Mama Resch’s Bakery: Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Baked Goods

Mama Resch’s Bakery in Overland Park, born a little more than three years ago, has quickly filled a niche in our community for those in search of baked goods that are gluten and nut free as well as allergen friendly. It’s such a good idea with such good timing that you wonder why no one thought of it before. Sure, most bakeries now offer gluten-free items, but this is a dedicated bakery that assures its patrons that nothing on site is prepared or comes in contact with gluten, nuts, soy, corn, dairy, casein or artificial colors or preservatives.

Started by Angela Resch, the bakery’s concept came about after her oldest son had some medical issues that mandated a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, the commercially available glutenfree items were not a solution, so she began experimenting at home with developing her own flour blends and recipes that he could eat, just like his other first-grade friends at the time. During this journey, she discovered an entire community of people who also desired to have items available for their loved ones with celiac issues, allergies, or other medical problems that require a significant diet change.

Let’s face it; our nation has a love affair with bread, baked goods and carbs in general. So a diagnosis from a physician or allergist of removing or adjusting a staple from your everyday diet can be terrifying and confusing. Mama Resch’s Bakery does an excellent job of educating customers with and without food sensitivities that baked goods really can taste good; in fact, in most cases they taste better than our traditional items made with flour and other ingredients. They offer a vegan line as well. “I wanted to start a bakery that would give people their lives back. The greatest part of the bakery for me is watching the kids who have never been able to go pick out a treat and who are told that everything is safe for them to eat,” says Angela.

The allure of this bakery goes beyond a fine array of items in the display case. What ultimately separates this bakery from others is that the menu is imaginative enough to satisfy even the pickiest of sweet eaters. From donuts to cookies and many types of breads, the bakery has an extensive menu of items.

Classic cupcake flavors such as chocolate, strawberry and vanilla are always available, but flavors such as pumpkin spice and double chocolate
chip change by the week and by the season. It all depends on what Mama Resch feels like baking. As the bakery grows, the plan is to introduce
other flavors into the mix. On Saturdays, the bakery whips up baked donuts that are sure to become a favorite weekend ritual. No matter the recipe, the store has a no-gluten, no-wheat, no-soy, no-corn, no-dairy, no-peanuts, etc., allergen-friendly policy.

The display is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. They are also open on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This is a small, family-run operation, so not all menu items are available daily. You can place an advance order 48 hours ahead to be assured your a gluten-free bakery desired item will be available.

Additionally, they do custom cakes, cupcakes and dinner rolls for events. Most of us hosting a function will have at least one guest with a gluten or nut sensitivity or allergy, so what better way to ensure that your guests are all happy? Your guests without food issues won’t be able to tell the difference, and your guests with the food sensitivity will be forever grateful for your consideration. Cake orders are requested one week in advance.

They sell sugar cookie dough and pancake mix, so if you want to take some home to prepare on your own, they are a great resource for these items. Just note they are preservative free. Because of this, they have a shelf life of two to three days. If stored in the refrigerator, the mixes keep for three to four days. Most items can also be frozen.

I recently took home a selection of items to my picky horde of three boys, all under the age of 12. My previous experience with getting them to try gluten-free items has not been successful. On this occasion, however, I heard, “Yummy!” “Tasty!” “Delicious!” “We want more!” These were just some of the comments my trio recently had after trying the gluten-free desserts of Mama Resch’s Bakery. The overall favorite was the blueberry muffin, but the snicker doodle cookies pulled a close second. My personal favorites were the chocolate crinkle cookies, chocolate chip granola bars and the honey sorghum sandwich bread, which had amazing flavor and a wonderful, home-made bread texture that leaves me craving more!

Visit Mama Resch’s Bakery at 12635 Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park; call 913-213-5355 or visit mamareschs.com to learn more.