Where to Get your Gluten - Free Donut Fix on National Donut Day & After

By Christina McGairk

Everyone looks forward to National Doughnut Day, which falls on the first Friday of June.

According to the Salvation Army website, this tasty holiday was first celebrated in Chicago in 1938. Yet, the sweetly celebrated day reaches back as far as 1917.

Two ladies known as the “Doughnut Lassies,” served coffee and doughnuts to American World War I soldiers who were fighting in France.

Years later, the tradition is still being celebrated and most recently, those with gluten allergies or sensitivities can partake in the celebration, too.

Gluten-free doughnuts can be found in a freezer section near you, but there are also local bakeries throughout the Indianapolis area that offer non-glutinous doughnuts.

Here are a few to check out:

No Label At The Table Carmel

This dedicated gluten-free bakery started out of the kitchen of mom and son duo Shelly Henley and Jacob Wittman. Jacob, who is on the autism spectrum, always wanted to be a chef. His mom, who was concerned about her son’s job prospects after turning 18, wanted to make sure he could earn a living doing something he loved. The actual storefront came into fruition in March 2018. Nestled in Carmel’s Arts and Design district this bakery has gluten-free and dairy-free bread, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, pies, and the list goes on. Although they won’t be participating on Doughnut Day, the bakery does dedicate the last Sunday of the month to donuts and cinnamon rolls, which must be preordered. Doughnut flavors include apple cider, vegan cinnamon sugar, and a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free vanilla cake donut called the Homer Simpson.

Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe Broad Ripple

This dairy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO cafe opened in the epicenter of Broad Ripple Village in 2014. Owner Audrey Barron said one of the reasons why she started Ezras is because she wanted to offer parents a space where kids with special dietary needs could also enjoy. The cafe’s colorful and vibrant menu includes smoothies, healthy juices, granola and grain bowls, and healthy, yet delicious desserts. That list includes their mini doughnuts made out of organic ingredients like almonds, nuts, and dates, and come in three flavors – cinnamon, glazed, and chocolate. Donuts without the guilt. Who can beat that?

Gluten-Free Creations Speedway

Lydia Armstong, owner of Gluten-Free Creations, started baking gluten-free goodies out of her Speedway, IN, kitchen seven years ago. “I initially started to provide gluten-free desserts and other items to colleagues who had celiac disease or

gluten sensitivity,” said Armstrong. She herself started eating gluten-free about 10 years ago after she realized she was sensitive to gluten as well. Her business came into fruition because she noticed there weren’t many gluten-free bakeries around the Indianapolis area and she wanted to change that around. She offers cakes, cookies, bread, and cake doughnuts. You can currently find her doughnuts at the Fishers, White River State Park, Avon, and Statehouse Farmers Markets. The flavors she has available are chocolate or vanilla iced and vanilla cinnamon sugar with a minimum order of half a dozen.

Jack’s Donuts Various Indiana Locations

This well-known doughnut shop is celebrating its 60 years in business this year. Jack’s Donuts, which is spread throughout Indiana, was founded by Jack Marcum Sr. in 1961. The doughnut franchise is now owned by his grandson, Lee Marcum, and continues to offer sweet treats like tiger tails and applesauce donuts. Jack’s also offers a limited supply of gluten-free doughnuts in these three flavors – white, chocolate with sprinkles, and chocolate and chocolate chips. It’s best to call your preferred location ahead of time to see if they have gluten-free doughnuts available.

Quack Daddy Donuts Pendleton and Westfield

Quack Daddy’s, which opened its Pendleton location in 2016 and its Westfield location in November 2020, is like a doughnut bar. Once customers walk in the door, they can customize their doughnuts to their liking by choosing the icing and topping they want. Quack Daddy’s gluten-free icing choices include white, chocolate, maple, and glaze. To top that off, customers can have their choice of gluten-free sandwich cookie (Oreo), Reese’s Pieces, Coconut, Chocolate chip, Fruity Pebbles, M&M’s, and rainbow sprinkles. According to owner Andy Arrendale, they use Katz Donuts for their supply, which is a well-known and highly rated gluten-free brand. The doughnut shop also has two separate prep areas; one for their gluten-free icing and toppings and one for their customers who have a nut allergy.

These gluten-free doughnuts can be found in various supermarket freezer aisles:

Katz: www.katzglutenfree.com

Kinnikinnick: www.katzglutenfree.com

DISCLAIMER: This column is for informational purposes only. If you have celiac disease or other allergens, please use caution. If need be, call the location, ask questions, and use your best judgment.

If you would like to share Gluten-Free tips, tricks, info, etc. in an upcoming issue of Special Needs Living, email us at SpecialNeedsLivingIndy@n2pub.com.