10 Publix Bakery Items That Shoppers Adore

Oh, sure, you hear plenty of chatter about the Publix "PubSub," the customizations of which are better than Subway's. But the delights of this Southeastern grocer do not begin and end with overstuffed sandos. For the uninitiated, you simply must know that the Publix bakery is a treasure, a delicious-smelling oasis of carbs and sugar in the midst of the bustling supermarket.

The following items are some that Publix shoppers especially crave, ranging from sourdough to donuts, with tons of pies, cakes, and cookies in between. The best days to shop at Publix are related to the weekly sales cycle, but, in our honest opinion, any day is a great day when it involves a treat from the store's bakery.

"This is the best cake I've EVER eaten! It's amazing!" gushed one Facebook user when it came to Publix's beautifully-decorated Chantilly cake, which tastes just as good as it looks. Delicate layers of yellow sponge are stuffed with juicy berries and Chantilly cream, and the whole cake is enrobed in whipped topping. This airy, light, and dainty cake is perfect for ladylike showers and Mother's Day teas. 

There's no difference in taste between the carrot cake bar and the (generous) slices of full-sized round cake served up in the Publix bakery, but we think the buttercream carrot on top is something extra special. A Facebook commenter agreed: "If there is 1 thing that I love at Publix more than anywhere else.... it's the Carrot Cake. Even more than a fancy restaurant's carrot cake every time!"

Like Publix, which has deep roots in the Sunshine State, Key lime pie is a native product of Florida. There's a good reason why the Publix Key lime pie is acclaimed as a practically perfect specimen of its genus: the citrus-y custard is tart, but not abrasively so; the graham cracker crust is buttery and crumbly, and the curlicues of whipped topping add lightness to every slice.

Some folks opt for the chocolate chip when they go to Publix — and it's true that they rank above even the best chain chocolate chip cookies – but, for our money, we like the store's sugar cookies. They strike just the right balance between chewy and crispy, and those tiny confetti sprinkles always crunch between your teeth in a satisfying manner. Every person who grew up in the South has a memory of getting a free Publix cookie when shopping with Mom or Dad, and, even today, the taste of these treats fills us with delightful nostalgia. 

The world's largest cannolo was the size of a whale, but Publix keeps their cannoli sized more practically, in both standard-size and mini versions. You can get cannoli from Publix dipped in almond slivers or dusted with powdered sugar, but, for us, you can't beat the chocolate-dipped cannoli with chocolate chips at the ends. "The filling of these were sweet, creamy, and lightly tangy," one TikTok review enthused. "I really liked these cannolis [sic]." We like how Publix sells them in grab-and-go packages of two, which is the perfect amount for snacking on the way home. 

Publix sells all sorts of donuts, from plain rings to elaborate iced specimens, and they are almost universally beloved. "Those new Brioche Glazed donuts that just showed up in my Publix are AMAZING. Honestly can't think of a time I had a better donut!" one Redditor insisted. But you shouldn't hesitate to try any of them: "Holy smokes!!!!!!!!! I think they're better than DD donuts," another Reddit user gushed, speaking of Publix donuts in general. We've learned from experience how to keep donuts fresh overnight, but our Publix donuts tend not to last that long! 

There are many different types of chocolate out there, and it seems like Publix managed to fit most of them inside this insanely-rich chocolate cake. Chocolate cake and chocolate whipped frosting are covered in chocolate ganache and chocolate fudge decorations, with a molded chocolate topper and striped chocolate batons on the sides. "My Birthday cake from Publix. My God I'm in heaven. Chocolate Ganache so moist. Sorry Famous but this is 20 times better!" raved one Facebook user. It's not called "death by chocolate," but we think you'd go happily if this were your last meal. 

"I'm kinda a bread snob, and our sourdough is actually pretty fantastic," a self-proclaimed Publix employee on Reddit admitted. Can we just say "hard agree?" Publix sourdough has a mythic reputation in the South, and it's fully earned — the tangy taste, chewy texture, and delightful crust all add up to the perfect vessel for any sandwich you can imagine. The bread is sturdy enough to stand up to toasting, and flavorful enough to lend panache to any fillings or spreads. No worries about how to feed a sourdough starter when the grocery store has loaves this amazing. 

There's a difference between Dutch apple pie and regular, and Publix sells kick-butt versions of both. "My favourite [sic] apple pie," one Facebook user declared soundly. "It's very humbling to spend 5.5 hours prepping chilling, mixing, pouring, baking, cooling just to be able to pick a better one up for 1/4th the price of ingredients you spent," one Reddit user admitted, referring to the futility of baking one's own pies when Publix makes its own so well. Not for nothing, Publix's apple pie won a blue ribbon at the 2026 American Pie Council Pie Championship.

"The glazed croissants from Publix are very buttery and moist, with a perfect amount of glaze that isn't too sweet. They're a hit," one Instagram reviewer summed up. For a while, asking Publix employees to apply a sweet pastry glaze to croissants was a viral social media hack, but now glazed croissants are part of the store's regular rotation.