Danish Bakers Bakery – Family-Owned Sweet Spot Since 1960!

If every neighborhood had a local bakery as good as Danish Bakers in Rockledge, PA we’d all be a lot happier...and heavier! Founded in 1960 by Ray McCrimmon Senior, it is still run by two generations of the McCrimmon family, as well as a friendly crew of counter help and behind the scenes bakers.

Ray’s tenure as a baker at Ed Zaberer’s on the Jersey Shore (a colorful institution now sadly gone) informed not only his baking technique but also the name of this bakery. The family is not from Denmark, but Ray and Ed decided "danish" would make people think of the tasty pastry of the same name.

Zaberer’s eclectic interior decorating style rubbed off onto McCrimmon as well. Jeweltone Tiffany-style chandeliers hang in front of an antique dough trough display table, and donuts are displayed on antique wooden shelving saved from a closing Philadelphia bakery. Tucked in the corner near the refrigerated case the cast-iron pot belly stove is a customer fave, and makes a handy place to post local news.

But for all the authentic vintage touches in place since the early 1960s, the even better news is that their baked goods are as out-of-this-world tasty as they are varied.

I’ve never seen such a wide selection of delectables available in one place. From simple melt-in-your mouth donuts (made daily) and cinnamon buns to their award-winning Japanese jelly roll (pictured above) and wildly popular butter cake - a must-try Philadelphia treat.

All of the fillings for their pies and danishes are scratch-made, from lemon curd to fresh peach cake toppings, Italian plums and boiled dates for the daintily named Princess date nut bars.

Breads, rolls (snowflake, onion) tea biscuits and newly introduced yet old-fashioned pretzels are available should your sweet tooth needs a break. Stalwart customers look forward to visiting the shop for their holiday treats from Christmas springerle, stollen and pfeffernusse to Thanksgiving pies, Lenten fastnachts and hot crossed buns.

It’s hard work to make such a quality product consistently, so the shop is closed every Monday, Tuesday. They also take some well deserved time off at the beginning of each year (wisely, since that’s when so many of us vow to finally shed those extra pounds!) The shop also closes for the month of August so they can catch up on maintenance projects and heck, I hope they enjoy the summer a bit.

It's always exciting to discover another place to add to Retro Roadmap, and knowing this sweet spot is family owned, unchanged through the decades, and providing delicious bakery treats for us, makes my heart expand...along with my waistline!