With the holiday season right around the corner, Baked Dessert Cafe in Berlin, Maryland is getting ready for the hustle and bustle of Main Street, gift shopping, and the sudden overwhelming desire for locals to stock up on cookies, breads and pies. Baked owner Robin Tomaselli is excited for the most wonderful time of the year, prepping for the (hungry) crowds that the holiday season brings to America’s Coolest Small Town.  “For Thanksgiving, it’s all about the pies, one of our specialties is the Drunkin’ Punkin’ pie,” said Tomaselli. And that’s not all – Sweet Potato Strudel, Apple, Apple Crumb, Ms. Poly’s Pecan, Coconut Cream, Peach and Chocolate Silk Pie.  ”We also offer fresh artisan breads, homemade cranberry relish, warm sweet potato biscuits and croclairs- which would be a really unique addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table.” When you walk into the quaint, adorable bakery…you’re greeted by tons of delicious options for your next dinner party.

With a location in the busy town of Berlin, you can bet Baked is on hand and open late for all their fun, holiday themed town events. The Christmas celebration officially kicks off on Friday evening, November 28th with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Arts Night. “Of course we will be open for Holiday Arts Night, it’s such a fun event!” said Tomaselli. “We will have tons of holiday menu items and are open from 4PM to 9PM, we are going to offer a wine sampling, home made cheese, bread samples and more, it’s just a really fantastic event.” She even let us in on a little secret; brand new this year, Berlin has hired carolers to go around town to sing, giving the event an even more small town vibe, if that’s even possible. Boy, do we love Berlin!

After the Christmas Tree Lighting- it’s go time. Everything from cakes, bread puddings, artisan breads and cookies are popping out of the oven one after another. One of the reasons we love Baked so much is because everything they make is all-natural, there are no preservatives, artificial sweeteners or substitutions. So you’re kind of getting the best of both worlds, yummy holiday goodness made naturally and healthy (well, as healthy as those goodies can be). “Christmas here is really special, it’s just more about the community than the businesses,” said Tomaselli. December 6th and 13th are the two Holiday Open Houses in town and Baked is offering a 10% discount if you order your holiday menu items on those two days, in addition to the discount, they are having a sampling where you taste desserts, breads and their selection of wine. “It’s really just a one stop shop,” said Tomaselli. “We wanted to make it really convenient for our customers, you can come in and grab your items and grab a few bottles of wine to have on hand.”

Lately, Baked is tempting us with their delicious lunch options, going from mostly sweet to a little savory. “We really offer gluten free, organic, vegan, grab and go lunches,” said Tomaselli. “Those are usually available daily, but lately we’ve been experimenting by putting a twist on lunch special classics, like Italian sandwiches, Cubans, frittatas and quiche.” Trust us, their Facebook and Instagram pictures are enough to get in your car and head straight to Berlin. “We’re even trying to offer healthy smoothies and chia puddings.” There is truly something for everyone.

Special Order Deadlines for the Holidays:

November 17th: Thanksgiving

December 15th: Christmas

December 22nd: New Years Eve

So when you’re planning your holiday party, keep Baked in mind for your appetizers and dessert tables. Their artisan breads pair great with cheese and pretzels, and their desserts- well, they speak for themselves. “The Holidays are all about cooking with your family, and your children, but if it’s not your forte, then it’s important to know what you’re buying and eating, and that it’s not chocked full of preservatives,” said Tomaselli.