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food

The 12 Best Online Bakeries, Whether You’re Craving Cookies, Cupcakes or Banana Pudding

Your sweet tooth is in for a treat

Author image: taryn pire
By Taryn Pire
•
Published Apr 12, 2024

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

best online bakeries: cheryl's cookies, levain bakery cookies and milk bar desserts, side by side
Cheryl’s Cookies/Levain Bakery/Milk Bar

Your kid’s birthday, a block party, a hostess gift, a serious craving for something chocolatey—there are endless reasons to treat someone (or yourself) to an impressive dessert. But before you settle for whatever’s on sale at the supermarket, consider shopping from our list of the 12 best online bakeries instead. There are endless options in terms of confections (cakes and cookies and cupcakes, oh my!), featuring affordable and splurge-worthy picks alike. Read on for our top recs, including cookies from Levain Bakery, Magnolia Bakery’s famous banana pudding and a chocolate cake by Ina Garten herself.

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RELATED

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The Best Online Bakeries at a Glance

1

Best Online Bakery Overall

Levain Bakery

read more

Buy it ($29/four-pack)
2

Best for Homesick New Yorkers

Magnolia Bakery

read more

Buy it ($88)
3

Best for Birthdays

Milk Bar

read more

Buy it ($120; $110)
4

Most Unique Cupcakes

Baked by Melissa

read more

Buy it ($47/25-pack)
5

Best Cupcakes

Sprinkles

read more

Buy it (varies by location)

Show More

How We Chose the Best Online Bakeries

Working as a food editor gives me a solid baseline of popular (and emerging) brands to highlight, but I didn’t lean on my expertise—and internet research—alone. I also pooled editor recommendations and aimed to include a variety of online bakeries that are famous for different desserts and accessible at a range of price points.

best online bakeries: levain bakery
Levain Bakery

Best Online Bakery Overall

1. Levain Bakery

What We Like

  • fast shipping
  • pretty packaging
  • freshly baked before shipping
  • relatively affordable

What We Don’t Like

  • nothing

Levain Bakery

A favorite of Manhattanites and PureWow staff (seriously—we taste-tested them), Levain Bakery makes some of the most iconic cookies around. We love the four-, eight- or 12-piece variety pack, wrapped in cellophane and hand-tied with blue ribbons, since you’ll get to taste the signature chocolate chip walnut cookies, as well as the dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip and oatmeal raisin. Most importantly, the cookies will arrive fresh and at lightning speed; they’ll only need a few minutes in the oven to be revived to their former gooey glory.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($29/four-pack)
best online bakeries: magnolia bakery
Magnolia Bakery

Best for Homesick New Yorkers

2. Magnolia Bakery

What We Like

  • nationwide delivery
  • variety pack includes a wide range of desserts

What We Don’t Like

  • expensive

Magnolia Bakery

Savor a best-selling sampler collection from NYC-famous Magnolia Bakery. Anyone with a sweet tooth will be happy to indulge in a combo of brownies and blondies, as well as a variety of the bakery’s infamous banana puddings, including classic, red velvet and chocolate hazelnut. Magnolia also offers cheesecakes, cookies, cupcakes and a limited-time pudding of the month.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($88)
best online bakeries: milk bar
Milk Bar

Best for Birthdays

3. Milk Bar

What We Like

  • unique flavors
  • festive assortment

What We Don’t Like

  • not the freshest option on this list (namely for cookies)

Milk Bar

Milk Bar is adored for its sprinkle-packed cakes, creamy soft serve and unique cookies. The secret ingredient? The cereal milk that Milk Bar’s offerings are infused with, which gives the treats a nuanced layer of sweetness. This variety pack from Milk Bar comes with a dozen B’Day Truffles, six creative cookies (from blueberry & cream to cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow) and a whole Milk Bar Pie. We’re pretty sure anyone would be happy to receive these for any reason, but the collection is especially fitting for birthdays or a celebration you can’t attend in person.

Fast Facts

  • Shipping: $18 to $30
  • Delivery: all U.S. states
  • Our Top Pick: The Sweet Spot
Buy it ($120; $110)
best online bakeries: baked by melissa
Baked by Melissa

Most Unique Cupcakes

4. Baked by Melissa

What We Like

  • great for sharing
  • relatively affordable compared to some other options

What We Don’t Like

  • you can’t select the flavors for some assortments

Baked by Melissa

Fact: No one can turn down a teeny-tiny cupcake. Baked by Melissa specializes in single-bite treats and serves them in a wide range of colors and flavors with fun toppings. The shop also has some gluten-free and vegan varieties, so they’re a great fit for all dessert lovers, no matter dietary restrictions or allergies. Our editors love the Sending Love gift box (we’re suckers for tie-dye) and recommend going with the Latest & Greatest Cupcakes 25-Pack, a mix of 12 rotating popular flavors.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($47/25-pack)
best online bakeries: sprinkles
Sprinkles

Best Cupcakes

5. Sprinkles

What We Like

  • kid-friendly flavors
  • good for a group or birthday party

What We Don’t Like

  • limited selection for nationwide shipping

Sprinkles

If you don’t know what your giftee is a fan of or are buying for a group, you can never go wrong with cupcakes. Sprinkles bakes up some of the tastiest ones out there. While some of their more exclusive flavors are only available in stores and for local delivery, a few standards can be shipped across the country, including this Favorites box. It includes three cupcakes each of red velvet, vanilla, dark chocolate and sprinkle.

Fast Facts

Buy it (varies by location)
best online bakeries: taylor chip
Taylor Chip

Most Allergy-Friendly Cookies

6. Taylor Chip

What We Like

  • made fresh to order
  • ships same day

What We Don’t Like

  • expensive

Taylor Chip

This online bakery has been selling their indulgent cookies since 2015. Brace your taste buds for a six-flavor assortment that delivers all the chocolate one could possibly crave. With flavors like double chocolate brownie, chocolate chip, brookie, lava cake, peanut butter fudge and Oreos & cream, these 5.5-ounce cookies are guaranteed to hit the spot. They’re hand-made, baked to order and shipped same day, so you know they’ll arrive as fresh as can be. (BTW, Taylor Chip also has gluten-free and vegan assortments available for those with dietary restrictions.)

Fast Facts

Buy it ($50/six-pack)
best online bakeries: harry & david
Harry & David

Best Variety

7. Harry & David

What We Like

  • ideal for parties or hostess gifts
  • wide variety of flavors

What We Don’t Like

  • not enough of each flavor for a larger group

Harry & David

You can score just about any edible gift on Harry & David, from fruit baskets to charcuterie. Most importantly, the website offers a plethora of desserts, and we’re big fans of the brand’s cookies. They offer all the classics (think peanut butter, gingerbread and macadamia nut chocolate chip), along with unique picks, like blackberry galettes and double chocolate cherry cookies. This particular basket includes nine varieties and 22 cookies, so it can easily be shared by a crowd.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($55)
best online bakeries: williams sonoma
Williams Sonoma

Best for Chocolate Lovers

8. Williams Sonoma

What We Like

  • shipped fresh
  • large variety of products and price points

What We Don’t Like

  • nothing

Williams Sonoma

You turn to this online purveyor for pantry staples, baking mixes and jams, but did you know Williams Sonoma also offers baked goods, chocolates and candies? Pies, brownies, cakes and more await you, but we love this elegant assortment of milk, dark and white chocolates filled with nuts, caramel and crémes. They’re prepared in copper kettles, then cut and embellished by hand, in case you need more convincing.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($50/two-pack)
best online bakeries: cheryl's cookies
Cheryl’s

Best for Individually Wrapped Treats

9. Cheryl’s Cookies

What We Like

  • wide variety of flavors
  • kid-friendly
  • ideal for frosting lovers

What We Don’t Like

  • nothing

Cheryl’s

Cheryl’s Cookies has a flavor for every taste and preference, so you’re sure to find the ideal dessert (even for your friend who turns their nose up at sweets). The brand is most famous for its decadent buttercream frosting, which is just the ticket when you’re looking to break out of a chocolate chip rut. The cookies come individually wrapped, making them an easy win for classrooms, sleepovers and kids’ birthday parties. Our favorite collection includes flavors like frosted strawberry sugar, salty caramel and lemon burst, along with classic vanilla.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($45)
best online bakeries: corso's cookies
Corso’s Cookies

Best for Kids

10. Corso’s Cookies

What We Like

  • fun for kids and DIY fans
  • great for classrooms, birthdays and holidays
  • affordable

What We Don’t Like

  • nothing

Corso’s Cookies

Sure, you could order an assortment of cookies for your kids that they’ll be happy to gobble down in 30 seconds flat…but they’ll enjoy themselves much more if they get to decorate the cookies themselves. Here, they’ll score 16 vanilla sugar cookies topped with royal icing, which they can adorn to their hearts’ content with edible ink markers. We’re partial to the Under the Sea set, but there are also seasonal, insect, dinosaur and fairytale themes to choose from.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($30)
best online bakeries: last crumb
Last Crumb

Most Exclusive

11. Last Crumb

What We Like

  • exclusive
  • unique flavors
  • fun packaging and branding

What We Don’t Like

  • expensive

Last Crumb

Like some streetwear brands, Last Crumb shoppers used to have to try their luck on a waitlist to snag exclusive curated cookies instead of ordering whenever they want. But now, you can add a box to your cart at any time for delivery. It may be a splurge, but we promise it’s worth every penny. (Seriously, we tried them all!) The Core Collection includes classic and unconventional varieties alike, and the box comes with a handy (and snarky) guide that explains the inspo for and ingredients in each cookie. The blueberry muffin one is our team’s favorite, but we also love the banana pudding-infused Donkey Kong and the brown butter-salted caramel Macadamnia.

Fast Facts

  • Shipping: varies by location
  • Delivery: nationwide
  • Our Top Pick: The Core Collection
Buy it ($140/12-pack)
best online bakeries: ina garten barefoot contessa on goldbelly
Goldbelly

Best for Dinner Parties

12. Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa

What We Like

  • shippable nationwide
  • endorsed by Ina Garten

What We Don’t Like

  • expensive

Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa

I’m still waiting for an invite to Ina’s Hamptons estate, but until then, I’ll be ordering her sweet treats to my doorstep and letting my imagination do the rest. Thanks to Goldbelly, the Queen of Chambray’s most iconic desserts are shippable all over the country. Sink your forks into Ina’s carrot, coconut or, my favorite, chocolate cakes, or opt for fresh cookie dough instead that you can bake to your liking at home.

Fast Facts

Buy it ($100)
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taryn pire
Taryn Pire

Food Editor

  • Contributes to PureWow's food vertical
  • Spearheads PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College
read full bio