Sweet!

As temperatures drop and days shorten, tables filled with roasted turkey, mountains of mashed potatoes, green bean casseroles and desserts, desserts, desserts dance in our heads.

Local bakeries are ready to assist with all the heavy-lifting prep work of the holidays. You can pick up pies and cakes for the main event, croissants and danishes to go with your morning coffee, and a slew of cookies and cookie kits for sweet holiday entertainment.

We talked to the people tempering the chocolate, laminating the dough and applying the icing at the best bakeries on the coast to find out what they have in store for the coming holidays.

➸ American writer Amelia Simmons is credited with inventing the cupcake in 1796 when she wrote a recipe titled “A Light Cake to Bake in Small Cups” and included it in her book, American Cookery.

Black Bear Bread Co.

Photo by Jack Gardner

What started out as a funky little bakery known for sourdough bread has grown into three locations along the coast: Grayton Beach, Grand Boulevard and Seaside. New this year is fire-roasted cornbread in plain or pumpkin flavor, and cranberry walnut-studded sourdough for all those leftover sandwiches. Pumpkin cheesecake never disappoints, but pastry chef Kara Enache whips up a peanut butter pie with chocolate shortbread crust for something different — it’s the ultimate homage to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

As year’s end approaches, Enache braids her traditional challah bread into a festive wreath, prepares stollen, and bakes the classic bûche de noël in two festive flavors: black forest and mocha. Or you can opt for a more traditional bourbon pecan pie and a loaf of cranberry orange sweetbread for that classic holiday taste. And if you want some cookies or croissants for snacking, BBB has lots of take-and-bake options, ready for pickup.

Craft Gourmet Bakery

Photo by Emily Veal

Pensacola natives flock to this bakery for their artisan bread and authentic laminated croissants. Many know about their spicy maple bacon pull-aparts and chai-spiced cinnamon rolls, but something special happens around the holidays. The scents of pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust and maple sugar cookies fill the sidewalks surrounding the bakery. Cranberry walnut loaves fly off the shelves, destined for leftover turkey and dressing sandwiches.

Close to Christmas, the cases fill with eggnog cheesecakes, and bûche de noëls (yule logs). Don’t miss out on the spicy gingerbread men that owner and pastry chef Jordan Hewes mixes up. They’re soft but sturdy and have a hint of black pepper. The big attraction, though, are the cookie decorating kits, complete with sugar cookies, royal icing and sprinkles, designed to get families in the kitchen and spend time together around the holidays.

Blue Mountain Bakery

Photo by Jacqueline Ward Images

A Blue Mountain Beach community staple for nearly three decades, Blue Mountain Bakery (BMB) bakes legendary cinnamon rolls (Miss Linda has been baking them since the beginning), moist yet cakey scones and a bevy of delicious pastries daily.

Holiday treats include loaded cinnamon-crusted banana bread, pumpkin cream cheese croissants, themed cupcakes and devilishly good chocolate-covered Oreos.

There are sweet potato rolls, pumpkin rolls and a dark chocolate bourbon silk pie with a brown butter chocolate crust you will not want to share.

Chrisoula’s Cheesecake Shoppe

Photo courtesy of Chrisoula’s Cheesecake Shoppe

Did we need a cheesecake shop in our roundup of holiday pastries? Um … yes. On a normal day, Chrisoula’s has 18 flavors available in their downtown Pensacola shop, and everything is fresh, never frozen. At the holidays, the flavors get an extra kick. Owner and head cheesecake maker Chrisoula Hulion prepares pumpkin swirl, pecan pie, apple crumb, pecan caramel and sweet potato cheesecakes.

Holiday classics like eggnog, mint chocolate chip and pistachio fill Chisoula’s cases, but Hulion has a soft spot for the cherry almond. If you’re on Santa’s nice list, you might even happen upon her baklava cheesecake, a true house specialty that blends her classic batter with chunks of homemade baklava, honey and secret spices.

Cava & Cakes

Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from Cava & Cakes. Photo courtesy of Cava & Cakes

German chocolate cupcakes with pecan and coconut topping. Photo courtesy of Cava & Cakes

Tucked into Gulf Place on 30A, Cava & Cakes satisfies two holiday cravings: sweets and bubbly.

A trip to Europe inspired this pairing. Traveling in Barcelona, the owners noticed it’s customary to pair dry Cavas (the Spanish version of champagne) with dessert. So they brought the idea back to Florida’s Emerald Coast.

They have coffee and croissants, but the main event is cupcakes and a glass of sparkling wine. Over the holidays, red velvet, carrot, German chocolate and salted caramel cupcakes make an appearance, and of course, there’s lots of Cava to keep it festive.