This Trader Joe's Dessert Is So Good, You Can Barely Tell It's Gluten-Free

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For people with celiac disease, eating gluten can cause damage to the small intestine and lead to a host of other side effects such as fatigue and bloating. Other people may experience gluten sensitivity. For them, the long-term effects of eating gluten may not be as dire; however, gluten consumption can still lead to pain and discomfort. So there are a number of reasons why people may choose to adopt a gluten-free diet, and it's promising to know that restaurants and stores such as Trader Joe's offer an increasing number of gluten-free options. Sadly, when it comes to packaged baked goods in particular, finding palatable gluten-free options can still be a challenge for those who walk this particular culinary path.

To help consumers find the best products available to them, Chowhound ranked eight Trader Joe's gluten-free desserts in order to determine which are worth the purchase. At the lower end of the list, you'll find Trader Joe's Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread, as well as the Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins, which held a disappointingly sparse number of chocolate chips. However, another muffin offering, Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins, took the top spot, being deemed so moist and flavorful that you can barely tell they don't have any gluten. The consensus was that these bakes were soft, tender, fluffy, and had all the traits of a good, gluten-packed muffin. At the time of the ranking, they cost $5.99 for four, which seemed reasonable for such a tasty treat too.

The one drawback to Trader Joe's Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake Muffins was that they were so moist, they tended to be a bit gluey. We recommend serving them with a beverage like coffee — which is such a common practice for coffee cake that it's precisely how the dessert got its name (after all, it's not like coffee cake actually has any coffee in it). Interestingly, this was also the recommended method of consumption for the Double Chocolate Muffins, which were on the dry side. No surprise here — there's not much a good cup of coffee or tea can't improve!

While it may not be difficult to consume four delicious muffins in a couple of days, if you want to save some for later, freezing is an option. Just remember, the right way to freeze coffee cake is to wrap it well in cling film before covering it in a layer of aluminum foil or placing it in a Ziploc bag. The idea is to maintain the ideal moisture level while keeping any unappetizing smells or flavors out. When you're ready to sink your teeth into your baked good, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature — not in the microwave. It may be hard to wait considering how delicious these muffins are, but rushing the process won't be worth the comprised texture of these gluten-free desserts.