Wisconsin’s Holiday Cookie Trail is the Winter Tradition Your Family Needs

By Christina Lorey

May 15, 2025

12 bakeries. 3.5 hours. Up for the challenge?

Lifestyle website Only in Your State mapped out the perfect road-trip for holiday cookie lovers: a winding path along the eastern side of the state that leads you to some of Wisconsin’s best bakeries.

You can find an editable version of this map here. (Google only allows for 10 addresses at once, so the map starts in Wauwatosa and ends in De Pere, but you’ll need to direct it to the specific bakeries once you start driving!)

Stop #1: La Tarte Bakery
6742 W Wells St.
Wauwatosa
Order: Festively-Frosted Cut-Out Cookies
BONUS: Call ahead, and the bakery will put together a custom gift box (a great hostess gift for a holiday party!)

Stop #2: Peter Sciortino Bakery
1101 E Brady St.
Milwaukee
Order: Italian Butter Cookies (sold by the pound, to-go)

Stop #3: Mila’s European Bakery
239 N. Main St.
Thiensville
Order: Cream Cheese Almond Cookies
BONUS: The cream cheese bars, in flavors like Apple Walnut, Chocolate Chip, and Strawberry, are addicting!

Stop #4: Boulangerie du Monde
W62 N588 Washington Ave.
Cedarburg
Order: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Perfectly-Chewy Parisian Macarons

Stop #5: Daily Baking Company
211 N. Franklin St.
Port Washington
Order: Key Lime, Chocolate Cherry Pecan, and/or Molasses Spice Cookies

Stop #6: Johnston’s Bakery
1227 Superior Ave.
Sheboygan
Order: Sugar Cookies with Seasonal Sprinkles (with a hot mocha mint—a customer favorite)
BONUS: If you pack a cooler, you can take home frozen cookie dough!

Stop #7: Oostburg Bakery
16 N. 10th St.
Oostburg
Order: Frozen-Themed Cookies (we recommend the ones with Olaf!)

Stop #8: French Creek Bakery
205 S. Packer Dr.
Francis Creek
Order: Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake (served whole or by the slice)
BONUS: The bakery’s cinnamon rolls are as big as your head AND taste just as impressive.

Stop #9: Simple Simon Bakery
218 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Appleton
Order: “Ugly Sweater” Cookies

Stop #10: Manderfield’s Home Bakery
W3176 Springfield Dr.
Appleton
Order: Pumpkin Nut and Iced Cut-Out Holiday Cookies
BONUS: With more than 100 different cookie cutters and stencils, you can call ahead, and bakers will customize a cookie for you.

Stop #11: Alpha Delights Bakery
143 N. Wisconsin St.
De Pere
Order: Florentines, Tea Cookies, and/or Snickerdoodles (anything from the bakery’s Christmas corner is delicious!)

Stop #12: Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe
1840 Dickinson Rd.
De Pere
Order: Double Doozies (a cookie/icing sandwich)
BONUS: Take home a Sea Salt Caramel Pecan Kringle— it has more than 1,400 5-star reviews and was named the Best Kringle in North America!

Author

Christina Lorey

Christina Lorey is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist and former UpNorthNews newsletter editor. She previously worked as a producer, reporter, and TV anchor for stations in Madison and Moline. When she’s not writing or asking questions, Christina volunteers with Girls on the Run, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and several mental health organizations.

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