Where to Get Your Gluten-Free Fix on National Glazed Donut Day
With National Glazed Donut Day on January 12, many of our gluten-sensitive friends may be feeling left out.
Fortunately, there is a new way to get in on the fun in an authentic way!
Just outside of Boston, Freedom Bakery is producing a gluten-free donut that is a REAL donut (as opposed to a gluten-free cake with a hole punched through it).
Created by a trio of families – all of whom were dealing with Celiac and all of whom had more than three decades of experience in food service (particularly baking) – and a registered dietician who was eager to expand options for her clients and friends dealing with this challenging dietary restriction, Freedom has already begun to distribute their donuts (which also come in apple cider and Devil’s food varieties) nationwide and to give other donut shops a run for their coffee money!
In addition to being free from gluten, Freedom’s donuts are also free from dairy, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts, and cholesterol, and are even kosher, in order to appeal to the widest possible audience. Even if your diet is not so restricted, however, you too will surely love the freedom of Freedom Bakery.
Gluten-Free Living recently spoke with Molly Winsten, Freedom Bakery’s director of operations, about its unique approach to gluten-free donuts.
Q. What prompted you to enter the world of gluten-free foods?
A. Freedom Bakery came about as a result of many years of refining our recipe for an authentic great tasting GF donut. There are many gluten-free bakery items available in the freezer section of specialty stores, but there are very few great-tasting products sold in the bakery. We are proud to introduce our real GF mini doughnuts that have the taste and texture of a freshly made doughnut. Freedom Bakery GF products are sold on the shelf and not in the freezer!
Our products are not just good for gluten free – they are good PERIOD. Our goal was to create a donut that tasted so good you would never know it is gluten, dairy, nut, and soy free.
Q. What do you see as the main differences between GF foods and their gluten-ed counterparts?
A. Many gluten-free foods are trying to mimic products that already exist, and therefore they end being “good for gluten free” at best. They are trying to recreate something that already has a successful formula, and therefore the recreated product ends up being “ok for gluten free”. Our goal was never to do that – we just wanted to create a great product that happened to be GF, versus mimic something that already exists.
Q. What is the biggest misconception about GF foods? How do you hope to change the view of GF foods among the general public?
A. There is a misconception that gluten free bakery products will never taste as good as items that are made with gluten. There are however many ingredients that are gluten free naturally. We intend to show that our products made without gluten can be just as good, if not better, than their gluten-ed counterparts.
Q. What is your favorite GF recipe?
A. We have worked very hard here at Freedom Bakery to come up with a winning formula for our donuts. We want our products to be enjoyed by everyone, not just those with dietary restrictions. Our Old Fashioned Minis and Devil’s Food Minis are the base flavors and will be offering seasonal flavors in the future. We will also be producing a line of full-sized donuts for food service that are individually wrapped and labeled.
Q. What makes Freedom Donuts different?
Low in carbs and high in fiber, this tasty coconut flour delivers light and fluffy desserts no one will be able to get enough of. Whether you’re making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast or a beautiful pound cake to end a lavish feast, this easy ingredient will surely become a staple in your pantry.
Cater to your indulgent side this season with this tantalizing chocolate mix, perfect for baking a stunning cake or luscious cupcakes. Moist and decadent, this mix is also vegan—just add dairy-free milk, vegetable oil and vinegar!
Never experience the holidays without a fresh fruit pie again. This easy-to-prepare gluten-free mix creates a perfectly flaky and buttery piecrust that doesn’t crumble or fall apart. All that’s left for you to do is add the delicious filling.
A life without brownies is no life at all. This Double Chocolate Brownie Mix will ensure that you are never deprived of the rich, gooey goodness that is a brownie again. Just follow a few simple steps and you’ll be enjoying them in no time.
Add a decadent caramel flavor to all your favorite foods—without the added guilt! These sugar-free drops contain no calories and come in an easy-squeeze portable container you can take with you on the go. Add them to your coffee, yogurt or oatmeal.
Trying to balance a Paleo diet and a sweet tooth? This Paleo Baking Flour from Bob’s Red Mill is about the change the game! With a unique blend of nut flours and root starches, the multipurpose flour is ideal for baking cookies, cakes or muffins.
This all-purpose flour is perfect for all your baking needs! Not only is it gluten free, but it is low carb as well. Create all of your favorite baking recipes, including breads, cakes, cookies and muffins. Also, on the back of each bag are two easy recipes—one for yellow cake and one for bread—so you can get started right away. Note from LC Foods: “If you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive to any wheat particles being in your food, we want to inform you that LC Foods does process vital wheat gluten in the same facility with our gluten free products. Our food safety procedure to insure limited cross contamination is to thoroughly wash and clean all filling and bagging equipment between packaging and processing wheat products and gluten free products.”
Makes 12 Servings
