7 Bakery Menu Ideas to Get Your Place Rolling

Whether you’re opening a bakery or running an existing one, nailing down the best selection of products is challenging. Since you don’t want to spread yourself too thin by trying to offer everything to everyone, this list of bakery menu ideas will help you select the items with the widest appeal so you can satisfy customers as easily as possible.

Cookies

No one says no to cookies, right? Then it should be no surprise that cookies are some of the most profitable baked goods to sell. Whether they’re crunchy, soft or chewy, having a wide range of these confectionary favorites is absolute must. Although offering some seasonal favorites is always a wise move, here are some types of cookies you should sell all year in some variety:

• Chocolate chip


• Oatmeal


• Butter


• Sugar


• Shortbread


• Biscotti


• Macaroons

Cakes

From birthdays and graduations to weddings and milestone anniversaries, there are so many moments that call for cake. It’s important to make multiple options that cater to different occasions, but you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. While whipping up a coffee cake or two-layer cake is doable, you only should offer specialty orders, such as multi-layer and wedding cakes, if you have the resources in terms of staff, equipment and ingredient budget.

Breads

Every good bakery serves up fresh bread. But what does that include? There are some standard offerings that you should include:

• Baguettes (aka French bread)


• Italian bread


• Rolls (i.e. onion, pretzel, ciabatta, dinner)


• White bread


• Wheat bread


• Whole grain bread


• Rye bread

Cupcakes

While cupcakes are a staple, they certainly fluctuate in popularity. After experiencing a major surge in the early 2000s that spurred various gourmet shops throughout North America, cupcake sales declined by 2013. But don’t let that be a deterrent. As long as you don’t lock into them as your lone product, it’s always wise to feature a collection of basic and artisan options. Even if it’s just vanilla, double-chocolate and red velvet cupcakes, you can’t go wrong.

Pastries

Of course, pastries are a mainstay at a bakery. Most places key in on a selection from a dedicated cuisine or region. For example, an establishment with a French menu will have pastries like eclairs and napoleons, while a Mexican bakery will carry traditional types of pan dulce like conchas, orejas and many others. If you want to have an eclectic mix, start with some of these:

• Cannoli


• Cinnamon rolls


• Cream puffs


• Croissants


• Danishes


• Eclairs


• Napoleons


• Pan dulces


• Pies


• Soft pretzels


• Strudels

In addition to those, you should consider the different ethnic groups in your area and try to include a few of their favorite goodies too.

Donuts

If you have some pastries, breads and coffee cakes geared toward the breakfast crowd, it doesn’t hurt to add a few donut options. You can sprinkle in seasonal options like apple cider and pumpkin spice donuts in the fall or blueberry and strawberry-lemon selections in the spring and summer. Otherwise, having a small but delicious variety of cake, yeast and cream-filled can help bring patrons in for the morning rush.

Beverages

The beverages are often overlooked when planning a bakery menu, but many patrons like to order something to add a drink or two to their orders. Aside from water and soda, add some refreshing drinks like lemonade and iced or hot tea. Also, coffee is a must, especially if your establishment specializes in pastries and breakfast items. While there are many varieties from around the world, consider starting with traditional hot coffee, latte, Americano, espresso and cappuccino.