BAKED PIE CO. 

4 Long Shoals Road, Arden 

Baked Pie Co. offers scratch-made pies and uses premium local ingredients, making it a favorite among food lovers for holiday gatherings and meals. They offer several varieties of crowd-pleasing apple pie—including traditional, Amish and cheesecake options—all of which feature the fruit of Creasman Farms in Hendersonville. Another top seller is the honey pecan pie, made with a flaky handmade pie shell and topped with caramelized pecans using brown sugar, honey and butter. The bakery itself is a charming destination, a welcoming spot with vintage decor and multiple tables where visitors often settle in for a “pie flight” and a cup of coffee. A special note: Baked Pie gets busy during the holidays and advance orders are encouraged. 

CHOCOLATE FETISH

36 Haywood Street, Asheville 

Accepts phone orders 

The Chocolate Fetish has been a popular downtown staple since 1986 and just recently changed ownership to enjoy new life under the leadership of Celeste King, a well-established chocolatier who also owns Van’s Chocolates in Hendersonville. The Chocolate Fetish is known for premium handmade chocolates that often appear at weddings, birthdays and parties—often in the form of custom-designed sculptures—but have also become a classic gift for all chocolate lovers. Its European-influenced Ecstasy Truffles come in 16 flavors, including Chai Moon and Lavender Vanilla Latte, and the downtown café beckons a near-constant stream of visitors. During cold months, make sure to order a cup of the European Sipping Chocolate, a rich version of hot cocoa topped with freshly shaved dark chocolate. 

FRENCH BROAD PANTRY

Available at multiple farmers markets

Accepts online orders 

French Broad Pantry is a go-to option for breakfast and brunch pastries—a gem during the holidays when home cooks are often busy feeding family and friends and looking for easy wins between big meals. Frenchborn chef Dune Michel crafts a menu of both sweet and savory pastries, and the croissants are particularly popular. Offered plain or with fillings like chocolate, raspberry, ham and cheese or smoked salmon, the croissants can be served with fresh fruit and locally roasted coffee, and voila! You’re done! The dessert options are just as delightful and include fruit tarts, cream puffs and chocolate ganache tarts. A beautiful almond twist (Sacristain in French) is made with a mix of almond cream and vanilla custard and also gets a special shout-out. 

SEA OF SWEETS

Available at local farmers markets 

Accepts online orders 

Sea of Sweets is a Weaverville-based bakery that creates a variety of delightful treats— from cookies and cakes to macarons and cupcakes. Launched in 2019 by Elizabeth Thomas, who set up a formal business after years of baking for friends and family, Sea of Sweets offers online orders. For the holidays, check out their “’Tis the Sea-Sun” cupcakes, made with chocolate cake and coated with peppermint buttercream and chocolate chips, or the “Jaw-some Caramel” macarons, which has a vanilla shell, a caramel filling and vanilla buttercream. Sea of Sweets also appears at farmers markets in the area, so check out their Instagram feed for updates. 

SILVERMOON CHOCOLATE

Available at multiple grocery stores and local retail locations 

Silvermoon Chocolate creates a variety of treats, from bars to truffles, and all products are made with fermented cacao sweetened with either raw honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar. Their popular Medicine Ball— ideal to have around the house as a sweet energy boost or for gifting to friends, family or party guests—is a truffle-like ball made of raw cacao, local raw honey, coconut oil and scratch-made almond and coconut butters, then packed with superfoods like chlorella and spirulina and rolled in a colorful mixture that includes bee pollen, goji berries and hemp seeds. If you’re at the North Asheville Tailgate Market, stop by their booth for a 3-ounce Cacao Bliss Shot, made with a tea of chaga and reishi mushroom, chai-inspired spices, cacao and coconut sugar. 

SWEETS & SEATS

81 Patton Avenue, Asheville 

Accepts online orders 

The newly opened Sweets & Seats, located near Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville, has quickly attracted a growing fan base. The charming café offers fresh-baked pastries, including tarts, eclairs and cheesecakes, alongside teas, espressos and coffee. It’s a great afternoon meet-up place for friends or dates—and since it’s open until 9:30pm on weekdays and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays, it’s also become a dessert destination for downtown diners with a sweet tooth looking to stretch their legs after a main meal. They have a beautiful vanilla bean creme brulee, as well as a chocolate mousse cake that often gets top reviews. Order online for pickup or via DoorDash for easy delivery.