Welcome back to Tiger Town Treats (TTT), a Prospect series where we compare delicious snacks-’n-sips from local businesses so you know where to go to satisfy your cravings and reward yourself after rough p-sets.
I have celiac disease, which means I have to be gluten-free. While this is sometimes disappointing, I am comforted by the fact that there remain many places in Princeton to satisfy my sweet tooth. For this installment of TTT, I review gluten-free desserts in Princeton.
A disclaimer: while all of the businesses I frequented marketed their products as “gluten-free,” I believe most (if not all) of their goods were not made in dedicated gluten-free kitchens. This means gluten contamination remains a risk for these goods. If you are sensitive to gluten, I recommend evaluating the situation for yourself at each of these locations. I didn’t have any symptoms after consuming any of these treats — but stay safe, and treat yourself at your own risk.
Now, let’s get munching!
The following reviews are in alphabetical order, first by location and then by treat name.
Gluten-free almond macaroons from Bread Boutique
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Bread Boutique
What: Almond Macaroons
How much: $5
Tasting experience: The almond macaroons were fabulously delicate and delicious to the last crumb. They were crisp and caramelized on the outside, with a compact, moist center. The sweet, roasted almond taste (and scent) is absolutely intoxicating. I believe this treat is the most enlightened form an almond can take. A single bite of this treat made me feel transported to a little Parisian Café.
Gluten-free coconut macaroons from Bread Boutique
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Bread Boutique
What: Coconut Macaroon
How much: $5
Tasting experience: The coconut macaroons were definitely scrummy, but they did fall apart almost instantly; there’s not much to hold them together. While I would never turn one down, they bore a striking resemblance to the toasted coconut shreds at Princeton’s dining hall breakfasts. If given the option, I would probably opt to spend my hard earned dollars on a financier.
Gluten-free hazelnut financiers from Bread Boutique
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Bread Boutique
What: Hazelnut Financier
How much: $5
Tasting experience: The hazelnut financier was nutty and fragrant with — as Paul Hollywood from “The Great British Bake Off” would say — “a superb crumb.” They were moist and had that melt-in-your-mouth smoothness I attribute to a generous dose of butter and sugar. These financiers started like a sophisticated hazelnut muffin.
Gluten-free flourless chocolate cake from Chez Alice
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Chez Alice
What: Flourless Chocolate Cake
How much: $8
Tasting experience: Heaven. Pure decadence. The ganache whipped topping was light and smooth while the cake itself had a wonderfully dense, moist body to it. The flourless chocolate cake was sinfully rich, so it was perfect to share with a friend or two. I loved the raspberry on top, and I think it would pair wonderfully with even more fruit. But even without the extra tartness, this cake was dangerously good.
Gluten-free pumpkin macaron from Chez Alice
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Chez Alice
What: Pumpkin Macaron
How much: $1.75
Tasting experience: The pumpkin macaron wasn’t the best macaron I’ve ever eaten. Consistency wise, it was chewy and came off a bit stale. The cream filling was extremely sugary and rather soft, so it smooshed out of the cookie as soon as I tried to take a bite. I will say that the cream filling was well spiced. I found the overall experience somewhat akin to eating Brach’s Mellowcreme Pumpkins (which I love). It was good, but not what I was expecting out of a macaron.
Gluten-free cupcake from House of Cupcakes
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: House of Cupcakes
What: GF Chocolate Cupcake
How much: $3.25
Tasting experience: Despite House of Cupcakes’ award winning history, their legendary, Food-Network-acknowledged skillset may not extend to their gluten-free options. I found this cupcake to be typical of a gluten-free dessert. It crumbled easily, and the texture was rather gritty. The frosting helps with these issues, but there was a bit too much of it for my taste, and I found myself scraping most of it off.
Gluten-free cookie from Jammin’ Crepes
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Jammin’ Crepes
What: Gluten-Free Cookie
How much: $2.25
Tasting experience: Jammin’s cookie was dry, gritty, and crumbly — all common issues of gluten-free desserts. But what the cookie lacked in moisture, it made up for in fabulous flavor. With an oaty, fruity flavor profile, the gluten-free cookie gave me jazzy oatmeal cookie vibes. It was well spiced and the chunks of dark chocolate set off the lighter flavors perfectly. I would love to crumble this cookie over a scoop of ice cream as a nice crunchy, aromatic topping. Still, next time I head to Jammin’ for something sweet, I might opt for one of their incredible gluten-free Nutella crepes.
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookie from Milk & Cookies
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Milk & Cookies
What: Chocolate Chip Cookie
How much: $2.50
Tasting experience: This cookie was the prototypical cookie you dream about. Beautifully simple and baked with love, this treat was soft, hearty, and comforting. Loaded with liberal helpings of milk chocolate, this cookie boasts perfect flavor ratios and a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Gluten-free monster brownie from Milk & Cookies
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Milk & Cookies
What: Monster Brownie
How much: $4.50
Tasting experience: This mix of cookie, brownie, chocolate chips, and toffee was beyond decadent. In fact, I think this brownie was richer than the University trustees. I applaud anyone capable of finishing it in one sitting. It was a lovely balance of powerful flavors mixed in a five-inch square block. I will say it was a bit dry compared to their plain chocolate chip cookie. However, this dryness did not detract much from the tasting experience. It just tasted like the brownie had been baked a day or two before, whereas other treats were a bit more fresh.
Note: While most of these other locations have only one or two gluten-free treats available (maybe three if they are overachievers), Milk & Cookies has a plethora of fantastic GF options. All of their brownies are gluten-free, and they have a constant rotating menu of GF cookie flavors as well!
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from Murray Dodge Café
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Murray Dodge
What: Chocolate chip cookies
How much: Free!
Tasting experience: The chocolate chip cookies were adorably round and stout. They were a little bit gritty (not overly so, just in the “you can tell that it is gluten-free” kind of way). They were bready and less sweet than a typical cookie, giving them a heartier feel. My only request would be a bit more chocolate (but this request likely says more about my chocoholic tendencies than it does about the flavor ratios of the cookies).
Gluten-free white chocolate chip cookies from Murray Dodge Café
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Murray Dodge
What: White Chocolate Chip Cookies
How Much: Free!
Tasting experience: The white chocolate chip cookies were phenomenal! They were sweet, soft, and crispy, but not so crispy as to hurt your jaw while chewing. In fact, after a satisfying crunch, they simply dissolved into sugar and satisfaction in my mouth. Now every time I walk past Murray Dodge (even when I am running late to class), I stop in just to see if I can snag another bite.
Gluten-free granola bar from Sakrid Coffee Roasters
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Sakrid
What: Fridge to Table Power Granola Bar
How much: $5
Tasting experience: Sakrid’s Power Granola Bar was sweet and gooey enough to toe the line between dessert and real food. The bar, packed full of nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and dates, was marshmallowy in texture (and somehow in flavor as well!). It fell apart easily (but not in the gluten-free way) and was fairly sticky, so I’d advise caution. Overall, I was very excited to find such a delicious, sweet treat that I can talk myself into thinking is healthy.
Gluten-free chocolate ganache sandwich cookie from Small World Coffee
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Small World
What: Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookie
How much: $4.95
Tasting experience: This cookie had fantastic components. The ganache was fantastic: rich and delicious. And the cookie had a biscotti like texture. It was crumbly and dry. I imagine if the cookie had been on its own, it would have had a wonderful crunch to it. Sadly, the combination of these two well-flavored elements led to a ganache-soaked cookie with a slightly soggy and simultaneously very crumbly treat experience. Fortunately, I found that this textural issue can be easily solved by sticking the sandwich cookie in the freezer (or fridge). Chilled, it is superb!
Gluten-free “goodie” from Small World Coffee, which Eck describes as a cross between a chocolate chip cookie and a breakfast bar
Sydney Eck / The Daily Princetonian
Where: Small World
What: The Grain exchange Wheat-Free Gluten-Free Goodies
How much: $5.75
Tasting experience: This chocolate-chip-cookie-adjacent square was sweet, doughy, and a great way to cut the bitterness of a cup of Small World Coffee. In the way a muffin walks the line between cupcake and legitimate food, this treat was giving major identity crisis energy (breakfast bar or chocolate chip cookie?). It didn’t instantly crumble into dust, but it also wasn’t a glob of moisture that glues your mouth shut. Overall, I found this nameless treat a very enjoyable snacking experience.
__________
Thanks for joining me today on our little tour de GF Princeton. If you are gluten-free, I hope you found this helpful! If you aren’t, let it inspire you to try something new, thus driving up the demand for gluten-free desserts in the Princeton economy, and encouraging suppliers to, in turn, increase their production, improving the diversity and quality of products for gluten-free consumers!
Much love,
Tiger Town Treaties <3
Sydney Eck is a senior writer for The Prospect and assistant editor for Features who often covers artist profiles and food reviews (founder of Tiger Town Treats). She can be reached at seeck@princeton.edu or on at Instagram @sydney.eck.
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