Driving for Dessert: Danish Home Bakery in North Battleford
Danish Home Bakery has been a favourite in The Battlefords area since the 1990s, offering plenty of sweet treats and baked goodies alongside staples like bagels and bread. Owner Andy Thiell has been a baker for most of his life, having grown up in the business alongside his parents and grandparents, who owned and operated the former Nor-Wood Bakery in North Battleford for years.
Photo by Naomi Hansen
“My grandparents were living in Saskatoon and, once their kids were in school, my grandma wanted to do something else, so she started working at Nutana Bakery in Saskatoon. I don’t know how long she worked there, but that’s where the idea came from to open a bakery,” Thiell said. “At that time, there was a bakery in North Battleford for sale, so they decided to move and buy that bakery.”
Thiell says that his grandma took some inspiration from Nutana Bakery’s offerings for the menu, including MaryAnnes, a pastry that Danish Home Bakery still carries to this day. Other favourites at the bakery are cream horns, cinnamon buns and pies (there are seven kinds!), plus specialty items that are perfect for the holidays, like frosted sugar cookies, meringues, butter tarts, and light and dark fruitcake.
Photo supplied by Danish Home Bakery
In recent years, Thiell also purchased a fudge machine, and fudge has become a local favourite too. Flavours like rocky road, cookie dough and maple walnut regularly make an appearance, and Thiell also notes that another newer and equally popular seller is the bakery’s selection of gluten-free items.
“We started doing some gluten-free baked goods like macarons and cookies. We have a gluten-free peanut butter cookie that is amazing,” he said, noting there is also chocolate chip, ginger snap and sugar cookies that are all gluten free.
With such an extensive bakery menu, it’s easy to see why the bakery has stood the test of time as such a beloved spot – for locals and visitors alike.
Photo supplied by Danish Home Bakery
“Some customers have been coming in here for years, but we also have people [who are originally from the area] who come to town over the summer, and they will come in and say that they remember coming here when they were in high school. They always come in and get a cream horn or a MaryAnne,” Thiell said. “I make these every day, but sometimes I forget that they’ve been made this way for a long time – for years.”
Make it a day trip or a weekend
Turn dessert at Danish Home Bakery into a day trip or a weekend and explore what The Battlefords area has to offer.
Where to stay
The Gold Eagle Lodge in North Battleford has a pool, hot tub, steam room and exercise facilities. Next door at the Gold Eagle Casino, you’ll find Kihiw Restaurant, which offers classic eats like soup, salad, burgers and steak.What to see/do
Visit the taproom at Armoury Brewing Company to sample some local craft beer. Its tasting flights are perfect for picking your favourite brew that you can buy and bring home too! Check Facebook in advance for COVID-19-specific hours. While in North Battleford, you’ll also want to visit the Allen Sapp Gallery, which has been home to the artwork of renowned Cree artist Allen Sapp since 1989. The gallery is in the historic Carnegie Library building, so there’s plenty of history and art to explore. If you want to grab a coffee, head to The Cup Cafe & Bakery, which is a cute little café located inside a residential house. This family-run business specializes in coffee and tea, plus made-from-scratch lunch fare and baked goods.
Photo supplied by The Cup Cafe & Bakery
Bonus points
If you’re looking for an outdoor adventure, Table Mountain Regional Park is just a 25-minute drive from the city and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding, along with tubing and a terrain park. Check its website for the latest information on weather-dependent opening dates. Blue Mountain Adventure Park is a 35-minute drive from North Battleford. The park is open year round and has four-season accommodation options. In wintertime, there is a tubing hill, skating rink, cross-country ski trails and more. Visit the website for information on weather-dependent activities and opening dates.
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Danish Home Bakery is located at 1155 101st Street in North Battleford, SK. For more information and hours, visit Facebook. Danish Home Bakery and one of its recipes will also be featured in Naomi Hansen’s forthcoming book, Only in Saskatchewan: Recipes & Stories from the Province’s Best-loved Eateries. Visit www.naomihansen.ca for more information.
Author: Naomi Hansen
