These treats are healthy, but they don’t skimp on flavor. Whether you have dietary restrictions or prefer plant-based alternatives, check out the following options.
Mother Bake Shop
Kailua-based Mother Bake Shop is an all-vegan bakery that boasts a tantalizing lineup of sweet and savory pastries, including miso chocolate chip cookies ($4), cinnamon rolls ($6.50) and sourdough bread loaves ($9-$11).
“My husband and I are both vegan and have been baking for a long time,” says owner/baker Kristina Swenson-Stewart. “We have eaten a lot of bad vegan baked goods and wanted to change that reputation. When we first opened, we didn’t announce that the bakery was vegan because it didn’t seem relevant. We wanted to make great-tasting pastries that everyone could enjoy without them having the initial reaction that vegan treats taste like cardboard.”
Mother Bake Shop’s sweet and savory treats are a far cry from cardboard. Keep an eye out for the featured “cruffin” (croissant-muffin hybrid) flavor of the day, as well as grab-and-go breakfast sandwiches that are available on weekend mornings.
“We come up with flavors trying to utilize fruits and vegetables that are seasonal and locally grown,” Swenson-Stewart says. “Our treats are vegan because we’ve worked hard to find butter/milk/egg substitutes that work well in the same ways that those traditional baking ingredients work. We want to bring joy to people through food, and at the same time, not be using animal products.”
Mother Bake Shop
131 Hekili St. Ste. 101, Kailua
808-379-0076
motherbakeshop.com
Instagram: @motherbakeshop
Puuwai Aloha Bakery
Lilikoi tea cakes with lilikoi or guava swirl ($5). Peanut butter dark chocolate cookies ($3). These are a couple of the treats you’ll find at Puuwai Aloha Bakery — and they’re all gluten free.
“I moved here six years ago to take care of my mom; when I did, I realized there was no dedicated gluten-free kitchen,” says owner Susan Fein
When it comes to bakery treats, Puuwai’s signature tea cake zucchini date lavender ($5) is extremely popular. Other customer favorites include macadamia walnut cookies with lilikoi jam and triple fudge cookies ($3 each).
Customers can look forward to a pumpkin spice tea cake during the holiday season. The bakery will also feature dinner items available via Uber Eats and DoorDash in the near future.
Puuwai Aloha Bakery
1670 Lusitana St., Honolulu
808-773-7000
puuwaialohabakery.com
Instagram: @puuwai_aloha_bakery
Rawberry Desserts
Rawberry Desserts’ mission is to make 100% nutritious and healthy desserts for the Oahu community.All of these desserts are raw, vegan and gluten free, made only from natural and organic ingredients and without any artificial colorants or refined sugar, according to owner Inga Kaplan.
“Our desserts are perfect for almost any food sensitivities, preferences, restrictions or allergies,” Kaplan says. “They are the best desserts for people who are not able to enjoy traditional desserts due to food sensitivities or allergies.”
Kaplan came up with “Rawberry” for her business name to represent what her desserts were all about (raw) and that they’re made with fresh, all-natural ingredients (berry). The biz specializes in gorgeous cakes, available in flavors like triple chocolate, lilikoi lime coconut, raspberry rafaello, Kona coffee and more.
You can find Rawberry Desserts at the Aloha FarmLovers Kakaako farmers market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
Rawberry Desserts
rawberrydesserts.com
rawberrydesserts@gmail.com
Instagram: @rawberrydesserts
Ulu and Kalo Bakery
At POAI by Pono Potions in Chinatown (1119 Smith St.), you can enjoy gluten-free treats along with your gourmet lattes. Maile Kamisugi, owner of Ulu and Kalo Bakery, started this business in an effort to create nutritious baked goods that highlight Hawaii’s indigenous canoe crops.
“When I started eating whole foods rather than processed food, I had clearer skin, more energy and achieved better grades in college,” she says. “I went to Kapiolani Community College for culinary school, where I developed a passion for baking. I incorporate ulu and kalo into my baking because of their taste, nutrition, versatility and cultural significance.”
Ulu, the Hawaiian name for breadfruit, is used in Maile’s Ulu Maia bread ($5.50 per slice, $12 for mini loaf). Kalo — the Hawaiian name for taro — is used in Maile’s signature fudge brownies.
“Kalo is a resistant starch and is high in fiber,” she explains. “It can be added to soups or stews to thicken the dish. I’m happy to support farmers growing ulu and kalo while providing the community with baked goods that are naturally sweetened, gluten free and nutrient dense.”
POAI by Pono Potions is currently the flagship location for Ulu and Kalo’s treats, which include daily muffins ($5) and seasonal cookies (pack of six for $9).
Ulu and Kalo Bakery
uluandkalobakery.com
Instagram: @uluandkalobakery
