The 12 Best Bakery Items to Buy at Publix (and 3 to Skip), According to a Superfan

When it comes to grocery store bakeries, no one comes close to Publix—and we won’t accept any opinion otherwise. The Publix Bakery is the stuff of legends, whipping out baked goods and freshly-baked bread that would put even the Muffin Man to shame. You’ll find something for every kind of sweet tooth, impromptu office snack sesh, kids’ birthday party, and any spur-of-the-moment craving to eat an entire baguette slathered with butter. Apologies if that last one is triggering to anyone with a gluten allergy, but you get it. 

If we’re being honest, it’s hard to make a trip to Publix without stopping by the bakery (even if it is just to window-shop and salivate over the cheesecake), and it’s not exactly like they try to make it easy. The bakery is usually conveniently located on the right side of the store, not too far from the entrance, making it only natural to check out all the decadent sweets before you even remember what you actually came to the store for in the first place. It’s almost as if the carts are programmed to go that way automatically. See, it’s not our fault we can’t get enough.

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Fortunately, the Publix Bakery actually lives up to the hype. And whether you’re new to the wondrous world of mouthwatering cakes and cookies or you’re just looking for a few new recs, we’ve rounded up the 12 best bakery items to buy at Publix—and three you should skip.

Related: The 10 Best Things to Buy at the Publix Deli, According to a Superfan

Why Do Fans Love the Publix Bakery?

The real question is what’s not to love about the Publix Bakery? Not only is there an array of delicious baked goods to choose from, but the quality is truly unmatched compared to other grocery stores. Where else can you find sourdough bread that tastes like it was made by a certified panettiere, or photo-ready cakes expertly baked and decorated by hand? It’s the stuff dreams are made of. What doesn’t everyone dream about swimming in a sea of freshly baked doughnuts?

What Can You Buy at the Publix Bakery?

Odds are, if you can imagine it, you can find it in the Publix Bakery. Looking for Starwberry Cheesecake Cookies? They’ve got that. What about freshly made apple turnovers? Yep, that too! From cookies and pies to cakes and even muffins, Publix has it all. You can even find a variety of bread made from scratch and baked right in the store, including hoagie rolls, brioche hamburger buns and, of course, focaccia.

What Can You Order From the Publix Bakery?

Perhaps even more than its ready-made offerings, Publix is best known for its incredible custom order creations that truly are in a league of their own. Whether you just need a simple birthdaycake or something more eye-catching, like a unicorn cake or the mouthwatering cookies-and-cream mousse cake, most of them can be ordered a day in advance, which is perfect if you need a last-minute treat for an event. Publix’s expert team of bakers can also make wedding cakes, fruit tarts, and bagel trays, and specialize in a variety of pies and cookies.

Tips for Shopping at the Publix Bakery

When it comes to shopping at the Publix Bakery, there’s virtually no way to go wrong, but there are a few ways to maximize your experience, whether you’re looking for something specific or just browsing. 

• Be Early: Although there’s never a bad time to stop by the bakery, earlier in the day is when you’ll have the most variety of items to choose from. It’s also not as crowded, which just makes the shopping experience that much better.
• Try Something New: With so many items to choose from, you’re bound to see something you’ve never had before, and it might be worth it to give it a shot. Who knows? You might fall in love with Publix’s seasonal Vegan Key Lime Pie Cookies. 
• Order Ahead: If you’re really craving something and they’re out of it, or you just prefer something made fresh, it’s definitely worth ordering ahead of time. You can conveniently order and pay online, making it easy just to pick up your sweet treasures and go. Just make sure to place the order at the right store.

12 Best Bakery Items at Publix

Let’s be honest: with so many things to choose from, whittling down the best ones is like picking our favorite Beyoncé song. They’re all hits! Truly, it’s nearly impossible to go wrong in the Publix Bakery, but if you need a little guidance, we’ve rounded up a few treats that should definitely be on your radar. Here are the 12 best bakery items at Publix.

1. Vanilla Cake Slice with Coconut Buttercream

We get it, coconut isn’t for everyone, but this cake might just convert you. Moist vanilla cake is layered with rich coconut buttercream and then finished with a dusting of shredded coconut. It’s light and airy, not too sweet, and it’s the perfect anytime little sweet treat. Pro tip: Pop it in the microwave for five seconds, then enjoy it with your morning coffee. How’s that for a sweet start to the day?

2. Banana Cream Cheesecake

Although this cheesecake is clearly meant to be shared, we may or may not have finished an entire one by ourselves—and we’d do it again. This perfect summertime dessert layers New York-style cheesecake with a vanilla cake layer and Bavarian banana cream. The final flourish of Vanilla Wafers really adds that banana pudding vibe. No notes.

3. Cookies and Creme Brownies

While these aren’t made in-store, they taste like they could be. Rich brownies topped with cream cheese icing and covered with crushed chocolate cookies? Sign us up!

4. Mini Croissants

We’ll be honest and say that these aren’t the same as getting a croissant in the South of France, but they’re one of the most underrated items in the Publix Bakery and should definitely be on your list. The best thing about these is their versatility. You can slice and stuff them to make mini sandwiches, dip them into your morning coffee, or even use them as the base for a casserole or bread pudding. What’s not to love?

7. Berry Chantilly Cake

If you’ve never had the Berry Chantilly Cake at Publix, we suggest you drop everything and get one right now. It’s truly life-changing. This cake is a true crowd pleaser, and by crowd, we mean ourselves. Three layers of vanilla and almond cake get layered with a mascarpone Chantilly dessert cream, seedless raspberry filling and whipped vanilla topping. Fresh glazed berries finish the cake off, and honestly, we need a minute. Best of all, if a whole cake is too much for you, you can also grab individual slices.

Related: McCormick Just Dropped 4 New Spice Blends That Promise to Make Your Cooking Taste More Layered

6. White Mountain Sandwich Bread

Even though most people focus on Publix’s sweets, don’t sleep on the bread section. Not only can you find a variety of loaves for whatever you need, but you’ll also come across the storied White Mountain Sandwich Bread, which is perfect for grilled cheese. You’ll thank us later.

7. Berry Chantilly Tres Leches

Berry Chantilly Tres Leches. Enough said. While there’s no replacing the original cake format, this tres leches might just come close. Not only does it highlight the same mouthwatering flavors, but it’s meant to be eaten cold, which makes it all the more refreshing. Run, don’t walk.

8. Cinnamon Fry Doughnuts

If Publix Cinnamon Fry Doughnuts aren’t already in your consistent sweet treat rotation, they should be. Truly, this is one of the hidden gems in the Publix Bakery. It’s like a honey bun, a cinnamon roll, and a doughnut had a baby, and the result was a perfect dessert. Whether you enjoy one for breakfast, after lunch or as a late-night snack (or all three), you won’t be disappointed.

9. Lemon Loaf Cake

Sure, you can go to Starbucks and get a slice of Iced Lemon Pound Cake for $5, or you could just grab Publix’s Lemon Loaf Cake and get a whopping eight slices for $7. By the numbers, that’s less than $1 per piece at Publix, which works out to more money in your pocket. Not to mention it’s truly delicious.

10. Gourmet Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon Buns with no icing might be controversial, but just trust us on this one. These perfect morsels are made to be warmed up and eaten with coffee, and they’re great even without the icing. Of course, if you’re a cinnamon bun purist, they’ve got some with icing, too, and even maple-flavored ones. You’ll definitely want to add these to your cart.

11. Mini Muffins

If nothing else, make sure to grab the Mini Muffins at Publix. They’re the perfect little bite when you need something sweet, and they’re great to bring to the office as a treat. Not to mention they’re so small you can eat several at one time, and no one will judge you. We call that a win.

12. Free Cookies

Last but certainly not least is the Free Cookies. To be fair, these are supposed to be meant for the kiddos, but depending on the person behind the counter, you might be able to snag one for yourself. You know, just to hold you over until you get home and dig into that Banana Cream Cheesecake. We’ll take it!

Related: This Fan-Favorite Cookie Brand Is Expanding Its Gluten-Free Line

3 Publix Bakery Items To Skip

To be fair, there really aren’t any bad items in the Publix Bakery, and choosing which ones to skip was a pretty lofty task. With that being said, there are a few things that just don’t offer the same je ne sais quoi as some of Publix’s other baked goods. Here are the three Publix Bakery items to skip.

1. Cheddar Herb Biscuits

While these could be compared to Red Lobster’s famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits, these are a bit underwhelming. You should definitely warm them up if you get them, but they’re still a bit drier than we’d like. We recommend saving your money on these and getting something else instead.

2. Strawberry Pie Pockets

Although these aren’t terrible, they’re not anything to rave about either. Compared to the turnovers and full-sized pies, these just didn’t do much for us. We’ll stick to the Dutch Apple Pie instead.

3. Toaster Muffin Tops

Personally, if we want a muffin, we’d rather have a whole muffin than just the muffin top. While these are good, warmed up and slathered with butter or jam, there are better options.

Related: A Cheesy New Dip From Publix Feels Like a Warm Italian Hug