Product: Sweet Note Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – $7.29+
Some leaps of faith are just worth taking. Seriously. And nothing has surprised me more than how deeply I have fallen in love with the bagel creations by Sweet Note Bagels. It was fate that introduced me to these gluten-free goodies. Actually, it was a fantastic PR person at Sweet Note Bagels who was quick on the draw after seeing my blog on Canyon Bakehouse’s Gluten Free Bagels (both plain and everything). And I have to say…persistence always pays off with me. Always. The recommendation that if I liked Canyon Bakehouse’s Bagels then I would LOVE theirs, had me clicking on a provided link and heading over to their Web site to check them out.
And then my curiosity got the best of me. Without any further knowledge about their products, without looking up any reviews as to what other consumers thought of their products, I was on their online store, purchasing half of their bagel selections. Yep, I didn’t start with just one variety. I went into this believing that these would blow me away…and thus…I ordered four (4) of their eight (8) varieties that they currently offer.
Sweet Note began in 2012, when founder and president, Michelle MacDonald, stepped up to a challenge. She had been baking ever since she was a child and was very passionate about it. When her grandfather and sister were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, she took the first steps on her entrepreneurial journey. Her family really missed a good New York Style bagel. (Hey…I can’t blame them…I know this feeling all too well). So with a lot of experimentation and trial and error, MacDonald perfected the recipe, getting huge approval from her family (also bagel lovers). Gluten-free bagels that taste good?! It was a reality. Sweet Note Bakery’s vision is to make gluten-free options more readily accessible. Those of us who live with Celiac understand how isolating this disease can be, when you can’t have a meal while out with friends and family, be it at a restaurant or a ballpark, or wherever your adventures take you. MacDonald wanted to change that…one gluten-free bagel at a time.
No buyer’s remorse happened either after I checked out of their online store. A couple of days later, a box arrived bearing my bagels. I made room for them in my packed freezer until it was time to crack into them. So far, they have wowed me with both the Plain and Everything varieties.
So, now we went for a personal favorite…
Cinnamon Raisin.
I love everything about cinnamon raisin baked goods. I was a huge cinnamon roll lover growing up. Anything with a little hit of spice and that bit of sweetness is winning in my book. Raisins…well, they are one sweet treat I love indulging in, without the guilt. Put them together in some sort of bread-like form and you have a happy girl on your hands.
So, it was this morning after my 5:30 a.m. spin class that I dodged some rain home and immediately removed the Sweet Note Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels from my freezer. I grabbed two of them (one for me and the other for my non-gluten-free roomie!) and got onto thawing them in the microwave. You don’t bring these to room temperature like most gluten-free foods. Just 1 minute or so in the microwave, until they are squishy soft, and you’re golden. Cool them for a moment, slice in half, and toast. Because I don’t own a toaster, these bad boys went into the oven. And I left my roommate in charge of not letting the apartment burn down while they toasted and I went to shower.
No tragedies. My oven didn’t burn anything while I was getting cleaned and dressed for my physical therapy appointment before finally making my way into work. I came out to an apartment that was carrying the warm, comforting aroma of cinnamon sweetness. I peaked into the oven, just to make sure I was hitting that perfect golden color, and not having it begin to char. It was right on point. And as I closed the oven to let the bagels finish up, I commented to the roomie, “Those smell SO good…like cinnamon rolls.” I got out the Kite Hill Plain Vegan Cream Cheese Spread and some local Whipped Vanilla Honey that we had picked up at the recent Buy Local Fair in Louisville, Kentucky.
And so…out came the baking sheet with the perfectly toasted Sweet Note Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels. And I contained myself by not drooling on them or devouring all four halves. I took one half of each bagel and gave it the classic schmear of the vegan cream cheese spread. The other half of each bagel got a touch of the local Whipped Vanilla Honey. We were in business now. I served my roommate her bagel then went to pour my coffee and settle in to do my PT stretches and eat some breakfast.
I was no longer apprehensive and wondering if I had thrown away my money when it came to Sweet Note Bagels. Nope…I knew they were amazing. But how amazing were the New York Style Cinnamon Raisin offerings? AMAZING! There is no way anyone could eat these and immediately say that these are gluten-free. They taste just like a good, classic New York Bagel. The resemble them too! A perfect three inches in diameter, dense, and just thick. Honestly…I am so impressed with the appearance right off, resembling traditional bagels…just without the gluten! This style of bagel means that you get this crispy, golden outer crust and a soft, chewy, dense center where all the good stuff hides. And it’s perfection. A swirl of cinnamon and dabbling of sweet raisins complete this bagel from the first bite to the last. There wasn’t too much spice or too few raisins. It was an ideal and perfect balance. And I took my time this time, to savor, each half…one bite of one, then another, pairing it with the selected topping and finding how each one worked uniquely with this flavor of bagel.
Cinnamon Raisin + Gluten Free + Bagel = HAPPY GIRL!
Let’s talk about what Sweet Note Bagels puts into their Gluten Free New York Style Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, shall we? Well…as with their other products, the first ingredient is LOVE! So, you have LOVE, water, white rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet white rice flour, sorghum flour, sugar, cane syrup, raisins, olive oil, molasses, vanilla extract, cinnamon, yeast, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, and salt. These bagels are gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegan, and non-GMO.
And now…the nitty-gritty. Let’s discuss the nutritional information of the Sweet Note Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels, shall we? A serving size is one (1) bagel (135 grams) and four (4) bagels come in the package. One serving will dish up 310 calories, 3.5 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans-fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium, 69 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 17 grams sugar, and 4 grams protein.
One of the best things about these bagels is that they are really filling because they use real ingredients, No fillers, chemicals, and weird preservatives. This is real food…and will give you plenty of energy to get through the morning. I love eating a breakfast and knowing that my body is getting something good from it.
When it comes to Cinnamon Raisin anything…Sweet Note Bagels has won me over. My favorite flavor of bread-item…done in a perfect New York style bagel…yeah…you’ve won me over and won my gluten-free food loving heart. The bagels made by the fantastic team at Sweet Note Bagels has done their job and done it to perfection because, so far, their bagels have not let me down. If anything, they have shown me that there is so much more to the bagel market than the Udi’s and Canyon Bakehouse standards that are readily available in stores.
And thanks to their intrepid social media perseverance…I am forever a fan! If, like me, you love Cinnamon Raisin…then these will blow you away. Sweet and oh, so amazing!
The Celiathlete 