Insomnia Cookies is a popular late-night bakery that delivers warm cookies and other sweet treats right to your door. With their huge variety of cookie flavors and other menu items, many gluten-free customers wonder if Insomnia Cookies offers any gluten-free baked goods or desserts. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at what gluten-free options Insomnia Cookies provides, their ingredients and preparation methods, cross-contamination risks, and tips for safely enjoying gluten-free Insomnia Cookies. Whether you’re a new or loyal Insomnia Cookies customer, read on to get the full scoop on their gluten-free offerings and policies.
What is Gluten?
Before diving into Insomnia Cookies’ gluten-free options, let’s first cover the basics of what gluten is and why it matters. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, consuming gluten triggers an autoimmune reaction that damages the small intestine and causes symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, and more.
For those who need to follow a strict gluten-free diet for medical reasons, consuming even small traces of gluten can cause issues. This makes checking labels and understanding how foods are prepared crucial when evaluating if a product or menu item is truly gluten-free.
Does Insomnia Offer Any Gluten-Free Cookie Options?
When it comes to Insomnia Cookies’ signature product – their warm, freshly baked cookies – the options are unfortunately very limited for gluten-free customers. Insomnia does not offer any cookies that are prepared specifically gluten-free. Their cookies are baked with wheat flour, which contains gluten.
So if you need to avoid all gluten, the classic Insomnia Cookies varieties like Chocolate Chunk, Snickerdoodle, Peanut Butter Chip, and more are off the table. Overall, none of their wide range of cookie flavors can be considered gluten-free.
What About Gluten-Free Baked Goods?
In addition to cookies, Insomnia Cookies offers a selection of baked treats like brownies, cookie cakes, muffin tops, and cookie sandwiches. Unfortunately, just like their cookie lineup, none of these items are made gluten-free. All contain wheat-based ingredients and are prepared in facilities that also process gluten products.
So for customers with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, no baked goods from Insomnia Cookies can be part of your diet. You’ll have to look elsewhere for safe gluten-free cookies, brownies, and other sweets.
Are Any Menu Items Naturally Gluten-Free?
While Insomnia Cookies doesn’t offer specifically gluten-free prepared menu items, some of their products are naturally gluten-free. This includes their ice cream flavors and toppings, bottled beverages like soda and iced tea, and packaged chips or candy.
So if you need a gluten-free treat, building an ice cream sundae with toppings like sprinkles, chocolate sauce, or marshmallows may satisfy your craving. Opting for a cold bottled or canned beverage is another gluten-free choice. And for crunch or salt, grab a bag of potato chips to complete your order.
Just take care when self-serving these items, as scoops and utensils may come into contact with gluten-containing products. Inform staff of your allergy so they can provide you new, sanitized service-ware.
What About Cross-Contamination?
When a restaurant or food provider offers naturally gluten-free items, cross-contamination is always a concern for those with celiac disease or sensitivity. Even if an item itself is gluten-free, it can pick up traces of gluten during preparation and handling in shared areas and equipment.
Unfortunately, cross-contamination is likely at Insomnia Cookies. All their cookies, brownies, and other baked goods are prepared in the same facilities as gluten-containing items. Shared equipment, prep areas, and utensils make cross-contact unavoidable.
Staff may change gloves and provide new service-ware, but there is no way to guarantee an order is completely gluten-free. For those highly sensitive, even tiny amounts can cause a reaction.
Insomnia Cookies Gluten-Free Policies
On their website, Insomnia Cookies states:
“None of our products are intended to be gluten free. While we take steps to avoid cross-contamination, we use wheat flour in our bakeries and do not recommend any product to customers with celiac disease.”
This transparent policy confirms that they do not offer gluten-free baked goods menu items. It also acknowledges the risk of cross-contamination from shared equipment and facilities.
So those with celiac disease or sensitivity should use extreme caution and understand the inherent risks of ordering. Even menu items not containing gluten themselves may pick up traces during preparation.
Tips for Ordering “Gluten-Free” at Insomnia
While Insomnia Cookies is not an ideal spot for those requiring 100% gluten-free, some menu items may work if precautions are taken. Here are tips for ordering as safely as possible:
– Stick to beverages, ice cream, and packaged snacks only, avoiding all baked goods.
– Make sure staff use fresh, sanitized scoops and utensils, not ones in contact with gluten products.
– Opt for ice cream in a cup rather than cone, as cones may pick up traces from shared production lines.
– Ask staff to change gloves before assembling your order.
– Inquire about the kitchen setup and how/where gluten-free items are prepared. See if separate surfaces or areas exist.
– Carefully examine labels on packaged items like candy and chips, ensuring no gluten sources.
– If you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive, consider avoiding Insomnia Cookies altogether due to cross-contamination risks.
Bottom Line
When you’re craving freshly baked cookies straight from the oven, Insomnia Cookies seems like an ideal indulgence. But for those requiring a strict gluten-free diet, the options are very limited. No traditional cookies, brownies, or baked items can be considered truly gluten-free. While some menu choices like ice cream and beverages are naturally gluten-free, the risk of cross-contamination from shared equipment is significant.
Those with celiac disease or sensitivity should use extreme caution and may want to avoid Insomnia Cookies altogether. But if you take precautions like using fresh service-ware, sticking to packaged and frozen items, and asking about preparation, you may be able to enjoy some “gluten-free” choices safely on occasion. Just be aware of the inherent risks.
Overall, Insomnia Cookies makes no gluten-free claims and warns those with celiac disease due to potential cross-contamination. But for less sensitive customers, there are some ways to indulge gluten-free by following tips to minimize risk. In the end, your individual tolerance levels and reaction history should guide your personal decision on whether Insomnia Cookies can occasionally be part of your gluten-free diet.
