The desserts at Badash Bakes might be lighter on sugar, but they’re heavy on flavor. This Pasadena bakery is run by a private chef-slash-influencer who built a following through cookie pop-ups, and judging by the lines currently out the door, her treats are still drawing attention. The pastry case is filled with various dessert shop standards—cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and brownies—and while they’re definitely on the delicate and not-too-sweet side, the chocolate items are impressively chocolately, and vanilla and other spices come singing through whenever they're used. The menu is split up into AM and PM sections, so timing matters here—show up early if you want to grab one of the coveted cinnamon rolls that are usually wiped out by noon (we missed out on our visit), or later in the afternoon for the cakes and cookies.
Food Rundown
Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls have the plush texture of a memory foam mattress, with a perfect ratio of cinnamon and frosting swirled into the jumbo spiral. Our lone issue is with the bright-green matcha, which is mostly for looks, as the cinnamon completely bulldozes any matcha flavor. Unless you’re obsessed with color-coordinating, stick to the standard cinnamon roll and save a dollar.
Cookies
Badash’s cookies are thin enough to crack if you pick them up fast, but the flavors shine through, and the edges are nicely crisp. The flavors are fun, too—s’mores, toffee chocolate chip, matcha, and red velvet were some of the options on our visit.
Cakes
The cakes here are more toned down in richness than what you’d find at a place like SusieCakes, but the light and airy texture is a nice surprise. The cake itself is crumbly with a sweetness level on par with banana or zucchini bread, but the cream cheese frosting gives each bite a dessert bump.
