The story below is from our November/December 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Roanoke bakers and confectioners offer giftable cakes, swoon-inducing pavlova, freeze-dried candy and more.
It’s no secret that Roanoke is spoiled for choice when it comes to baked goods and sweets. But this holiday season, the treats forecast promises to be the sweetest on record. From international delights like French macarons to novelty holiday sweets like Grinchmas cookies and cranberry pound cake, these are the season’s most sought after confections to gift or treat yourself.
Southern Sisters Desserts
Owned by Tamera Mack
Est. 2023
Fun Fact: Mack grew up with five sisters and is the first person in her family to own a small business.
Culinary Inspo: As a kid, Mack sometimes helped her mom and grandma who were head cooks at Little Chef and Happy’s Flea Market. “I loved seeing how they had regular customers who came to see them all the time. As well as the conversations, smiles and laughter that lit up the restaurants.”
Signature Sweets: Banana pudding cookies, each one swirled with white chocolate chips and vanilla wafers, then capped with a vanilla wafer cookie and drizzled with white chocolate ganache. Fruity pebble crunch cake, featuring a golden vanilla cake studded with the fruity cereal, iced with buttercream frosting and strewn with Fruity Pebble crunch topping.
Holiday Offerings: Southern pecan pie and Grinchmas cookies, festive green, butter-flavored crinkle sugar cookies topped with edible red hearts and a green chocolate ganache drizzle.
Where to Find: Follow Southern Sisters Desserts on Facebook for pop-up announcements or place orders through social media and southernsistersdesserts.com.
Petals & Sugar
Owned by Leslie Doerfler
Est. 2016
Fun Fact: Leslie comes from a family of home bakers and as a kid she perused her library’s baking section to pore over baking and candy making books.
Confectionary Philosophy: “I make art, it’s just art that tastes good.”
Signature Sweet: Macarons. “I’ve been told they’re better than those found in France by multiple people including European trained chefs!”
Don’t Sleep On: Pavlovas, an airy meringue that’s crisp on the outside and pillowy inside. The pavlovas are typically made with a baked vanilla bean shell, filled—NY cheesecake and lemon curd are the fan-favorites—then topped with chocolate shavings or fresh fruit such as strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, and capped off with edible gold leaf.
Holiday offerings: At Thanksgiving look for Turkey-shaped macarons and cake pops, as well as mini and large pumpkin pies. For Christmas, expect a variety of themed macarons, meringues and novelty cake pops like snowmen, Santa hats and lumps of coal. Pre-order pies, pavlovas and gingerbread, and book holiday dessert tables for end-of-year get-togethers and holiday parties.
Where to Find: Salem Farmers Market every Saturday, pop-ups at events like Grandin Chillage and the Honey Festival or places such as the Virginia Museum of Transportation and Golden Cactus Brewery. Custom orders can be placed via social media, at petalsandsugar.com or email at petalsandsugar@gmail.com.
By the Dozen
Owned by James O’Reilly
Est. 2021
Fun Fact: O’Reilly has avidly baked for family and friends since he was 12.
Business Inspo: O’Reilly toyed with the idea of starting a cookie business when he moved to Botetourt County for his day job as a special education coordinator. “I discovered the LEAP Kitchen and after a few months of perfecting my recipes, By the Dozen was born. I now offer a variety of over 20 flavors including regular and gluten-free drop and bar cookies as well as handcrafted extracts.”
Signature sweet: Drop and bar cookies (regular and gluten-free). Of the 20 flavors, the cranberry oatmeal is one of the most popular, boasting a crisp yet chewy bite with dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and a whisper of cinnamon.
Holiday Offerings: Christmas variety packs, tins or platters featuring candy cane, sugar, gingersnap, mint chocolate chip and red velvet cookies as well as gingerbread whoopie pies with a spiced cream cheese filling.
Where to Find: O’Reilly alternates Saturdays between the Botetourt Farmers Market in Daleville and the Grandin Village farmers market in Roanoke and pops up at Black Dog Salvage’s Dog Bowl Market. Special requests welcome via IG @bythedozencookies and Facebook @bythedozencookiesforyou.
Grat-i-fi-cake-tion
Owned by Tanya Barbes
Est. 2021
Dessert Philosophy: One-of-a-kind desserts that vie for centerpiece status, inspired by a fusion of Bahamian and American cultures.
Business Inspo: Barbes’ passion for cooking and baking has served as a form of therapy throughout her nursing career. “The warmth of the oven and the comforting aromas transformed my kitchen into a true happy place! Experiments blossomed into unique creations and unforgettable experiences for both my customers and me! The gratification from the baking process, the compliments and the requests for purchases gave birth to both the company name and the decision to get licensed and share my product!”
Signature sweet: Two words: Pound cake. Choose from a dozen (and counting) flavors including the fan-favorite pineapple upside down, chocolate marbled, lemon blueberry, strawberry crunch and sweet potato, all finished with a glaze such as vanilla or homemade caramel.
Sleeper Hit: Barbes loves all her creations, but when pressed to pick a favorite, she chose candied walnut pound cake. “My husband and I love to warm it and have it with fresh whipped cream!”
Holiday Offerings: Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting and apple crumble pound cake for fall, cranberry Christmas pound cake and marbled chocolate pretzel bark for the Christmas season.
Where to Find: The Historic Roanoke City Market most Fridays and Saturdays. Orders can be placed through Facebook Messenger or via Gratificaketion.square.site.
Big Daddy Munchies
Owned by Rob Jessee
Est. 2023
Business Inspo: After Jessee and his wife purchased a freeze dryer to preserve produce from their family’s garden, they discovered online recipes for freeze-dried candy. They decided to make and sell candy to help pay for the machine, but things took off in a big way.
Fun Fact: The business is named after an affectionate nickname from Jessee’s six kids. As for the vibrant branding? “The pink came from my wife. She owns a hair salon and most of the time she has pink hair so her clients call her Pinki.”
Signature Sweets: Skittles plus original flavors like Berry Cheesecake Chrunchys (Berry Skittles with a cheesecake flavoring and Margarita Crunchys (lime forward, Margarita-flavored Skittles).
Sleeper Hit: Scratch-made freeze-dried Texas Peanut Brittle candy crafted with Dr Pepper and cayenne.
Where to Find: Saturdays at the Historic Roanoke City Market, local events such as Dickens of a Christmas, local outlets including Big Lick Exotix, Winston Ave Social Club and Exotics and Aquatics, and at bigdaddysmunchies.com.
The story above is from our November/December 2024 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
