The Centennial Bakery Hiding in Plain Sight: Meet Jeff Nixon of Spruce House Bread |
What if some of the best bread in the Denver metro was not sitting behind a bakery counter at all, but cooling in a Centennial basement, waiting for neighbors to pick it up from the driveway? |
That is essentially the delicious little secret behind Spruce House Bread, an award-winning cottage micro-bakery created by Centennial resident Jeff Nixon. And Jeff’s path to becoming an acclaimed bread baker begins with an unlikely confession: before the pandemic, he basically did not bake.
This Is Not Your Average LoafToday, Jeff hand-mixes and shapes his breads from his home in Centennial. Spruce House specializes in long-fermented, wild-yeast sourdough, with an emphasis on high-quality, local and organic ingredients whenever possible. The offerings rotate, which means visiting the online bakery can feel a little like opening a culinary grab bag. (Spruce House Bread) And Jeff is clearly unafraid to let sourdough wander off the traditional bread path. DiningOut highlighted his Lemon Mint Bread with White Chocolate, one of roughly 30 creations Jeff told the publication he had experimented with. It sounds improbable right up until toasted grains, lemon, mint and melted white chocolate apparently decide they belong together. (DiningOut) Then there are the award winners. Jeff's “Birdbrain” five-seed sourdough earned Best Bread at the 2023 Denver Bake Fest. His Roasted Pueblo Chile & Cheddar Sourdough Baguette captured both Best Professional Entry and Best in Show in 2024. In 2025, his Cheesy Chili Pesto & Olive Sourdough Babka won the judge's award in the Professional Mystery Challenge. That is quite a journey from grocery-store cinnamon rolls. How Centennial Can Get a LoafSpruce House is not a traditional walk-in bakery, and that is part of its charm. Preorders go live Saturdays at 2 p.m. for the upcoming week, and because Jeff’s breads are baked in limited quantities, ordering ahead is the best way to make sure your favorite loaf does not disappear before you get there. On pickup day, customers receive a reminder, then simply swing by for their bagged and labeled order. See what Jeff is baking and preorder from Spruce House Bread. For September 9–15, Centennial neighbors have several chances to get their hands on Jeff’s bread. Spruce House Bread currently lists porch pickup on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11, from 3:30–7 p.m. at Jeff’s Centennial micro-bakery. Then on Sunday, September 13, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., you can find Spruce House Bread at the People + Produce Farmers Market at Belleview Station for walk-up purchases. Because schedules and available breads can change from week to week, it is worth checking the Spruce House Bread website or following @sprucehousebread on Instagram before heading out. Part of the fun is discovering what Jeff has decided to pull from the oven next. There is something wonderfully Centennial about this story. A neighbor learned to bake during a strange moment in history, bread became a way of connecting with people, and that experiment grew into an award-winning local business whose customers now know exactly when the weekly bread drop goes live.
So this week, skip the supermarket bread aisle and see what is coming out of Jeff's oven. And when you pick up your loaf, be sure to tell Jeff and Spruce House Bread that Centennial Pulse sent you! 🥖 |
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The reminder on pickup day is a lifesaver. I’d forget my own head if it wasn’t attached.
We’re glad the pickup reminders are helpful, when bread is this good, forgetting would be a tragedy!
Seriously considering lining up EARLY at Belleview Station on Sunday. Centennial folks don’t play around with good carbs.
Can confirm, Jeff is the nicest guy. He chatted with me at the market for like ten minutes about bread science!
Anyone know if there are any gluten-free options? My partner misses out on so many bakeries.
Thanks for asking! At the moment, Spruce House specializes in sourdoughs that typically contain gluten, but it’s always worth checking the weekly menu or reaching out directly to see if Jeff is experimenting with any gluten-free bakes.
Shoutout for supporting local farmers and organic ingredients. That’s what makes the bread special, in my opinion.
I love the preorder system. Wish more places kept the menu rotating so it never gets boring, too!
Honestly wouldn’t have guessed Centennial would get so fancy with their bread game. Glad local creators are getting spotlighted.
I tried the Birdbrain loaf on a whim, and now I'm hooked. Toasted with butter in the morning = chef's kiss.
Somebody tell me what makes a babka different from regular sourdough? Cheesy Chili Pesto & Olive sounds wild.
Porch pickup is so friendly. Jeff even threw in a cookie for my kid last time, such a nice touch.
Wish he shipped, I don’t live right in Centennial anymore but now I’m craving sourdough like crazy.
Following @sprucehousebread on Instagram now. I love seeing what’s coming out of that oven each week!
Thanks for the follow, each week really is an adventure, with new loaves and flavors often making their debut on Instagram first.
White chocolate in bread feels weird but now I want to try it just for the experiment. Hope there’s some left Sunday!
Lemon mint and white chocolate might sound unusual, but Jeff’s creative loaves have a way of surprising people, fingers crossed you snag one at the market on Sunday!
Has anyone frozen these loaves? I buy in bulk when I can but not sure how well sourdough keeps.
Highlighting local businesses like this is what makes me glad I read Centennial Pulse. Can’t wait to swing by Spruce House!
Just made my first preorder! Going with the Roasted Pueblo Chile & Cheddar because, honestly, those judges have good taste.
The idea of bread as a way to reconnect with people after COVID really hits home. Food truly brings folks together.
Honestly, starting with cinnamon rolls in a can and then winning at Bake Fest, that escalated fast lol. Good for Jeff!
It really is quite the trajectory, proof that bold beginnings can lead to award-winning bread!
Is the porch pickup on Friday the 11th or is that a typo? Either way, I’m marking my calendar for at least one of those days.
Great eye! Those porch pickups are indeed on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11, plenty of chances to claim a loaf!
I wish more businesses did preorder since I always wind up missing the good stuff at regular bakeries. Centennial is lucky!
We agree, preorders really help ensure you don’t miss out, especially with small-batch favorites like these. Centennial is definitely getting spoiled by Jeff's baking!
Birdbrain five-seed is ridiculously good. Pro tip: toast it and add a little honey. If you like seeds, don't skip that one.
Nothing beats fresh bread, especially when it's made with local ingredients. Love seeing another Centennial success story!
Totally had no clue this place started during the pandemic. Pretty inspiring that he just kept going and even won some big awards.
It’s an inspiring story, isn’t it? Sometimes the biggest successes start with a simple, at-home experiment, Centennial has a true gem in its midst.
Every week I tell myself I’ll grab a loaf and always forget to preorder. Glad there’s a farmer’s market option! I’ll set a reminder this time.
J.S. RamirezI hear you! I missed out a few times too. The market setup is a game changer if you’re forgetful like me.
The Lemon Mint Bread with White Chocolate honestly sounds wild but kinda amazing. Has anyone tried it? Curious how the flavors come together.