Contributed by Cindy Arora
KANSAS CITY, MO — When a customer stands in front of a pastry case, they aren’t necessarily just looking for something to go with their latte. Sometimes it’s the swirl of mint green buttercream on a cupcake, the playfulness of sprinkles on an orange-frosted toaster pastry or the peek-a-boo of chocolate coming through a buttery croissant.
It’s no surprise that food, especially baked goods, can give people a moment of joy, comfort, or even a feeling of control in the middle of an otherwise busy day.
ADM’s 2026 “Flavor and Color Outlook” trend report debuted an artist-inspired color palette meant to energize bakers planning their pastry calendars for the year ahead. Think roasted peach, buttercream yellow, sweet mint, juniper green, berries (blue and raspberry), purple grape jelly and apple red.
The report found that food no longer satisfies just hunger. Customers seek flavorful baked goods for comfort, to escape and to enjoy … they want to remember what delight tastes like.
Resilience, comfort and wellness — feelings consumers are seeking in today’s climate — are the top emotions connected to colors, according to the report.
For bakers, dessert as a conduit to comfort comes as no surprise, but complementing comfort with color has become a tool for developing new products or giving old favorites a fresh look and feel.
The merging of textures and colors, while having fun with flavors, is how many bakers can create menus that entice people who eat with their eyes. Kelly Jacques, co-owner and chef at Ayu Bakehouse in New Orleans, is a believer in that adage.
The modern bakery along bustling Frenchmen Street has made a name for itself from an exciting menu that captures colors, culture and texture, including its warm chocolate babka knots, pandaninfused kaya buns and bright guava passion fruit tarts.
“We think a lot about the experience of someone walking into our bakery and how their eyes will float around to the different products,” Kelly said. “Baked goods are mostly shades of brown, so we try to mix things up with different toppings and garnishes and thoughtful arrangements in the case.”
According to ADM, this year’s color and flavor profiles can lend themselves to merging berries with botanicals, pairing tropical fruits with citrus, exploring childhood favorites and giving them an all-new colorful take.
“While food dyes open up possibilities, we definitely prefer to create colors naturally by using colorful ingredients like satsuma juice in our Satsuma Creamsicle Tartlet, passion fruit puree in our Passion Fruit and Black Sesame Danish, and even pops of pink watermelon radish and green snap beans on our Frenchmen Sandwich,” Kelly added. “This way, you get both color and flavor to back it up.”
At Loretta’s in Philadelphia, a bright red door welcomes customers into a cafe known for its coffee but that’s quickly making a name for its unique pastry program.
“Color is an imperative tool for pastry chefs,” said Kelsey Bush, owner of Loretta’s. “Not only do they get to create beautiful-tasting items, but they also get to use color to entice customers to pick their perfect dessert.”
At Loretta’s, the rotating menu features everything from apple pie toaster pastries with green sprinkles to pecan pie croissants made with a touch of orange marmalade and topped with salted caramel drizzle.
“We deal with a lot of browns and neutrals with pastry, so we love to use colors in glazes, frostings, dried fruits and sprinkles,” Kelsey said. “We use colors all the time to make people feel warm and happy.”
Adding a touch of color doesn’t require major recipe changes; bakers can bring in new hues with tinted glazes, vibrant curds, seasonal fruit garnishes or naturally colorful ingredients like beet, matcha, or freeze-dried berries and fruit.
For bakers, turning to this year’s color palette allows them to have fun with trends while also inspiring customers in search of joy in a pastry case.
This story has been adapted from the December | Q4 2025 Craft to Crumb mini-mag. Read the full story in the digital issue here.
