Cupcakes & cookies. These are two-thirds of the “Holy Gluten-Free Trinity” for me. The other, of course, is bread – more on this in a later post. I’m continuously searching for a gluten-free equivalents of my “Holy Gluten-Free Trinity” that tastes just like normal. I’ve found some that are close, some that are no-where-close, and some that make me think “Aw, you tried…”
Early in my gluten-free journey, I had heard that Miglet’s Cupcake Shop offered a lot of gluten-free options, some of which couldn’t be easily distinguished from their “normal” counterparts. Of course, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit a dedicated gluten-free bakery here in the East Bay. I stopped by, checked out their store, and picked up a few treats.
Miglet’s bakery is located at 480 San Ramon Blvd. #A2, where Hartz Way and Front Street meet in Danville. I stopped on my way home from work, and was pleased to see that the interior was warm and inviting. While they do cater to the gluten-free lifestyle and those with Celiac Disease by having a dedicated gluten-free space, most of the customers there didn’t know what gluten-free meant. I’m sure it’s safe to say Miglet’s business consists of both “regular” eaters and those on the gluten-free diet.
What I found unique and interesting about Miglet’s was that they weren’t just a bakery – they had a shopping section in the store that carried products I had heard about, like Chebe’s Breadsticks and Feel Good Food’s dumplings and spring rolls, which I couldn’t find at large grocery stores like Safeway, or even Sprouts. I really didn’t have time to shop in their grocery section, but I definitely plan to in the near future.
On this first visit, I picked up chocolate chip cookies, a lemon cupcake, a chocolate cupcake, and a funfetti cupcake for my fiancée (Cupcakes in the picture above are listed in clockwise order, starting in the top left). I tried all of the cupcakes, even the funfetti one. I don’t usually like funfetti (I know, I’m weird) but it tasted really good. My fiancée said that it tasted pretty close to normal, but could tell that it was gluten-free. As for the lemon and chocolate cupcakes, I thought that they were almost indistinguishable from their gluten-free counterparts, which is fine by me (I mean, nothing can ever taste 100% identical, since there are different ingredients in each).
Even before going gluten-free, I was on a search for the best chocolate chip cookies. That search is still on, but now it is with a gluten-free twist. I grew up with Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, so it might be hard to find a cookie that matches, or exceeds that recipe, or even my memories of that recipe. I can honestly say that Miglet’s chocolate chip cookies come very, very close, considering that they are gluten-free. They are probably the best gluten-free chocolate chips I have had.
Overall, Miglet’s is a great option for those of us with Celiac Disease. It’s a dedicated gluten-free bakery, with an additional mini-grocery store inside. It’s right off of I-680, so it is a convenient option if you need a gluten-free treat or quick snack on the go. Miglet’s can also be found in various stores in the Bay Area, including Mariposa Baking Company, Van’s Health Store, Sans Gluten Free Grocery, and Draegers. More details can be found here.
My younger son, 18 years old, thinks that Miglet’s cupcakes are the best cupcakes he has ever had in his entire life. I was found to be gluten intolerant about 5 1/2 years ago, but he is not and can continue to eat “regular” baked goods. Miglet’s are hands down his and my entire family’s favorite ever.
Thanks for the story and insight Denise. I’m going to be posting a few more articles about places that serve gluten-free cupcakes this week. Keep any eye out for them – would love to hear your thoughts about their products as well.