Best Holiday Bakeries and Sweet Shops in Richmond

The holiday season is all about spending time with family and friends, giving and receiving special gifts….and treats. Lots and lots of treats. Whether your favorite treats are chocolates eaten late at night when they kids can’t catch you or special cakes and cookies found at holiday gatherings, the Richmond area has plenty of holiday bakeries and sweet shops that have a full array of treats that will satisfy your sweet tooth for the holidays – and keep you coming back throughout the year.

If you’re looking for last minute gifts or have simply run out of time to make your own goodies, we’ve found five special places in Richmond that go above and beyond for the holiday season, serving up special treats that will make it feel, smell, and taste like the holidays.

To make our top five list, the following shops each had to offer:

1. Unique holiday options
2. A wide selection
3. Special order or takeaway availability

Whether you’re stopping in to warm up while shopping, planning a family holiday outing, or just want to get in the holiday spirit with a little something extra, be sure to check out our full list of holiday bakeries and sweet shops in Richmond. In the meantime, do you have some favorite holiday bakeries or sweet shops? We would love to hear about them at [email protected]!

5. For the Love of Chocolate

For the Love of Chocolate has it all when it comes to confectionery delights. They offer everything from classic, hand-crafted chocolates to vegan and kosher candies. If you’re looking for specialty items or something a little more exotic, then rest assured, For the Love of Chocolate will not disappoint. Stocked with chocolates from around the world, Virginia-made items, seasonal specialties, baked goods, self-serve candies, retro goodies and organic and fair-trade products, you’ll find a full selection of options for everyone on your list—yourself included.

For the majority of us, Christmas is not just time to make new memories, but a time for reflection on Christmases past. For the Love of Chocolate seamlessly combines the past and present in their quaint Carytown shop. Not only do they offer an old-fashioned candy store vibe, but they offer a selection of old, new, traditional, and unusual candies in every shape and size. You can find candies and treats that you remember having as a kid, as well as completely original candies, truffles, and baked goods that will satisfy any palate. With a selection that is hard to beat and both pre-packed items perfect for gift giving or self-serve items perfect for stuffing holiday stockings, For the Love of Chocolate has it all for the holidays and throughout the year.

What to try: Who doesn’t want candy and chocolate for the holidays? Well, people with special dietary needs, that’s who. Fortunately, For the Love of Chocolate believes no one should be left out – that’s why they offer treats for everyone, including those with vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and kosher dietary needs. Give one of their specialty items a try and make sure everyone on your list gets a treat this year!

Website: www.love-choc.com

Hours:
Monday – Saturday, 10am – 7pm
Sunday, 12pm – 5pm

Location:
3136 West Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23221
(804) 359-5645

4. Chocolates by Kelly

Rich, handmade chocolates make the perfect holiday gift for yourself or for someone else…and we recommend that you start with yourself. Stop by Chocolates by Kelly at her Short Pump Town Center location (just across from William Sonoma) and treat yourself to some decadence this holiday season. With constantly changing flavors, side-by-side with classics, you can count on Kelly to make the holidays special. Need suggestions? Start with some seasonal flavors – and remember, Kelly’s chocolates are always gluten AND soy free!

The best part about Kelly’s is that you can try different chocolates right there in the shop, then you can put together custom-made boxes to take home and share (or eat in the car before your kids see you…we won’t judge). Plus, you can choose from a fantastic selection of her best selling assortments to give as gifts – they’re wrapped, ready-to-go and absolutely delicious.

Last but not least, while all of Kelly’s chocolates are made fresh on the premises, if you can’t make it by the shop, don’t worry. Kelly’s chocolates are available online AND at a number of other retailers. Click here to order gift boxes, assortments, and even sign up for a chocolate making class or order one to give as a gift.

What to try: You can’t go wrong with homemade toffee – especially when it’s toffee from Kelly’s.

Website: www.chocolatesbykelly.com

Hours:
Tuesday – Friday, 11am – 7pm
Saturday and Sunday, 12pm – 4pm

Location and Contact:
414 W. Broad St.
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 814-5496

3. Morsels

Since many of us try to squeeze our Christmas shopping in after work and school or on the weekends, Morsels might sound like it was designed for the busy family—especially during the holidays. This late night desserterie (and yes, that’s a thing) specializes in serving up mouthwatering treats for the after-dinner, after-movies, or after-Christmas shopping crowd. They offer hours from 6-10pm on Wednesday and Thursday, and 3pm-12am on Fridays and Saturdays, making them the perfect place to stop in for a sweet holiday treat after a long day. But what will keep you coming back time and again isn’t just their hours but their menu. Specializing in all things baked (and then some), you’ll find cakes, cookies, bars, cupcakes, cake pops, and so much more. With a menu of flavors too long to list, all we can do is tell you to check them out on Facebook for their weekly offerings!

What to try: You really can’t go wrong at Morsels – no matter what your try. But if you’re looking for items to meet special dietary needs without sacrificing flavor, then be sure to check Morsels for amazing gluten-free options like cherry cheesecake bars or gluten-free and/or vegan cookies!

Website: www.morselsrva.com

Hours: 
Wednesday and Thursday, 6pm-10pm
Friday and Saturday, 3pm – 12am

Location:
4040 MacArthur Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
(804) 252-9792
[email protected]

2. Shyndigz Cafe and Shyndigz Market & 2go Cafe

Ok, so here’s the deal. Shindygz Cafe has become a Richmond staple over the last handful of years. As a late night “Desserts Only” eatery, they’re a go-to for family treats until 11pm Wednesdays and Thursdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Here, they serve everything from the cakes that have made them famous to specialty sundaes, coffee, beer, wine, and so much more. But if you’re looking for treats-on-the-go, then right next door, you’ll find the Shyndigz Market & 2go Cafe…and this is where you can get your Christmas shopping done! At the Market and 2go Cafe, you can pick up your specialty and holiday orders, plus find pies, cakes, ice cream, chocolate-dipped treats and more for walk-in orders.

But here’s the really fun part. If you’re looking for holiday treats for home or as gifts, Shyndigz offers some truly unique ways to take the taste of their cafe home. Impress your family with a Shyndigz salted chocolate caramel cake kit that includes a dry mix chocolate cake, a quart of chocolate buttercream icing, a jar of Shyndigz caramel sauce, a container of cake salt and a full set of instructions. Or, make it even easier with Take & Bake Oatmeal Cream Pies, including a dozen oatmeal toffee cookie dough balls and six cream cheese filling balls along with instructions.

Best of all, if you’re hosting a special holiday party (for Christmas or New Years) there’s still time to get your orders in for pick-up December 23 and 25. Check out their Christmas menu here and choose from Christmas cakes (including gluten-free options), pies, savory quiches, cookies, and more. Of course, the only down side is that if you serve Shyndigz at your house for Christmas (or any holiday party), you’re going to be expected to host from now on…so think about it. You may want to keep it all for yourself!

What to Try: If you want to know what Christmas would taste like if it were baked into a cake, then the Christmas Cake is the obvious choice. The name kinda says it all, but the taste is a gift in and of itself.

Wesbite: www.shyndigz.com

Hours:
Shyndigz
Wednesday and Thursday, 6pm – 11pm
Friday, 6pm – 12am
Saturday, 1pm – 12am

Shyndigz2Go
Wednesday – Saturday, 10:00 am – 10:30pm
Sunday and Tuesday (closed on Monday), 10am – 7:30pm

Location and Contact:
Shyndigz
1903 W Cary St.
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 938-DIGZ (3449)
[email protected] (preferred)

Shyndigz2Go
1831 W Cary St
Richmond VA 23220
(804) 938-DIGZ (3449)
[email protected] (preferred)

1. WHISK

Whisk is no stranger to praise, having been featured on CBS 6 Virginia This Morning, in Richmond Magazine, RVAWeekly, and more. What we found is that they deserve every bit of this praise, especially during the holidays. If you’re looking for unique holiday treats – the kind you can’t get just anywhere—then Whisk is going to be your one-stop-shop this season. Their modern take on the traditional Bûche de Noël cake is exceptional. Each cake is filled with layers of mousse, cake and custard then decorated with exquisite care. Choose from flavors including White Chocolate Peppermint, Fig Honey Marscapone, or Chocolate Hazelnut. Best of all, you can order yours for pick-up December 23 and 24 – just in time for holiday gatherings.

You can also stop by the shop to pick up a variety of treats to add a little sweetness to your holiday gatherings, including cookies like Peppermint Whiskers, Chai Snowflakes, and Lemon Macarons; gingerbread cake; a variety of layered cakes; vanilla bean marshmallows; croissant bread pudding; and much more! Cookie boxes (large for $18 or small for $28) are also available for order and pick-up. And last but far from least, need a last minute gift? Whisk offers specialty baking classes throughout the year – the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list!

What to try: Order a traditional Bûche de Noël cake for the holidays and you’ll have a centerpiece that people will be talking about all year. To order, order online (please give 48 hours), call (804) 728-1576 or send an email to [email protected].

Website: www.whiskrva.com

Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday, 7am – 7pm
Sunday and Monday, 7am – 2pm

Location and Contact:
2100 E. Main St.
Richmond, VA 23223
(804) 728-1576

Find more amazing Richmond resources, activities, and places with Richmond Mom’s Best of Richmond series!