There’s no shame in admitting you don’t have the baking gene (or the time, or the inclination to punch out a few dozen spritzen). Not when the Rural Intelligence region has so many stellar bakeries keeping their ovens going 24/7 until January rolls around. Here we highlight a few, but we know there are many, many more, so if you’d like to add your favorite to the list, well, that’s what our Facebook page is for, and we invite you to join in. Please note that many of the items described here are special order, so you’d best call ahead to see if you can purchase over the counter or need to order ahead of time.

Berkshire County

Chocolate Springs
Never mind all the pot dispensaries popping up in the Berkshires — you can get high just off all the chocolate surrounding you here. Artisanal chocolates include milk and dark, truffles, ganache, mousse cakes, and the most gorgeously decorated bon bons you’ve ever seen (or tasted). What immediately caught our eye: a twinpack of Christmasy-covered Oreos ($3.50) — a perfect stocking stuffer, and the ganache pieces graced with Santas and Christmas trees (starting at $5.95 each). Come to find gifts for your favorite chocoholic, stay for some hot chocolate at the café.

55 Pittsfield Road
Lenox, MA
(413) 637-9820

Patisserie Lenox
Patisserie Lenox is the real French deal. Owners Jean Yves Bougouin and his wife Yulia are veterans on the pastry scene, first with a bakery in Long Island, and now with Patisserie Lenox (in Lenox) and the satellite Great Barrington location (as well as Hudson and Northampton). Their croissants are to die for, and if you really care about someone, you might just hand over a box of croissants and call it a day. But don’t ignore their holiday menu. Patisserie offers the traditional bûche de noël with various mousses — mocha, Grand Marnier, chocolate, chocolate/raspberry, and hazelnut — (8-inch log, $49, 10-inch log, $79. Deadline for custom orders is Dec. 20, but the store will be open on Dec. 24 until 4:30 p.m.

Patisserie Lenox
30A Church St.
Lenox, MA
(413) 551-9050

313 Main Street
Great Barrington, MA
(413) 591-8747

Columbia County

PieconicNY
Before opening the shop, owner Christopher Knable was in the hotel industry and lived all over the world. We’re glad he settled in Chatham and opened Pieconic. His most popular pies are the Empire State Bourbon Chocolate Walnut (featured on The Today Show) and TJ’s Cranberry Pecan (named after Thomas Jefferson, who craved the main ingredients when he was ambassador to France), both $28. Other pies include the coconut custard, oatmeal coconut chocolate, and the traditional apple.    
20 Main Street
Chatham, NY
(518) 392-2988

Bartlett House
We could go on and on about Bartlett House’s cherry cornmeal scones, but we’re talking holiday specials here, so we must mention the special tarts — pear rosewater custard, and the citron and cranberry, $32 for the large and tartlets at $10.50. The cheerful linzer cookies are filled with Bartlett Houses’ own jams, and we’re betting that the fruitcake you get here is eminently edible. BH gets props for recognizing Hanukkah in the café, which will be serving latkes and sufganiyot (traditional jelly doughnuts), and if you order Eggs Benedict, you’ll get it served on latkes. Last day for special orders is Dec. 22, with pickup on the 24th.

2258 Route 66
Ghent, NY
(518) 392-7787

Dutchess County

Taste Budd’s Café
It’s a season filled with pies, fruit cake, and sugar cookies… and handmade chocolates from Taste Budd’s Cafe in Red Hook. The American and French chocolates are made from African and South American beans, which provide a strong and rich flavor. There are traditional peanut butter cups, truffles, and pralines, of course, but there are also pieces in unique flavors such as sour cherry, ruby raspberry, strawberry balsamic, and mango. They can be packaged in a 15-piece gift box for $30 or traditional handmade dark chocolate truffles for $24 lb., which would be a wow hostess gift.

40 West Market Street
Red Hook, NY
(845) 758-6500

Annabelle’s Village Bake Shop
The star of Annabelle’s is the long glass display case packed with bakery staples and an ever-changing array of goodies created by owner and baker Anne O’Doherty. This is where you’ll find the bûche de noël — the yule log that’s the most traditional of Christmas desserts. You have your choice of the white “winter wonderland,” or the chocolate version, both $39.95 and works of art. Annabelle’s also makes hand-decorated sugar cookies and the ever-welcome cookie trays. Something we haven’t seen elsewhere is O’Doherty’s maple gingerbread scone, a special for the holidays.

7501 North Broadway    
Red Hook, NY
(845) 835-6071

Litchfield County

Blackberry River Baking Company
The macarons from Blackberry River Baking Co. make a gorgeous centerpiece to any dessert table, although they may just be too pretty to eat. The classic French sweet is handmade in a variety of flavors and colors. (Our favorites are hot chocolate and lemon meringue.) Since they are especially popular this time of year, you’ll need to special order your selection. The holiday boxes come with 5 ($11), 15 ($30) or 30 ($58). The large cake menu is something else, too, with flavors such as carrot cake, chocolate salted caramel and everyone’s favorite, funfetti. Prices range from $36 for an eight-inch to $160 for a full sheet.

18 East Main Street
Canaan, CT
(860) 824-8275

Sweet William’s Coffee Shop & Bakery
Sweet William’s is a one-stop shop for all your dessert and coffee needs. Owners Jason Young and Michael Lampro note that this year the Gingerbread Spice Bundt Cake ($16) has been very popular and they can hardly keep the holiday sugar cookies on the shelf right now. They also have classic fruit, pecan, and pumpkin pies ($21-$25) as well as cakes, cupcakes and tarts. While you’re in there, be sure to enjoy a latte, chai or hot chocolate and check out the specialty coffee and tea merchandise. Stock up on some of their year-round mainstay treats, too, especially the scones, croissants and cookies of many varieties.

17 Main Street
Salisbury, CT
(860) 435-3005

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Written by
Lisa Green