts

A gingersnap cookie crust anchors this lightly spiced, rich and creamy cheesecake. Available fresh or frozen. $22 for 7-inch, $38 for 9-inch. 7401 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle (206-527-8560 or 60thstreetdesserts.com).

Tarte Tatin from Fuji Bakery

These 4-inch mini upside-down pies are full of caramelized apples. $4.20 from Interbay location only: 1030 Elliott Ave. W., Seattle (206-216-3616 or fujibakeryinc.com).

Pumpkin drop cookies from Whole Foods

Chock-full of chocolate chips and walnuts, these are perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. May not be available at all locations; call your local store. $1.49 (wholefoodsmarket.com).