Where to get the best Christmas cookies in Rhode Island

If baking is not your thing, but delicious Christmas cookies are something you crave, you are in luck. In Rhode Island, most bakeries offer some variety of holiday cookie. Then there are the dessert and specialty shops with their special touches.

Italian cookie trays are popular and you can pick one up every day of the week, using this list.

You can also choose from a wide variety of artisan cookies that come in lovely boxes. The bakers are a clever lot who elaborately frost their cookies in themes for the season. There are gluten-free selections and DIY decorating kits. There's even one that benefits families in need.

Most of the bakeries and shops also have other fun holiday treats. There are cheesecakes in seasonal flavors, macarons and that signature of Christmas, the Buche de Noel or yule log.

Of course, my 16 selections are not the only places you'll find festive and delicious cookies. But they are a good start for where to satisfy your sweet holiday tooth from North Smithfield to Westerly.

Wright's Dairy Farm & Bakery

200 Woonsocket Hill Rd., North Smithfield, wrightsdairyfarm.com.

They have two tray sizes: a 2.75-pound tray has about 60 cookies ($42) and a 4-pound tray that must be pre-ordered, with about 135 cookies ($68). The trays are an assortment of their most popular Christmas flavors that include peanut butter blossoms, raspberry thumbprints, vanilla biscuit, M&M, chocolate chip, coconut macaroons, pistachio shortbread, sprinkle butter cookies, hand-cut gingerbread people, double chocolate chip, Russian tea and caramel pecan.

Their do it yourself cookie kits ($16.99) include four handcut butter cookies, three colors of frosting and various edible holiday decorations. Mini Sandwich Cookies ($2.25) are also available in three varieties. They also offer individual packages of these cookies (so you can pick and choose and create your own tray at home). 

All are available in the store for the month of December. Trays can also be ordered in advance with as little as 48 hours notice, online at wrightsdairyfarm.appfront.app.

Carina e Dolce

1402 Plainfield Pike, Cranston, (401) 301-1334, carinaedolce.com

Andrea Soave Nadeau's Carina e Dolce is open for holiday pop-up shops 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Additional Christmas hours will be posted on social media including Instagram. You can call for custom and large orders.

Assorted cookie trays come in three and five pound sizes They are $15 per pound. She has assorted Christmas sugar cookies ($3) and gingerbread men ($4) as well as macarons ($25 a dozen). You'll also find cakepops, pretzels and other sweet treats.  

Scialo's Brothers Bakery

Scialo Bros. Bakery, 257 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 421-0986

Scialo's general manager Olivia DeAngelis said they are offering three pound Christmas Cookie trays ($65), their most popular, as well as five, eight and 10 pound trays. All cookies in the tray are available in store individually packaged as well. Also available are their homemade blocks of Torrone ($25 per pound), struffoli ($38), Guanti (wandies) ($24) and a Buche de Noel yule log ($65).

They ship their smallest cookie trays and torrone and more. Just call the store.  

Pastiche Fine Desserts

92 Spruce St, Providence,  (401) 861-5190,  pastichefinedesserts.com.

Pastiche's cookies come on a wicker tray wrapped in cellophane with a festive bow or in a box. They include the best of Pastiche with almond biscotti, currant walnut rugelach, lemon squares, chocolate chips, Russian tea cakes or butterballs and chocolate walnut truffles. 

They come in three sizes: one and a quarter pounds with 25 cookies ($21.25 for the box, $26 for basket), 2½ pounds, about 50 cookies ($42.50/ $50) and four pounds with about 75 cookies ($68/$75).

They can be ordered right off the website. They are the first item to sell out so advance ordering is suggested.

They also have holiday themed frosted cookies that are individually wrapped and very festive.

Solitro's Bakery

1594 Cranston St., Cranston, (401) 942-9840, solitros.weebly.com and on Facebook.

Christmas Cookies are $18 a pound and they offer them in trays and loose as well. The trays come in one and a half pounds ($27), three pounds, ($54) and four pounds ($72). They also have cakes, pies, struffoli and cinnamon bun Christmas trees. 

The deadline for Christmas orders is Dec. 21. They have an online ordering form up or customers can call the store.

Three Wishes Bakery

 39 Greenville Ave, Johnston, (401) 642-7819, threewishesbakery.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

Three Wishes is a gluten and nut-free bakery that is creating two pound cookie trays with seven different cookies. They cost $40. They have one pound trays of just Lemon Ricotta cookies for $15. Both can be ordered through their website Threewishesbakery.com or by calling the bakery.

Vesta Bakery

47 Railroad Ave, Westerly, (401) 348-7055, vestabakery.com. 

The Christmas Cookie assortment from Allyson Mansfield includes Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti, Snickerdoodle, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Chocolate Apricot Shortbread, Anise, Hazelnut Baci, Linzer, Rainbow Bars, Pecan Tassies, Gingerbread, Chocolate Peppermint Drops, and Decorated Shortbread. It costs $20 per pound with 36 cookies in a pound.

They also have Decorated Shortbread cookie trays, which are an assortment of Christmas-themed frosted cookies. They are $30 per pound which contains approximately 20 cookies.

The deadline for all orders is Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. To place an order, call during business hours or stop in.

Confectionery Designs

42 Winthrop St., Rehoboth, Massachusetts, (774) 565-8288, confectionerydesigns.net

They offer elegant gift boxes that include Almond Joy Macarons, Orange Cranberry Shortbread, Gingerbread with Orange Glaze, Iced Sugar Cookies, Pecan Snowballs and Chocolate Peppermint Bark. Three-quarters of a pound ($40) and 1 1/2 pounds ($75) are offered. They must be ordered ahead and the deadline for Christmas is Dec. 18.

Antonio's Bakery

2448 West Shore Rd, Warwick, (401) 738-3727

They have three sizes of Italian cookie trays in small ($38), medium ($54) and large ($72). They stock the small ones in the store but place an advance order for larger ones.

Borrelli's Bakery of Coventry

765 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, (401) 821-0130.

Italian cookie trays come in several sizes and are stocked in the store but ordering ahead guarantees you larger trays. The medium tray is $50 and the large is $75.

DeLuise Bakery

1251 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, (401) 351-5826

You'll find two and three pound trays of Italian cookies ready to pick up in the shop at $17.50 per pound. Larger trays should be ordered ahead.

LaSalle Bakery

993 Smith St., Providence, (401) 831-9563 and 685 Admiral St., Providence, (401) 228-0081, lasallebakery.net. 

They offer a variety of holiday cookies, Italian cookie trays and more. They include color butter sandwich cookies, coconut macaroons, almond macaroons, butterball, prune filled, checker board and/or ice box and biscotti. A two-pound cookie tray costs $39.99 and the 3-pound costs $59.99.

They also have gingerbread house kits ready to assemble at home.

Sin Desserts

 1413 Westminster St., Providence, (401) 369-8427, eatwicked.com.

A variety of cookies , including nut free ones, are sold in two dozen ($36) and five dozen platters ($90). Also on the holiday menu is Hot Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo crust with chocolate ganache and mini marshmallows. The 9-inch serves 16 for ($55) and the 6-inch serves 6-8 ($35). They also have Ginger Cranberry Cheesecake.

Just Like Nana's

560 Mineral Spring Ave., Pawtucket, (859) 333-9096. 

Baker Karen Griffin has several offerings for the holidays including paint your own cookies in holiday designs. She also has her signature Cinnamon & Sugar Christmas Wreath made with cinnamon rugelah.

Call to order and then pick up in Pawtucket. She does not maintain hours or stock the items. All are made for orders.

Ellie's

225 Weybosset St., Providence, (401) 563-3333, elliesprov.com

Their elegant cookie box ($40) includes an assortment of lime, ginger spice, peanut butter, oatmeal chip, and fig cookies, as well as chocolate bouchons.

Gingerbread Kits ($8) come with one freshly baked 8-inch gingerbread cookie, a piping bag of icing and six bags of decorative candies. For the 13th year, 100% of the proceeds are donated to the Warm-a-Heart program in partnership with Lifespan, City Year, Dave’s Marketplace, and Refocus to support families within the community.

Ivy and Lace Bakeshop

546 Putnam Pike, Greenville, (401) 349-5003, ivyandlacebakeshop.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

The three pound cookie tray at Ivy and Lace includes chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, ginger cookies, cranberry walnut, peanut butter, double chocolate, thumbprints, sugar cookies and butterballs. They cost $55. They also offer six packs of French Macarons for $14 and 12-packs for $26. Paint your own cookies cost $6 each.

They also have three cheesecake options: Baklava, Red Velvet and Gingerbread Cheesecake.

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