Most of us know someone who is allergic to gluten. We feel bad eating our favorite chocolate chip cookies in front of them. Embarrassed when we buy them a cupcake for their birthday only to find, once they’ve blown out the candles, that they can’t eat it. But no worries – there’s now a gluten-free bakeshop in town: Sweet Freedom Bakery.

Approximately three million Americans are currently diagnosed with Celiac Disease – an autoimmune condition that is triggered by the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in certain grains. When individuals with a gluten allergy consume even a trace of gluten, not only are they susceptible to severe stomach distress, but the lining of their small intestine may begin to deteriorate, eventually halting the absorption of vital nutrients and potentially leading to a number of severe health problems. The solution? A gluten-free diet. No wheat, no rye, no barley, and therefore, no “normal” bread, pasta or sweet baked goods.

The hope for the gluten-free to get their sugar fix is Sweet Freedom Bakery on South Street between Broad and 15th Streets. Sweet Freedom is one of the more than two hundred restaurants trained by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, including Distrito (3945 Chestnut Street) and The Palm (200 S. Broad Street). The NFCA is a nonprofit organization that offers training and resources for food services and healthcare professionals. And not only are they the first gluten-free bakery in Philly, but they are also vegan, dairy, egg, corn, peanut, soy-, and casein-free, and free of refined sugars.

Sweet Freedom bakery is modestly decorated in blue, pink, and brown with a cushioned window seat and a few barstools if you wish to enjoy your sweets “for here.” The employees are friendly and knowledgeable. The baked goods mimic the simple décor, as the bakery clearly doesn’t need to elaborately decorate their goodies to sell them — at 4:30pm on a Saturday, the shop was empty and the display cases were almost bare from the day’s rush. But still remained: half of a cinnamon loaf, ten “magic bars” (little cakes with chocolate icing and shredded coconut on top), eight cookie sandwiches, five banana chocolate chip cupcakes, and a few pieces of apple oat crumble. While this may not be ideal for those with a particular craving, at least we know that what we do get is fresh. (Did I mention the warm tray of brownies that appeared after I’d spent but a few minutes staring at the goods?) New treats are baked from opening until closing, and special items are featured on different days. Call before you visit if you’re looking for something in particular.

On the day of my visit, the specialties included banana chocolate chip cupcakes, brownies, and coconut macaroons which were already gone.

The banana chocolate chip cupcakes, my new favorite, combined the flavors of banana and chocolate in perfect ratio. The cupcake’s texture was moist and indistinguishable from a gluten-laden cupcake. The apple oat crumble is the perfect substitute for any apple pie lover. Rich caramel and a hint of cinnamon complimented the taste of the fresh apples.

As I bit into an oatmeal chocolate chip sandwich, I could feel every crystal of sugar in the icing. Unrefined sugars are every bit as sweet as the refined sugars we’re used to. The consistency of the cookie was soft, not cardboard-like as some gluten-free products can be. The brownie looked light, but had a fudge texture. The chocolate was perfectly rich, more like dark than milk chocolate. The cinnamon sugar loaf was a little disappointing; the cinnamon overbearing and the texture too powdery, but you can’t win ‘em all.

Here’s what it’ll cost:

Cookies: $1.25 each

Cookie Sandwiches: $3.50

Cupcakes: $3.50

Loaf Slices: $3.25

Brownies: $2.50

Botton Line: Specialty eating is not, and never has been cheap. But worth it? Absolutely - and for everyone - gluten-allergy or not.

Carolynn McCormack in a student studying English at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She is part of the editorial staff for the university's literary magazine, Maya.

Article photograph from M i x y, via Flickr (Creative Commons), "I'm Allergic" photograph from  silverfox09, via Flickr (Creative Commons), "Philly" photograph from camardella, via Flickr (Creative Commons).