Gluten Free Brownies At Starbucks!

[angel42]

Ok so I just made a total scene at Starbucks. I went with a friend from work and I was standing near the baked good section (which I usually try to ignore) when I saw a sign that said "gluten free". I was so excited I grabbed my friend and yelled "OMG!! They have gluten-free brownies!!!!!!!!!!" The cashier looked at me like I was a crazy person and asked if I needed to be sedated. (he was teasing) He said "what is the world coming to with sugar free and gluten free....etc" and I said "well I have celiac so I don't have much of a choice" The only thing I am worried about is a strong risk of cross contamination with the normal baked stuff. I haven't finished the brownie yet so I can't swear that I won't get sick later but I will keep you all posted.

[blueeyedmanda]

I have yet to find these.

[Ms. Celiac]

After reading this post last night, I decided to look more closely at the bakery section at Starbucks. This morning I was at the Starbucks in New York's Penn Station and surely enough they had these gluten free brownies!

The brownies look like the same ones that they have always had. My guess is they just discovered their recipe was gluten free. In anycase, I'll have too look out for these and see if any other of the Starbucks have labeled the brownies gluten free.

[mandigirl1]

u guys are soooooooooooo awesome to post this news, that SB has gluten-free brownies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!

I cant believe this!!!!! I never, ever would have known about this if I didnt visit this site. Im so glad celiacs can help other celiacs, its a blessing!!!!!!!!!

BTW, did u get sick?? I hope not.

e

[Canadian Karen]

Does anyone know if it is available in Canada?????

Karen

[GeoffCJ]

Before everyone gets too excited, a few notes about starbucks. I used to work there, and I have had a different job where I traveled extensively. SO I have observed SB's around the country.

Starbucks uses two sources for bakery items. a few items are shipped from central shipping points, and you'll find the sme in most stores. The old Rugalach were like this, and the iced cookies. I believe the coffee cake was also shipped from Texas or some place like that. The vast majority of the stuff is produced and sold regionally. Such that if you go to multiply starbucks within your state, you'll see mostly the same products, but travel across states, and even if you see the same thing (blueberry muffins) it'll look slightly different, as it was made by a different provider.

I'd worry a lot about cross contamination if they are unsealed in the pastry case. I find it hard to beleive that the Partner assigned to put out the pastries would change gloves for the brownies, or that they wouldn't use the same set of tongs to retrieve your brownie. Unless it was in a package, I probably wouldn't risk it.

The reports of Gluten-Free Brownies appear to be coming from the Northeast. Anyone seen them elsewhere? I can tell you that I haven't seen them anywhere in CA, between Sacramento, SF and LA.

Geoff

[angel42]

I just realized I forgot to let everyone know how the gluten-free brownie worked out. I did not get sick and I am very sensitive. I get very sick from cross contamination so that does not appear to have been the case this time. I say this time because I do have to agree that the risk of cc is probably extremely high and although I am very excited about the gluten-free brownies I am cautious about eating them.

[CarlaB]

On the previous thread about this, someone called Starbucks and they said it was being test marketed in NY only, so you New Yorkers need to create a demand for the rest of us!

Many times they have more of a baked good in the back still in the original packaging. I'd ask for one of those, then tell them how they need to serve it to avoid contamination. I personally would not eat it out of the case because of contamination issues. The more who teach them this, the more likely they will address the contamination issues.

[jkmunchkin]

I believe the brownies are only in the NYC area right now, as a test market. I also heard that they come from a completely seperate bakery than any of the other baked goods. I haven't tried them yet because I am a bit hesitant about cc. I'd like to see them maybe come individually wrapped from the bakery. I'm thinking of going into Starbucks when it's maybe an off time and asking them to bring the box out from the back and letting me just take it out of the box myself, but not sure if they would let me do that; and I work in Times Square, so there is no off time

[angel42]

I've been sending my non-celiac friends from work over to get gluten-free brownies to try to make it seem like there is a big demand for them.

[CarlaB]

  angel42 said:

I've been sending my non-celiac friends from work over to get gluten-free brownies to try to make it seem like there is a big demand for them.

How do they like them? I find that when I bring gluten-free brownies somewhere people rave about them! I think they're BETTER than regular brownies.

[blueeyedmanda]

  CarlaB said:

How do they like them? I find that when I bring gluten-free brownies somewhere people rave about them! I think they're BETTER than regular brownies.

I find that when I take my gluten free pantry triple fudge brownies to work, the plate empties very quickly. No one even knows they are gluten free either. I saw my other coworker bring regular old brownies to a party a few weeks back and no one really touched them. She was left with over 1/2 the tray at the end of the day.

[CarlaB]

  blueeyedmanda said:

I find that when I take my gluten free pantry triple fudge brownies to work, the plate empties very quickly. No one even knows they are gluten free either. I saw my other coworker bring regular old brownies to a party a few weeks back and no one really touched them. She was left with over 1/2 the tray at the end of the day.

And I use Namaste, so it's not just the brand, I think they're BETTER without gluten! If I can eat gluten again when my Lyme is gone (I'm gluten intolerant because of Lyme, I don't have celiac), I'll still make gluten-free brownies! In fact, even if I CAN eat it, I will SELDOM eat it ... it's just not that good anymore ... the ONLY thing I miss is a REAL Big Mac.

I'm still interested to hear how they like the Starbucks brownies. From before I was gluten-free, I never really thought Starbucks brownies were all that great.

[angel42]

Well one friend tried them and said they were very good, another was afraid to try it (although he would not admit it) and gave it to me.

[little d]

HI Ya'll

I went to my nearest SB's and asked for a gluten-free Brownie and the kid looked at me like i was crazy and asked other people if they had it Answer was no and what is GLUTEN the kid says Told him what it was and he still looked at me crazy and said sorry. But now that I know that the brownie is a test in New York it should be here in Texas I would diffiantly buy my share to make the gluten-free Brownie a success

later

[Ms. Celiac]

Yes, so I've heard the brownies are only available right now in New York. I've already had 2 and I am also very sensitive to cross contamination, and have not had any reaction to them. In the two different locations I've visited, they had them on a seperate tray that was slightly raised above the surrounding trays. They are called, "Aztec Chile Brownies."

[angel42]

Since I started the thread I feel compelled to post a follow up. I just had half a gluten-free brownie. I REALLY don't feel well. I threw the rest out. Mind you, I felt fine after the first one so I am guessing there was just some cross contamination with this one.

[Daxin]

  Canadian Karen said:

Does anyone know if it is available in Canada?????

Karen

Karen,

I jus emailed SB through their website. I will keep you ALL posted as to their response about the brownie here in Canada.

[maryjoali]

  Daxin said:

Karen,

I jus emailed SB through their website. I will keep you ALL posted as to their response about the brownie here in Canada.

So yesterday morning, at a Starbucks in Mississauga, ON, we ask if they had anything gluten-free....We always ask with the hope that if enough people mention the word GLUTEN, they'll get the idea to start stocking gluten-free items!! The girl first asks what's gluten...I say no wheat....she thought I said no MEAT as so many people do because "How is it even possible to make something without wheat?!?!? Anyway, she says yes...they now carry a vegan brownie. We try to explain that vegan does not mean gluten-free, but she and two other girls working their insist that since vegans don't eat pasta, vegan means no wheat!!! ARGHH!! My husband calmly tried to explain that they likely don't eat pasta due to the eggs, but they wouldn't hear of it and tried to still sell us the brownie as gluten-free.

I wish there was a requirement that all people working in the food industry had to have food allergy training...and not just for peanuts....

[mellajane]

where are these brownies....I WORK FOR starbucks and struggle everyday when I have to put away pastries....PLEASE TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE AT! i LOVE BROWNIES AND Starbucks.I will get these at our store if at all possible!

[steveindenver]

  maryjoali said:

I wish there was a requirement that all people working in the food industry had to have food allergy training...and not just for peanuts....

Let's start with them having some intelligence, then we can go on to food allergy training...

[NJKen]

  Ms. Celiac said:

Yes, so I've heard the brownies are only available right now in New York. I've already had 2 and I am also very sensitive to cross contamination, and have not had any reaction to them. In the two different locations I've visited, they had them on a seperate tray that was slightly raised above the surrounding trays. They are called, "Aztec Chile Brownies."

FYI, I think that they are no longer available in New York. A couple of weeks ago I got one at the Starbuck's just north of Lincoln Center on Columbus Avenue. On Thursday I was back in the same area and went into 3 Starbuck's on Columbus Avenue--a few blocks south of Lincoln Center, a block north of Lincoln Center, and the one in the Barnes & Noble bookstore, and none of them had the Aztec Chili Brownies. I hope they bring them back; they make a good snack for the train ride back to central New Jersey from the city.

[debmidge]

  maryjoali said:

So yesterday morning, at a Starbucks in Mississauga, ON, we ask if they had anything gluten-free....We always ask with the hope that if enough people mention the word GLUTEN, they'll get the idea to start stocking gluten-free items!! The girl first asks what's gluten...I say no wheat....she thought I said no MEAT as so many people do because "How is it even possible to make something without wheat?!?!? Anyway, she says yes...they now carry a vegan brownie. We try to explain that vegan does not mean gluten-free, but she and two other girls working their insist that since vegans don't eat pasta, vegan means no wheat!!! ARGHH!! My husband calmly tried to explain that they likely don't eat pasta due to the eggs, but they wouldn't hear of it and tried to still sell us the brownie as gluten-free.

I wish there was a requirement that all people working in the food industry had to have food allergy training...and not just for peanuts....

I totally agree with a requirement like this - for everyone's sake. It seems that the general population doesn't even know that non-glutenfree bread is made with wheat even. It's sad but true.