With food allergies on the rise, restaurants are working to create offerings that accommodate a variety of dietary challenges. Consider the classic bakery, a staple to any sugar-loving family, it’s hard to imagine having a gluten or dairy intolerance and not being able to enjoy a delicious cupcake or cookie. Luckily Denver is not at a loss for some of the best allergy-friendly bake shops. From cookies to cupcakes and bars to tarts, these local spots have a little something for everyone.
Make, Believe Bakery
Capital Hill | 214 E. 13th Ave., Denver
Make, Believe is 100 percent vegan (which means no dairy or eggs) but they also pride themselves on being allergy friendly. Gluten-free products are mixed and prepared in an entirely separate room.
Must Try: Scout Cookies—a chocolate coconut treat—are egg, dairy, and gluten-free. Another fan favorite is the sweet potato cinnamon roll and although this delicious bite does have gluten, it is egg and dairy-free and partially sweetened with sweet potatoes.
Happy Bakeshop
Highlands | 3434 W. 32nd Ave., Denver
This Highlands Square bakery is known for crafting beautiful gourmet cupcakes. NBC Today ranked Happy Bakeshop as one of the best cupcake shops in the United States.
Must Try: Every day Happy Bakeshop offers a rotating vegan cupcake and gluten-free treat. On $2 Tuesdays stop in for a gluten-free carrot cake cupcake with soft cream cheese icing.
Olive and Finch
Cherry Creek | 1552 E. 17th Ave., Denver
Uptown | 3390 E. 1st Ave., Denver
This Denver eatery serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner but what some may not know is they also have a bakery that does exceptional gluten-free treats.
Must Try: High on the list of the beautiful and delicious is the individual size coconut cake (shown) which is gluten-free, nut-free, and covered in sweet vanilla frosting and coconut shreds.
Devil’s Food Bakery
Wash Park | 1004 S. Gaylord St., Denver
After much success with their eatery just four storefronts down, Devil’s Food decided to open their very own bakery and coffee shop location. Everything is still very much small-batch and scratch-made at this quick stop.
Must Try: Devil’s Food has egg free cinnamon rolls, dairy free biscotti, but their gluten free french macarons are not to be missed.
Sugar Bakeshop
Baker | 277 Broadway, Denver
Best known for their “popsters”—vegan pop-tarts made in house daily and sold at select locations around Denver—this bakery also has vegan banana bread, gluten-free coffee cakes, gluten-free coconut macaroons, and paleo muffins.
Must Try: Sugar Bakeshop’s brown sugar cinnamon popster will elevate your childhood breakfast thanks to a flaky crust and a comforting cinnamon and brown sugar filling.
Beet Box
Capital Hill | 1030 E. 22nd Ave., Denver
All of Beet Box’s pastries are free of dairy and eggs, with some gluten-free options. Croissants, sweet and savory tarts, cinnamon rolls, breads, baked donuts, muffins, scones, and brownies fill the quaint pastry case.
Must Try: Beet Box’ generously sized cinnamon rolls are the perfect treat to a weekday morning, with a gooey center.
Milk & Cake
Hampden | 6345 E. Hampden Ave., Denver
Milk and Cake serves up a full yogurt bar with vegan sorbet options like mango sorbet, and world-class cupcakes, brownie-cakes, and ice cream. Gluten free cupcakes are available, and can be specially ordered vegan, 24 hours in advance.
Must Try: Their gluten-free birthday cake cupcake is the perfect way to celebrate, with a white cake bar, vanilla frosting, and colorful sprinkles.
VooDoo Donuts
Cheesman Park | 1520 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
This edgy chain originally from Portland offers many vegan options, like their “Grape Ape” yeast donut topped with vanilla frosting, grape dust, and lavender sprinkles, or the “Portland Cream” filled with Bavarian cream, and topped with chocolate and two eyeballs.
Must Try: The “McMinnville Cream” filled with Bavarian cream and topped with maple frosting, a set of eyes, and a mustache.
Allergy Free Baking Company
Willowbrook | 14011 W. Quincy Ave, Morrison
This bakery in Morrison is a dedicated gluten-free and nut-free bakery, meaning that no chances of cross contamination for nuts and gluten are possible. Most treats are made without dairy, eggs, soy, and corn. Options included cookies, muffins, breads, pastries, cupcakes, and more.
Must Try: Cinnamon Roll Saturday, in which owner Nicole makes fluffy gluten, nut, dairy, egg, and soy free swirls.
French for Sugar
City Park West | 1201 E. Colfax Ave, Denver
French for Sugar is a made-to-order bakery with a variety of yummy cupcakes, mini-cupcakes, custom cakes, cake pops, cookies, and cookie pops with gluten free options. They currently feature one of the nine flavors of cupcakes that they bake fresh everyday as a gluten free item as well as a selection of gluten free scones, cake pops, and chocolate chip cookie two packs.
Must try: French for Sugar’s beautifully decorated cake pops are a treat for the eyes, and stomach.
This post has been updated for 2018.
