FAQS

EVERYTHING! Third Coast Bakery is dedicated gluten-free, in our own commercial kitchen, and all of our ingredients are traced for gluten-free safety.  Your health is of utmost importance to us and we take pride in the very careful preparation of our products.  Even our oats are certified gluten-free and we do not use any grains, such as spelt, that contain gluten. We even switched sugar manufacturers to guarantee certified gluten-free, raw, fair-trade, vegan sugar. No form of gluten will ever be allowed in our doors or our ovens. Now that’s peace of mind!

While we are technically soy-free, our preferred flours (from Bob’s Red Mill) are processed on the same equipment as soy flour.  Bob’s Red Mill take steps to flush their lines, wash their equipment, and test their flours for the absence of soy. However, we encourage you to consume at your own discretion.

No dairy over here! No butter, no cow’s milk, no casein nor any other offending forms of dairy are present at Third Coast Bakery.  Instead, we love using organic coconut milk, organic rice milk, Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks and cultured coconut milk “yogurt” instead.  Even our chocolate, sourced from Enjoy Life, is officially dairy-free!

At Third Coast Bakery, we strive to provide MANY egg-free options. Currently, our sandwich bread, sandwich buns, cream puffs, long johns, and croutons contain eggs and cannot be converted to egg-free.  If you are unsure about your selections or would like more information, please call our friendly staff for help.

We LOVE our vegan customers!  Third Coast Bakery products are perfect for a vegan lifestyle; even our dairy substitutes and raw sugar are certified vegan.

Yes and no.  Third Coast Bakery provides a wide variety of delicious treats that do not contain peanuts or tree nuts.  When we bake these items, we take careful steps to prevent cross contamination.  However, we are NOT a nut-free facility.  Almonds, almond flour, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, peanut butter and their subsequent oils are all present in our bakery.  Also, the FDA classifies coconut as a tree nut; we use coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut extract, coconut flour, and shredded coconut at the bakery.  Ultimately, you are responsible for carefully reading all ingredients and deciding what is best for your health.

We cannot offer corn-free baked goods at this time.  Our baking powder contains cornstarch and some recipes use cornstarch as an egg substitute.  Also, many times the pure flavor extracts we source have a corn alcohol base.  Lastly, xanthan gum is a common binder in our recipes, and, although considered corn-free, is the by-product of the fermentation of corn sugars. Ultimately, you are responsible for deciding what is best for your health.

Simply put, it depends on the recipe!  We only use Certified Gluten-Free flours and starches.  Since every product has its own unique taste and texture, we regularly blend our own custom mixes for maximum quality.  Our pantry is stocked with sorghum, millet, organic brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, arrowroot, cornstarch, CGF rolled oats, organic flax, sweet white rice flour, coconut flour, and almond flour.

All hail the mighty coconut! Our oil of choice is cold-processed coconut oil, a non-hydrogenated, naturally saturated oil, free of trans-fatty acids.  Coconut oil is high is “medium chain tryglycerides” or “MCTs” which are shown to have numerous health benefits.  Recent studies conclude that coconut oil can help boost the immune system, fight off infections, regulate thyroid function, lead to a healthier metabolism, and improve the regulation of blood sugar.  The healthy fats found in coconut oil are metabolized and broken down in the liver, and converted into the efficient burning of energy, rather than storage of fat cells.  Coconut oil may also improve digestion and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.  Our coconut oil is odorless, flavorless, and absolutely delicious in our baked goods.  We think you’ll agree!

Some recipes call for special fats, to replace traditional butter and hydrogenated shortening.  Instead, we use extra virgin olive oil, organic non-hydrogenated shortening, and plant-based margarine.

For many of our products, we start with all-natural, unsweetened applesauce.  It’s the key to moist baked goods! From there, we build with honey, pure maple syrup, raw demerrara sugar, brown sugar, molasses, and evaporated cane juice.  We also keep powdered stevia, ethryritol and sucralose on-hand for custom low-glycemic orders.  Our mini chocolate chips and chocolate chunks contain evaporated cane juice, a healthier alternative to bleached, refined table sugar.  Buttercream may contain powdered sugar (sugar, cornstarch).

Yes, we have a retail storefront and café!

Third Coast Bakery is a fully licensed bakery and coffee house, located at 523 Munson Ave, Traverse City, MI. We're currently open Monday through Saturday 6:30 AM - 4:00 PM and Sundays 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

You may also shop for your favorite Third Coast Bakery treats at the following locations:

Our products stay fresh and delicious for up to seven days when kept in airtight containers at cooler temperatures.  To extend freshness and flavor, wrap them in wax paper and freezer bags, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Yes you can!  We create special orders all the time and are honored to be a part of your family celebrations and milestones. What we create is a limitless as your imagination! Special orders include:

Whole desserts

Birthday cakes

Cupcakes

Wedding cakes

Wedding favors

Mixed platters

Holiday parties

Baby showers

Wedding showers

Graduation parties

Please note that our custom cakes are very popular and space is extremely limited during peak season (June-Sept). During peak season, custom cakes must be ordered a minimum of ten (10) business days in advance.  Last minute requests may be accommodated based on availability but are not guaranteed.  We cannot accommodate custom cakes or wedding consultations during the week of the National Cherry Festival.

We currently offer delivery for weddings and wholesale orders only.

Online shopping is now available! Standard UPS rates apply based on the weight of your order and where it is being shipped.  In the state of Michigan, your order will typically arrive in 24-48 hours, via UPS Ground.  Outside of Michigan, orders are shipped via UPS 2-Day Air. Sometimes, shipping delays happen outside of our control. Once your package leaves our bakery, we cannot be held responsible for UPS delays.  All online orders are gathered on Sunday and shipped out on Monday, to avoid any deliciousness spending the weekend in a post office. Order deadline is 11:59 PM Saturday!  Some products like pies, cakes, cupcakes and wedding cakes are not eligible for shipping.

We take great care to individually package each item to ensure your order arrives in perfect condition.  However, we cannot be held responsible once your order leaves our bakery, nor for how the carrier handles it.  Unfortunately, we also cannot be held responsible for circumstances that prevent your order from arriving on time (weather, road conditions, etc.).