Ferrara Bakery and Cafe is a Little Italy institution, and also the only bakery in town that makes its own panettone. The Italian Christmas bread-cake is baked with a hint of lemon and studded with raisins and other dried fruits. Those in the know warm it up before enjoying a slice with tea, or turn it into French toast on Christmas morning. $21.95,195 Grand St.
The Doughnut Plant’s Holiday Ripple has taken on the flavors of Christmas, with a white chocolate doughnut topped with red velvet crumble on the outside, a minty chocolate pudding-filled ring in the middle and a ginger-glazed gingerbread doughnut in the center. If you’re not the sharing type, they also have normal-size doughnuts in flavors like roasted chestnut and marzipan. The Holiday Ripple can be preordered for pickup at their Chelsea location. $24,Chelsea Hotel, 220 W. 23rd St.
Have a little frustration to work out this holiday season? Don’t we all. If a little spiked cider isn’t enough to do the trick, Dominique Ansel Bakery’s Peppermint Brittle comes with its own mini hammer to better get at the interior of buttercrunch toffee with crushed peppermint candies, covered in a chocolate shell. $20,Preorder online, 189 Spring St. There’s a lot of new French energy in NYC, including at the classic bistro Benoit. Swing by to try new head chef Laetitia Roubaha’s menu, and take home their revamped Buche de Noel. This year’s yule log was inspired by the calisson, a traditional French treat of soft candied fruit and ground almonds, surrounded by thick mousse and covered in a sparkling crust of white chocolate. $38, order a day ahead, 60 W. 55th St. How did Macy’s do without a macaron and tea shop for so long? Happily, there’s now Made by Pauline, serving owner Polina Andris’ light-as-air delights brimming with delicate flavors that make this treat taste special again. There are a couple of new flavors every week among the dozen or so varieties like cassis, fig and nutella banana. Mention you saw the shop in Metro and get 15% off a box of 12 macarons (usually $33) through January. 151 W. 34th St., Fine Jewelry Section One of NYC’s newest bakeries,Mah-Ze-Dahr, hasn’t exactly been flying under the radar — Tom Colicchio has been singing the praises of pastry chef Umber Ahmad for years. Now she’s gone from selling her goodies online to a Greenwich Village boutique so fancy you’ll drink with a pinky in the air. We recommend grabbing an assortment of her cookies like cardamom snickerdoodle and chocolate explosion to bring to your party, and cross off that last person on your gift list with a Cookie of the Month Subscription that gets the first three months of 2017 off to a sweet start.$50, 28 Greenwich Ave.
