Cicadas themselves are, in fact, edible. But if you aren't interested in crunching your teeth into a plump exoskeleton, perhaps you'd enjoy taking a bite out of a cicada confection instead?
Local bakeries are jumping on the Brood X bandwagon and celebrating the emergence of these every-17-year insects with themed treats.
From cicada-shaped cookies and cakes to cannoli, there's no sweeter way to get your bug fix.
The BonBonerie
This O'Bryonville institution has created some adorable cicada-decorated cookies using the classic BonBonerie butter sugar cookie recipe, topped with colored white-chocolate icing.
"Our cicada cookies are the brainchild of a member of our cookie team, Julie Reizner. She's big into science and she loves cicadas. She remembers playing with them the last time they were here, and she's really excited for them to come back," says Marketing Director Kelly Morton via email. "We make a lot of specialty cutouts for local events and holidays, and Julie's cicadas are a really fun addition to our selection."
If you want to guarantee you can snag a cicada, call 513-321-3399 during business hours or stop by the bakery in person to place an official order. Cookies are $3.50 each.
The BonBonerie, 2030 Madison Road, O'Bryonville, bonbonerie.com.
Busken Bakery
Busken is offering not one but two different types of cicada treats: cookies and cakes.
"We love to have fun with what's going on in Cincinnati. Also, in this case, it gives us a chance to put a creative spin on something people aren't necessarily looking forward to," says Busken brand ambassador Lyndi Uitto.
The iced cookies are the same recipe as the classic smiley face cookie, "but they're chocolate iced with buttercream eyes and rice paper wings," Uitto says.
Busken is also offering single-serving cicada cakes — yellow cake with chocolate icing, buttercream eyes and rice paper wings — as well as single layer yellow cakes with fudge icing in the shape of a cicada.
Uitto says all stores receive cicada cookies on Tuesdays and Fridays but recommends ordering ahead anyway because "any time we do products for a special event or occasion, they tend to sell out."
Busken Bakery, multiple locations, busken.com.
Del Gardo's
Del Gardo's Covington cafe is putting a special spin on their cicada creation by making "cicadanolli." The crunchy cannoli features a chocolate shell, Oreo-flavored black cream and edible wings.
"These little guys seem to cause so much panic so why not make something fun out of them,"says Del Gardo's Social Media Manager Tara Bentz.
They will be available the weekend of May 29 only. Pre-orders must be placed at order.delgardos.com by May 26.
Del Gardo's, 18 E. Fifth St., Covington, delgardos.com.
Little Dutch Bakery
Baker Chris Girmann of the 101-year-old Little Dutch Bakery in Mount Healthy says he actually starting making cicada-shaped treats four years ago when the last big brood emerged.
"I actually wanted to make them 17 years ago and I just never did it," he says. "When I was younger our house backed up into a woods. I remember the cicadas singing all the time and that’s what made part of my summer that I remember. They don’t bother me in the least bit. I would rather have them than flies or bees that sting."
This year, cicada stans can get both cookies and donuts from the bakery. Girmann says to place your order for either — or both — at least 48 hours in advance. He'll keep making the treats "as long as people keep ordering them," he says.
Little Dutch Bakery, 7611 Hamilton Ave., Mount Healthy, facebook.com.
Sweet Sinsations
Mason's Sweet Sinsations has created its own version of a cicada cookie. This sweet treat is a decorated butter cookie.
"Because people love our decorated cookies, we had several requests for them already so we figured we should come up with a design and offer them to our customers," says the bakery in an email.
Cookies run $2.50 each and, while they try to keep them in stock daily, Sweet Sinsations says it's best to pre-order and give them a couple of days notice.
Sweet Sinsations, 6221 Snider Road, Mason, facebook.com/sweetsinsationsbakery.
Want to learn more about cicadas? We made a handy guide to Brood X — how many will be here, what to wear to protect yourself and, yes, even how to eat them.
