6 New Holiday Items from Paris Baguette, Ranked and Reviewed by a Food Editor

• What It Is: mochi donut topped with peppermint icing, white chocolate drizzle and candy cane pieces
• Price: $3.99

I liked the chewiness of the doughnut, and that the peppermint wasn’t overwhelming (even despite the crunchy candy cane bites that stick to your teeth as you eat and melt at their own pace), but this one wasn’t my favorite. That said, there were nice, vanilla glaze-like notes and it was undoubtedly easy on the eyes.  

• What It Is: three layers of vanilla cake, filled with soft cream and fresh strawberries
• Price (per slice): $7.59

I was impressed with the light-as-air, cloud-like crumb. The frosting was like supremely fluffy whipped cream. The fruit brought vibrancy, tartness and color to the not-too-cloying cake. I also appreciated that the candy cane topper was made of white chocolate instead of hard sugar. But overall, I found this cake a bit bland.

• What It Is: latte topped with sweet cream and cocoa powder
• Price (small, whole milk): $4.99

I loved the supremely lush, silky texture of this drink. The pleasantly bitter espresso got a bit lost in the sweetness of the milk, but the near-custardy, slightly salty flavor of the sweet cream topper was downright delicious.

• What It Is: three layers of red velvet sponge, filled with strawberry soft cream and fresh strawberries
• Price (per slice): $8.09

Full disclosure: I feel like cream cheese frosting is non-negotiable for red velvet cake. Nevertheless, I was excited to try this fruity spin on the iconic dessert. I enjoyed the cocoa-y cake, which was fluffy but not as much as the strawberry soft cream cake. This was more like boxed cake mix in texture. I thought I’d say it didn’t need strawberries, but their tartness enhanced the fruitiness of the strawberry frosting. While they amp up the flavor, the liquid from the berries quickly saturates the bottom layer of cake, so eat this one ASAP.

• What It Is: buttery, flaky puff pastry with sweet apple filling
• Price: $4.29

The pastry itself absolutely stole the show. Supremely laminated, buttery on the inside, glossy on the top and just a touch salty, the dough was tender yet toothsome. The filling had nice texture, as the diced apples were still slightly crisp. I wouldn’t have minded if it was a bit tarter or more spiced, but there was nothing wrong with this gem.

• What It Is: doughnut filled with vanilla bean custard, frosted with white chocolate
• Price: $4.29

They knocked this one out of the park, IMO. There were visible vanilla beans in the filling, which was thick and pudding-like. The doughnut was super soft and delightfully chewy. The semi-hard frosting offered texture without too much additional sweetness (and an adorable design). What’s not to like?