Happy Bellies Bake Shop — Restaurant in Appleton

I honestly can’t say enough amazing things about this place. First off, THANK YOU Happy Bellies for existing and all the happiness you bring!!! For anyone with any allergies or food sensitivities, you are not left out here or deprived of the good stuff!! What’s truly amazing is not only everything gluten free (so celiac friendly too)- but there are TONS of dairy free/vegan options. Now, for everyone who shys away from allergy friendly things thinking it won’t taste as good- HERE you would be 100% wrong!! (When it’s done right, it’s even better)! I have been to vegan friendly bakeries from California to Florida to DC (and even in Europe), and the baked goods at Happy Bellies are HANDS down some of the BEST in the country- easily !! Only one place I could say is comparable that’s a chain in New York and Orlando. I cannot tell you how lucky the Fox Valley and Wisconsin is to have this staple!! I am a forever fan of this place. They keep it real!

The donuts always have such a satisfying unique flavor to them, an are never dry and usually cakey and delicious. The chocolate peanut butter cupcake is absolutely to swoon for! )vegan version you would not guess- honestly for ANY vegan (or dairy free) product you could truly fool anyone! The donuts may not be starchy where it’s all air like a lot of the American donut is - but I think much better!

They have take and bake cinnamon rolls with incredible frosting (yes a gluten free dairy free variety too)- as well as dinner rolls baked fresh on Thursdays! For hot beverages, I always get the matcha latte with coconut milk. They add vanilla syrup and it’s perfect.

Since they are only open until 2 (also watch for random days they close being a small business) you may have to plan to come for a breakfast - or just stock up like I do! There is truly something for everyone and their flavor varieties always impress me. On different days of the week they will have new donut flavors. Some staples I see on the regular and love are the Blue Moon donut (tastes just like Fruity pebbles), and the chocolate drizzle donut. Seasonal maple donut was one of my favorites! There is a subtle hint of spice in all the donuts which remind me of authentic European baked goods, and makes each bite homey and comforting. I don’t have much family nearby and this place makes me feel like home.

My fiance’ has never been a fan of sweets, until this place. They really balance the sweetness of their donuts and baked items just right and they feel like actual substantial food, not just junk! Look how beautiful they are too!

Make sure you sign up for rewards, as you do get points towards free items. It has paid off greatly! Everytime I go here I splurge, but it’s totally worth it.

On top of having the most yummy and health wise treats around, Happy Bellies has a dream team too. We always feel so welcome and appreciate the warmth and kindness. This is a place that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and screams wholesome; from ingredients to mentality. We LOVE you Happy Bellies!

Seriously, if you haven’t been here yet, GO immediately + support an amazing...

Terrible business and dry muffins. I imagine they're only still in business because there are no other options here for people with food allergies. As a total foodie who has been gluten free nearly 7yrs, I've tried a lot of gluten free cooking and baking over the years. I've also had to follow a FODMAP and have learned how to cook/bake amazing food despite all the restrictions I have to follow. Let me tell you, there are much better options elsewhere and you can come to my house if you want something chewy and tasty without gluten. A friend brought me Happy Bellies muffins when I was home recovering from surgery... They were dry and crumbly. I called the bakery and they were rude when i complained to them. I asked to try something else, and they said they aren't going to replace something I already ate. I said, that's point - I didn't eat them because they were too dry and I could bring them in. Then they said they didn't want to see my half eaten food and blamed my friend for supposedly bringing me muffins that weren't fresh, as if she had boughten them earlier in the week or something. They said if I came in in the next 7 days I could have a a free donut (? Not a muffin?), but I explained I couldn't drive or go anywhere for a few weeks because I was recovering from major surgery... I went in today (month later, now that I am mobile again) with a friend. He was disappointed to order a mocha find out it was simply drip coffee with powder added to it. I asked to try something on the house -as they had offered- and she said she couldn't do anything and charge me full price for a small cupcake. So disappointed!!!! In the service, the baked goods, and the cheapo coffee.

Also, they flat out lied about the owner being available to talk to. Not a place I ever want to give...

If you ONLY need gluten-free, this is a wonderful option since it is a dedicated gluten-free bakery and their baked goods are incredibly delicious.

If you need to exclude other allergens, as well, BEWARE! While they have made efforts to have dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free options available, they were not diligent in helping us select items that were egg-free on a recent visit and my daughter got TERRIBLY sick.

We walked in and clearly indicated we needed egg-free and nut-free items. The person helping us said all the blue and yellow tagged items were safe. Despite this, as an extra precaution, we then went through one-by-one with each item we picked confirming that each one was ok and we were told they were. At one point, the person even asked, "Do you have to avoid dairy, too, or just eggs?" (So we know she clearly knew we needed to avoid eggs.) We confirmed our allergies were just to eggs and nuts, not dairy.

So, we happily left with 6 cupcakes and 3 doughnuts and, a bit later on our drive, we each ate a cupcake. Within minutes of finishing her cupcake, my 16-year-old daughter said her stomach hurt. As it got worse and worse over the next half hour, I called the bakery and they confirmed that the cupcake my daughter ate did, in fact, contain eggs.

She endured 8 hours of vomiting and severe diarrhea all because someone wasn't careful to ensure they were giving us accurate information. I hate to imagine the even more severe outcome had this occurred with her allergies that are anaphylactic. Seriously so disappointed. They didn't even apologize...