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Capital City Bakery's vegan cupcakes
Capital City Bakery's vegan cupcakes
Capital City Bakery/Facebook

12 Great Gluten- and Dairy-Free Dessert Places in Austin

No to wheat and milk, yes to delicious

by Elizabeth Leader Smith
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Capital City Bakery's vegan cupcakes
| Capital City Bakery/Facebook
by Elizabeth Leader Smith

Going gluten-free? Saying no to dairy? Thankfully, eating with restrictions in Austin doesn’t mean you have to suffer. These days, lots of restaurants offer gluten-free alternatives and dairy-free options for everyday favorites. Thanks to the raising number of special diet-sensitive restaurants, bakeries, shops, and trailers in town, there’s no reason to skip dessert either.

This Eater guide can help you navigate the city’s sweet spots if you’re looking for options for your gluten- or dairy-free diet. Or perhaps you’re looking to please friends and family who are. Either way, fret not. You don’t have to settle for something that’s less than delicious. From fanciful vegan cupcakes at Sugar Mama’s and picture perfect gluten-free goods at Wild Wood Bake House to the decadent raw truffles at Curcuma and endless options at Thai Fresh, this guide means palate-pleasing desserts for everyone.

If your favorite spot is missing from the list, let us know on the tipline, in the comments below, or start a post over on the Eater Austin forum.

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Capital City Bakery

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This home business turned food trailer turned storefront on East Cesar Chavez has a 100% vegan kitchen that churns out cakes, cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies, brownies, pop tarts, and more. Bonus points for its whimsical seasonally inspired cupcakes and cookies.

2211 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 666-7437
(512) 666-7437
Capital City Bakery/Official

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The Beer Plant

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Though the craft beer, botanically inspired cocktails and plant-forward snacks and entrées may be the draw at this Terrytown vegan gastropub, save room for dessert. The current menu includes a daily cheesecake special, carrot cake, cookies, and a brownie sundae made with Sweet Ritual ice cream.

3110 Windsor Rd, Austin, TX 78703
The Beer Plant/Official

Thai Fresh

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From raw mocha bars and salted caramel brownies to raw carrot pistachio cake, this Bouldin Creek restaurant and coffee bar boasted a wide welcoming range of gluten-free and vegan baked goods. The homemade vegan ice cream is well worth trying too.

909 W Mary St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 494-6436
(512) 494-6436
Thai Fresh/Official

Also featured in:

Counter Culture

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Vegan comfort food—this East Side restaurant and South Austin trailer have made a name for themselves by proving it can be done deliciously. Come for the jackfruit barbecue sandwich but stay for the raw gluten-free donut holes, cobbler, cheesecake, pies, bars or whichever seasonal treat it has whipped up.

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1540
(512) 524-1540
Counter Culture/Official

Also featured in:

Picnik

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With an “always gluten-free, corn-free, peanut-free, and soy-free” manta, the paleo-focused South Austin trailer recently expanded north with a brick-and-mortar Brentwood cafe. Our sweet pick? The gluten-free blondie made with grass-fed butter, coconut sugar, eggs, almond meal, and rich chocolate chunks. Find it at either location.

4801 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 293-6118
(512) 293-6118
Picnik/Official

Also featured in:

Wild Wood Bakehouse

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Cinnamon rolls. Tiramisu. Red velvet cake. This north campus restaurant bakes up all the typical hits—from a 100% gluten-free kitchen. Craving something specific? Since not all items are available at all times, the restaurant takes custom orders.

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 327-9660
(512) 327-9660
Wild Wood Bakehouse/Official

Curcuma

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This teal trailer parked on West Live Oak Street is adding an on-trend twist to the special diets sweets scene with its 100% plant-based approach. Try the black lemon sorbet, golden mylk ice cream, and rose tahini cacao truffles made with organic raw cacao, rose water, housemade tahini, cashews, dates, and rolled in coconut flakes.

603 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX 78704
Curcuma/Official

Mother's Cafe & Garden

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This enduring Hyde Park spot has long been a safe haven for vegetarians and vegans. All housemade desserts are eggless and sweetened with either organic Sucanat, organic maple syrup, or organic raw sugar. There are a handful of satisfying vegan desserts, and the Almond Mocha Torte is gluten free too.

4215 Duval St, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 451-3994
(512) 451-3994
Christian And Angela C./Yelp

Also featured in:

Skull and Cakebones

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After successfully peddling its cakes and cupcakes at farmers’ markets and wholesale to Whole Foods Market, Wheatsville, Royal Blue Grocery, and more, the vegan craft bakery is opening its first brick and mortar in Dripping Springs any day now. Don’t wait until then to try one of its glass mason jar-filled trifles though.

3991 E Hwy 290 a, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Skull and Cakebones/Facebook

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop

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Still riding the cupcake train? The moist, light, and colorful cupcakes with amusing names have earned these two Austin shops accolades. Though the sugary spot also deserves kudos for its wide selection of vegan cupcakes including the rich chocolatey Black Forest and the sweet and spicy Frida.

1905 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 448-3727
(512) 448-3727
Van T./Yelp

Also featured in:

The Steeping Room

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With two area locations, these sipping-centric cafes also cater to vegans and guests with gluten sensitivities. A handful of desserts can be made vegan or gluten free including the cupcakes and cookies. The must-try seasonal mousse can be gluten-free friendly. Just ask.

11410 Century Oaks Ter Ste 112, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 977-8337
(512) 977-8337
Lindsay M./Yelp

Bananarchy

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This Arrested Development-inspired frozen banana stand serves as both a reminder to Austinites that watching TV can in fact pay off, as well as a less-conventional dessert destination for vegans. Opt to build your own creation and choose the vegan chocolate dip. Note: The stand closes for the winter months. Get it while you can!

603 W. Live Oak (South First St.), Austin, TX 78704
(512) 522-9316
(512) 522-9316
Bananarchy/Facebook

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Capital City Bakery

2211 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

This home business turned food trailer turned storefront on East Cesar Chavez has a 100% vegan kitchen that churns out cakes, cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies, brownies, pop tarts, and more. Bonus points for its whimsical seasonally inspired cupcakes and cookies.

2211 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 666-7437
(512) 666-7437
Capital City Bakery/Official

The Beer Plant

3110 Windsor Rd, Austin, TX 78703

Though the craft beer, botanically inspired cocktails and plant-forward snacks and entrées may be the draw at this Terrytown vegan gastropub, save room for dessert. The current menu includes a daily cheesecake special, carrot cake, cookies, and a brownie sundae made with Sweet Ritual ice cream.

3110 Windsor Rd, Austin, TX 78703
The Beer Plant/Official

Thai Fresh

909 W Mary St, Austin, TX 78704

From raw mocha bars and salted caramel brownies to raw carrot pistachio cake, this Bouldin Creek restaurant and coffee bar boasted a wide welcoming range of gluten-free and vegan baked goods. The homemade vegan ice cream is well worth trying too.

909 W Mary St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 494-6436
(512) 494-6436
Thai Fresh/Official

Counter Culture

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

Vegan comfort food—this East Side restaurant and South Austin trailer have made a name for themselves by proving it can be done deliciously. Come for the jackfruit barbecue sandwich but stay for the raw gluten-free donut holes, cobbler, cheesecake, pies, bars or whichever seasonal treat it has whipped up.

2337 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1540
(512) 524-1540
Counter Culture/Official

Picnik

4801 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756

With an “always gluten-free, corn-free, peanut-free, and soy-free” manta, the paleo-focused South Austin trailer recently expanded north with a brick-and-mortar Brentwood cafe. Our sweet pick? The gluten-free blondie made with grass-fed butter, coconut sugar, eggs, almond meal, and rich chocolate chunks. Find it at either location.

4801 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 293-6118
(512) 293-6118
Picnik/Official

Wild Wood Bakehouse

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705

Cinnamon rolls. Tiramisu. Red velvet cake. This north campus restaurant bakes up all the typical hits—from a 100% gluten-free kitchen. Craving something specific? Since not all items are available at all times, the restaurant takes custom orders.

3016 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
(512) 327-9660
(512) 327-9660
Wild Wood Bakehouse/Official

Curcuma

603 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX 78704

This teal trailer parked on West Live Oak Street is adding an on-trend twist to the special diets sweets scene with its 100% plant-based approach. Try the black lemon sorbet, golden mylk ice cream, and rose tahini cacao truffles made with organic raw cacao, rose water, housemade tahini, cashews, dates, and rolled in coconut flakes.

603 W Live Oak St, Austin, TX 78704
Curcuma/Official

Mother's Cafe & Garden

4215 Duval St, Austin, TX 78751

This enduring Hyde Park spot has long been a safe haven for vegetarians and vegans. All housemade desserts are eggless and sweetened with either organic Sucanat, organic maple syrup, or organic raw sugar. There are a handful of satisfying vegan desserts, and the Almond Mocha Torte is gluten free too.

4215 Duval St, Austin, TX 78751
(512) 451-3994
(512) 451-3994
Christian And Angela C./Yelp

Skull and Cakebones

3991 E Hwy 290 a, Dripping Springs, TX 78620

After successfully peddling its cakes and cupcakes at farmers’ markets and wholesale to Whole Foods Market, Wheatsville, Royal Blue Grocery, and more, the vegan craft bakery is opening its first brick and mortar in Dripping Springs any day now. Don’t wait until then to try one of its glass mason jar-filled trifles though.

3991 E Hwy 290 a, Dripping Springs, TX 78620
Skull and Cakebones/Facebook

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop

1905 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704

Still riding the cupcake train? The moist, light, and colorful cupcakes with amusing names have earned these two Austin shops accolades. Though the sugary spot also deserves kudos for its wide selection of vegan cupcakes including the rich chocolatey Black Forest and the sweet and spicy Frida.

1905 S 1st St, Austin, TX 78704
(512) 448-3727
(512) 448-3727
Van T./Yelp

The Steeping Room

11410 Century Oaks Ter Ste 112, Austin, TX 78758

With two area locations, these sipping-centric cafes also cater to vegans and guests with gluten sensitivities. A handful of desserts can be made vegan or gluten free including the cupcakes and cookies. The must-try seasonal mousse can be gluten-free friendly. Just ask.

11410 Century Oaks Ter Ste 112, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 977-8337
(512) 977-8337
Lindsay M./Yelp

Bananarchy

603 W. Live Oak (South First St.), Austin, TX 78704

This Arrested Development-inspired frozen banana stand serves as both a reminder to Austinites that watching TV can in fact pay off, as well as a less-conventional dessert destination for vegans. Opt to build your own creation and choose the vegan chocolate dip. Note: The stand closes for the winter months. Get it while you can!

603 W. Live Oak (South First St.), Austin, TX 78704
(512) 522-9316
(512) 522-9316
Bananarchy/Facebook

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