15 Photos
Fall inspired cakes are just some of the tasty treats Jerri's Cakery is known for during the holiday season.
Gingerbread kits are also available from Jerri's Cakery.
A gingerbread house, from Jerri's Cakery.
The turkey cake from Jerri's Cakery must be preordered and are a popular Thanksgiving dessert.
Nothing says Christmas like a Christmas cookie platter from Jerri's Cakery.
Thanksgiving pies from Jerri's Cakery.
A glazed ham bread is a fun way to nod to a traditional Christmas dish, at dessert.
Keith Kouris at work at Blue Duck Bakery, a bakery best known for its artisan breads, but also beloved for holiday desserts. Dana Shaw photo
Cranberry scones from Ali Katz Kitchen delivery the flavors of the holiday season at the breakfast table.
Pumpkin cheesecake is a popular item for Thanksgiving at Ali Katz Kitchen.
Ali Katz Kitchen is known for many of its baked goods during the holidays, including cookie platters for festive gatherings.
Ali Katz Kitchen features seasonal crostadas throughout the year.
Orange-glazed cranberry-pecan tea cake is a prized Thanksgiving treat from Ali Katz Kitchen.
Christmas cookie platters from Ali Katz Kitchen include gingerbread cookies.
Artisan breads from Blue Duck Bakery.
The best gift to bring to a holiday dinner isn’t always wrapped in a box. Sometimes, it’s something sweet, fresh from a local bakery — a treat that arrives at the table with a little extra cheer.
Across the East End, bakeries are bustling this time of year, preparing weeks in advance for the desserts that will follow the turkey, ham or holiday roast — and appear alongside cups of tea, coffee, and good conversation. From Thanksgiving and Hanukkah to Christmas and New Year’s Day, bakers are ready with something for every occasion.
Jerri Raynor Montillo, owner of Jerri’s Cakery in Eastport, said holiday orders run the gamut.
“Thanksgiving we get orders for our turkey breads, pies, cookie platters and turkey cakes mostly,” she said.
A turkey cake, for the uninitiated, is the brainchild of partner and head baker Belinda Nagy.
“It’s a 3-pound loaf baked fresh in the shape of a turkey,” Nagy explained. “It’s time-intensive and takes up a lot of space in the oven, so pre-orders are absolutely necessary. When I’m done baking them, that’s it.”
She also creates a glazed ham bread that looks — and tastes — just as good as it sounds.
Alongside classic pies and Italian cookie trays, Montillo said the cakery sees lots of requests for custom cakes and cupcakes.
“We also get asked about gift cards because when everyone has everything, the perfect gift can be a cake in the shape of your dog,” she said.
Come Christmas, the cakery becomes a playground for festive creations. Ugly sweater cakes make their rounds at holiday parties, gingerbread houses appear on tabletops, and no two creations are ever the same.
“I customize for so many people,” Montillo said. “It’s never the same thing twice.”
In Mattituck, Ali Katz Kitchen has become known for “everything but the bird” — a Thanksgiving hit featuring all the sides without the turkey.
“It’s all the sides, plus salad and desserts,” owner Ali Katz explained. “People can order just the dishes they need or the whole meal, minus the turkey.”
Desserts at Katz Kitchen run the gamut: chocolate bread pudding, pumpkin cheesecake, apple-pear crostata, pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting, orange-glazed cranberry-pecan tea cake, assorted cookie platters, and their gluten-free Moroccan orange cake — to name just a few. Katz emphasizes that everything is made in-house and sourced from local farms.
That local, handcrafted approach continues through the winter, from Hanukkah to Christmas. Cookie season arrives with gingerbread men, gingersnaps, and plenty of cookie trays for pickup.
“For Hanukkah, we offer rugelach, chocolate-striped coconut macaroons, and small jelly doughnuts with cinnamon sugar,” Katz said. “This year, we’ll also be collaborating to make potato latkes.” She added that they remake Katz’s Grandma Minnie’s homemade applesauce to accompany them — a nostalgic touch for many customers.
Over in Greenport and Southold, Blue Duck Bakery has been a seasonal staple for 26 years. Owner Keith Korish said the bakery sells nearly 5,000 pies and thousands of pounds of cookies during Thanksgiving alone.
“At Blue Duck, we’re known for our traditional and artisan breads — all handmade using old European methods,” Korish said. “But we also create fun, festive goodies for the holidays: hand-decorated cookies, cheesecakes, fruit cakes, decorated cakes, and coconut macarons. Our customers come back season after season.”
Indeed, when it comes to holiday desserts, East End bakers are ready to make any table a little sweeter — and every celebration a little brighter.
