The 11 Best Store-Bought Desserts That Are Plant-Based and Gluten-Free

More and more people are adopting a diet free of gluten for a number of reasons, either to treat diseases like Celiac which gluten triggers chronic inflammation, or as a way to shed processed foods from your diet and perhaps lose weight. Gluten-free food is becoming much easier to find at grocery stores including a variety of tempting desserts.

So for those days when you simply don’t feel like cooking and are avoiding gluten; you are meeting friends for a socially distanced picnic in the park and they require certified gluten-free options; you are heading out for a spring road trip and want to bring snacks, or you just want a healthier option, this roundup has got your covered. Keep reading to learn more about these delectable cookies, ice cream, cakes, and squares – all of which are vegan and gluten-free.

Editor's Note: If you have Celiac disease or severe sensitivities or allergies to gluten it’s always important to do your own research about cross-contamination and what products are safe for you to eat.

When my son and I switched from vegetarian to vegan almost ten years ago it was Sweets From The Earth that kept our sweet cravings satisfied, especially my chocolate-loving toddler. The company was started in my hometown of Toronto by a passionate vegan woman baking treats out of her apartment. A year later she was creating all sorts of desserts from a small commercial kitchen in the basement of her home.

Sweets From The Earth is now a successful family-owned business with two production facilities; both are plant-based and one is nut-free and the other is wheat and gluten-free. Flourless Cashew Cookies, one of our favorites, is a healthy choice made with only six ingredients including dry roasted cashews and organic tofu. This cookie literally melts in your mouth. Other gluten-free options from the brand include Chocolate Caramel Pecan Bar, Sugar-Free Blondies, and Hello Dolly, a chewy combo of coconut, caramel, and chocolate. In Canada, products are available online and in many health foods and grocery stores, and in the US in select states under the name Treats From The Earth.

Mint-loving chocoholics can rejoice with these indulgent Dark Chocolate Mint Cups by Free 2b, the same company that brought you Dark Chocolate Sun Cups, also vegan and gluten-free. The pack of two can fit in your purse or backpack when doing errands and you want a sweet pick-me-up. Free from the top 12 allergens including peanuts, soy, and corn, these cups make the perfect school-safe snack. Free 2b makes its products in small batches with simple ingredients and without the use of artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, or palm oil.

If you need a cookie with a crunch to it you will love Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies by Enjoy Life. Made with buckwheat flour (not related to wheat), it is high in essential amino acids and proteins as well as a good source of iron, zinc, and selenium. They create their own signature gluten-free flour blend by combining buckwheat with other flours in their dedicated gluten-free facility. All their products are non-GMO and certified gluten-free. Although these cookies are totally vegan, not all Enjoy Life items are, so be sure to read the ingredients first if you are plant-based.

If you don’t live near Trader Joe's you can order these Soft-Baked Snickerdoodles from Amazon. As their name implies, they are soft and it’s easy to eat several at a time, trust me. They are so good that when I travel to the US  I have brought them back in my suitcase. These chewy sugar cookies dusted with cinnamon are free of wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, and soy, in addition to being gluten-free and vegan. They contain healthy ground flaxseeds and are partly sweetened with date paste and pear juice.

MadeGood was started by three siblings that wanted to do good in the world through snacks. They support organic farmers and are committed to baking better food while reducing their carbon footprint. If you have kids in school, MadeGood is the perfect snack to send because they are made in a dedicated nut-free facility. They were my go-to snack when my son was younger and it was my turn to send snacks to his soccer teammates. Their treats are organic and contain a serving of six hidden veggies in every snack.

The Vanilla Crispy Squares are a healthy version of the traditional ones with added broccoli, carrots, and spinach extracts. MadeGood also has yummy granola bars in flavors such as Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon, and Banana. All products are certified organic, vegan, and gluten-free. They ship to Canada and the United States and are also readily available in many stores.

The goal of Alyssa’s Cookies is to make decadent sweets that are high in fiber and good for you. Inspired by an old family recipe and named after their daughter Alyssa, this innovative brand has since struck a deal on Shark Tank and can now be found in several retailers across the United States.

Healthy Vegan Chocobites are non-GMO, low in carbs, made with natural ingredients, and gluten-free. These soft and chewy plant-based desserts are sweetened only with chicory root fiber, made with whole grain oats, contain dried fruits, and are loaded with chocolate goodness.

Not in the mood for cakes or cookies? No problem! This is easily my favorite Daiya indulgence, and they have many other gluten-free dessert bars to choose from such as Chocolate Fudge Crunch, Espresso Coffee, and Classic Vanilla Bean.

All mouth-watering options are perfect for dessert after dinner with guests or an afternoon treat now that the weather is getting warmer. Salted Caramel Swirl is super rich and creamy with a caramel ribbon throughout the coconut cream and dipped in dark chocolate with fair trade dark chocolate drizzle. In addition to being plant-based and gluten-free, it is also soy-free and peanut-free.

A child named Abe with several food allergies inspired the story of these scrumptious vegan muffins. Abe’s father and uncle started a commercial bakery but Abe, being anaphylactic to many ingredients, couldn’t eat anything they made. This situation inspired the innovative duo to create a line of scrumptious vegan and allergy-friendly muffins called Abe’s.

Gluten-free Lemon Poppy Seed muffins are part of The Abe’s Mom Line and are created using rice flour, rice milk, and fresh lemon zest. Although their facility is not gluten-free, they prevent cross-contamination with disciplined planning and practices, but if you have a severe gluten allergy they suggest speaking with your doctor first.

Rawcology is a family-owned and female-founded Canadian business whose mission is to create revolutionary and nutritious plant-powered foods. Their unique lines of Superfood Coconut Chips and Raw Crunch Granolas are raw, organic, and free from top allergens. None of their products contain gluten and they are made in a gluten-free facility. Chocolate Cinnamon Superfood Coconut Chips are a healthy dessert option you can eat right out of the bag, or try them sprinkled on coconut vanilla ice cream. You will satisfy all your chocolate cravings with these coconut chips coated in raw cacao and cinnamon. With only six ingredients they are a healthy dessert choice.

Rawcology is passionate about making products incorporated with superfoods that are not typically eaten in the average diet such as matcha, turmeric, and nutritional yeast (Check out their Smoky Cheeze Superfood Coconut Chips for a savory option), sunflower seeds, and raw cacao powder. Rawcology ships across Canada and the US so you can order raw goodness at the click of a button.

Since we are spending way more time at home these days watching reruns of our favorite shows on Netflix, you may want to indulge with Chocolate Chunk Edible Cookie Dough by Sweet Loren’s. Crafted using a gluten-free flour blend, it’s non-GMO, peanut, and tree nut-free and made with whole grains. Although this gluten-free vegan dessert is definitely a treat to cherish, you can enjoy it knowing there are limited clean ingredients and nothing you don’t recognize. So grab a spoon and eat it straight out of the jar, you earned it.