Quick Answer
Most Baked by Melissa macarons are gluten-free, with the exception of a few flavors that contain ingredients with gluten. Baked by Melissa has a wide selection of gluten-free macaron flavors made without wheat, barley, rye or gluten-containing ingredients. However, some macaron flavors may contain trace amounts of gluten due to cross-contamination in shared production facilities. Individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should inquire with Baked by Melissa about specific macaron flavors before consuming.
About Baked by Melissa
Baked by Melissa is a New York City-based bakery known for its bite-sized, handcrafted macarons. Founded in 2009 by Melissa Ben-Ishay, Baked by Melissa offers a rotating selection of creative macaron flavors in sets of 3, 25 or 100. The macarons are around 1.5 inches wide and made with almond flour shells filled with buttercream, ganache or jam. Baked by Melissa macarons are sold online, at retail locations and through nationwide shipping.
Gluten-Free Status of Baked by Melissa Macarons
The majority of Baked by Melissa macaron flavors are gluten-free, meaning they are made without wheat, barley, rye or any ingredients derived from these grains. On their website, Baked by Melissa indicates that most of their macarons are gluten-free, but they do not claim to be a 100% gluten-free facility.
Here are some key considerations regarding the gluten-free status of Baked by Melissa macarons:
- Most flavors are gluten-free – Baked by Melissa offers a wide selection of macaron shells and fillings made without gluten ingredients. These include flavors like Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Birthday Cake and Mint Chocolate Chip.
- Some flavors contain gluten – A small number of Baked by Melissa macaron flavors contain ingredients derived from gluten sources. Examples include Red Velvet, Fruity Pebbles, Chocolate Chip Cookie and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
- Risk of cross-contamination – Even gluten-free flavors may contain traces of gluten due to shared equipment, processing lines and facilities. The company acknowledges the risk of cross-contamination.
- Lack of gluten-free certification – Baked by Melissa’s kitchens are not certified gluten-free, though they try to follow gluten-free protocols.
So in summary – most but not all Baked by Melissa macaron flavors are gluten-free based on their recipes, but individuals with celiac disease or gluten intolerance should exercise caution due to the risk of cross-contamination. Reaching out to Baked by Melissa directly about the gluten-free status of specific flavors is recommended.
Testing for Gluten in Baked by Melissa Macarons
Given that Baked by Melissa products are made in shared facilities with the risk of cross-contamination, the only way to definitively test for gluten is to ask the company about testing results for particular flavors.
At home testing of macarons for gluten is not very reliable. Here is some context on home gluten testing options and challenges:
- At-home test kits – There are various gluten immunoassay test kits available for home use to test foods. But these rely on the user properly sampling and extracting any gluten proteins, which is technique-sensitive.
- Nima sensor – This portable sensor is meant to detect 20ppm of gluten in foods. However, uniform sampling of dense products like macarons can affect results.
- ELISA test – Lab analysis using the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method is very sensitive and accurate. But it requires proper lab sampling of each product tested.
Ideally, gluten testing would be conducted by Baked by Melissa internally on every batch of macarons using lab ELISA tests to look for cross-contamination. But such comprehensive testing is not always economically feasible for food companies. So for those with celiac disease, direct inquiry with the company about flavors of interest is the best course of action when it comes to Baked by Melissa macarons.
Ingredients to Look for on Labels
When selecting gluten-free Baked by Melissa macaron flavors, it’s important to look at the ingredients lists to screen for any gluten-containing ingredients.
Here are some things to look for on macaron ingredients labels:
- Flours – The shells should be made with almond flour or other gluten-free flours like rice flour or tapioca flour. Look to avoid wheat flour.
- Grains – Beware of macaron flavors with whole grains or grain derivatives like barley, rye, malt or wheat.
- Starches – Watch for starch thickeners like wheat starch that indicate gluten.
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein – This wheat-derived ingredient can turn up in processed foods as a flavor enhancer.
- “Natural flavors” – As a catch-all term, natural flavors may potentially hide gluten sources.
- Cookie, cereal or bakery flavors – Macaron flavors referencing gluten-containing baked goods may signal gluten.
Sticking to flavors with simpler, gluten-free ingredient lists is the safest bet. When in doubt, reach out to Baked by Melissa’s customer service team for ingredient questions.
Macaron Flavors to Avoid
Based on a review of Baked by Melissa macaron ingredients online, here are some flavors that appear to contain gluten or high-risk ingredients:
- Red Velvet – wheat flour
- Fruity Pebbles – fruity pebbles cereal (contains barley malt)
- Chocolate Chip Cookie – chocolate chip cookie pieces (likely wheat flour-based)
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch – cinnamon toast crunch cereal (contains barley malt)
- Cocoa Pebbles – cocoa pebbles cereal (contains barley malt)
- Cookie Dough – cookie dough pieces (may contain wheat flour)
- Funfetti – yellow cake (potential wheat flour)
- Samoas – graham cracker crumbs (may contain wheat)
The ingredients for these macaron flavors indicate they likely contain gluten or gluten ingredients. Individuals following a gluten-free diet should avoid consuming these unless they can get confirmation from Baked by Melissa that the items are gluten-free.
Macaron Flavors That Are Gluten-Free Friendly
Based on available ingredients information, these Baked by Melissa macaron flavors appear to be free of gluten-containing ingredients:
- Vanilla Bean
- Chocolate Chocolate
- Dulce de Leche
- Hazelnut Chocolate
- Birthday Cake
- Salted Caramel
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- Passionfruit
- Earl Grey
- Pistachio
These macaron flavors seem to steer clear of wheat, barley, rye and malt ingredients. However, as a non-certified kitchen, risk of cross-contact during processing still remains a possibility. Confirming no cross-contamination with Baked by Melissa is advised if avoiding gluten.
Steps for Ordering Gluten-Free Baked by Melissa Macarons
Here are some tips for ordering gluten-free macarons from Baked by Melissa:
- Review the flavors – Scan all the macaron flavor descriptions and ingredients lists online to identify options that appear gluten-free based on items used.
- Call customer service – Contact Baked by Melissa to explain your needs and inquire about the gluten-free status of desired flavors. Ask if they have been tested for gluten.
- Place order – Order your selected gluten-free macaron flavors online or over the phone. Clearly communicate that you need gluten-free items.
- Confirm upon receiving – Upon delivery, double check that you only received the gluten-free flavors you ordered.
- Check labels – Upon first bite, verify ingredients lists for wheat, barley, rye or malt ingredients.
Being proactive with Baked by Melissa about selecting and confirming gluten-free macaron flavors is important for gluten-free diets. Reach out to their customer service team with any questions.
Gluten-Free Macaron Choices at Other Bakeries
Beyond Baked by Melissa, other bakeries also offer gluten-free macarons that are safer choices for gluten-free diets. Here are some options:
| Bakery | Details |
|---|---|
| La Newyorkina | Offers certified gluten-free macarons with several rotating flavors |
| Dana’s Bakery | Macarons are produced in a 100% gluten-free facility |
| Divine Macarons | Gluten-free kitchen making French macarons |
| Gluten Free Patisserie | Bakery focused on delicious gluten-free French pastries and macarons |
These gluten-free bakeries have stricter controls in place to avoid cross-contamination compared to Baked by Melissa’s shared kitchens. Individuals looking for guaranteed gluten-free macarons may feel more comfortable purchasing from a certified gluten-free commercial kitchen.
Tips for Avoiding Cross-Contamination at Home
If you choose to enjoy Baked by Melissa’s gluten-free macarons at home, here are some tips to avoid cross-contamination with gluten:
- Wash hands thoroughly before handling macarons.
- Use clean plates and utensils that haven’t touched gluten.
- Don’t allow gluten-eating family or friends to touch the macarons.
- Store macarons in an airtight container away from gluten products.
- Avoid preparing macarons in a kitchen with lots of airborne gluten.
- Consider plating macarons in their packaging to minimize contact.
Exercising caution around storage, handling and serving is prudent. For highly sensitive individuals, enjoying macarons outside the home may be safest.
Conclusion
In summary, most but not all Baked by Melissa macaron flavors are gluten-free based on their recipe ingredients, but risk of cross-contamination exists in their shared facility. Gluten-free consumers should thoroughly vet flavors of interest with the company and take precautions around storage and handling at home. For maximum assurances, certified gluten-free macarons from dedicated bakeries may be a better option. But Baked by Melissa provides a range of gluten-free-friendly macaron choices with transparent guidance around their production practices for those wishing to enjoy their iconic bite-sized treats.
