Gratitude Cafe & Bakery In Lincoln Is A Dedicated Gluten-Free Bakery Where Gluten-Free Nebraskans Can Order From The Whole Case
Every pastry in one Nebraska bakery case is gluten-free. Not one shelf, not a small labeled corner, but the entire case.
For anyone who has spent years squinting at ingredient lists, that changes everything. Scones, brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts, cinnamon rolls and towering carrot cake all count, so you can point at whatever looks best and simply say yes.
There’s a catch, though, and it’s a sweet one. The doors open just one morning a week, which turns the weekly stock-up into a small event.
The baker behind it all is known for greeting customers by name before they even reach the counter.
I love that a place this small can make gluten-free Nebraskans feel like ordinary bakery customers again. So where is it, and how early should you set that alarm?
The Bakery Case Where Every Single Answer Is Yes
Gratitude Cafe & Bakery sits on a corner in Lincoln’s Historic Bethany neighborhood, and its whole case is gluten-free. That single fact makes it one of the most freeing stops in Nebraska for anyone avoiding gluten.
Most bakeries offer gluten-free shoppers a lonely muffin or a sad sealed cookie. Here, the usual hunt for the safe option simply disappears.
You can scan the shelves the way everyone else does, eyes drifting from scones to tarts to brownies. Nobody has to ask the awkward follow-up questions or wonder what touched what.
The shop is run by owner and baker Kat Cloran, who handles everything from weekly pastries to custom celebration cakes. Her lineup changes a bit each week, so the case never feels like a rerun.
Vegan options show up regularly too, which widens the circle even more. Families with mixed dietary needs can finally order together without splitting into separate stops.
It’s a small bakery with a big idea behind it. Everyone at the counter gets the same full choice, and that feels rare in the best possible way.
From Farmers Market Tables To A Corner In Bethany
Long before the corner shop existed, the story started at farmers markets in 2008. Kat Cloran sold her baking under the name Sweet Love Bakery, one table and one weekend at a time.
That kind of beginning builds a following the old-fashioned way. People taste something, come back next week, and bring a friend along.
In 2011, Kat purchased the building that would become the bakery’s home. Gratitude Cafe & Bakery officially opened its doors in February 2013.
The name itself carries real meaning. The shop is dedicated to the spirit and love of Maralee Cloran, which gives the word gratitude a personal weight.
Kat’s approach goes beyond flour and sugar. She has built the business around community, fair trade and fair practices, and she sources from local and organic suppliers whenever she can.
That steady growth from market stand to storefront is a very Nebraska kind of story. No splashy launch, just a baker showing up week after week until a neighborhood made room for her.
More than a decade later, that same weekly rhythm still drives everything.
Pop Tarts Worth Setting An Early Alarm For
Homemade pop tarts have a way of vanishing early, and the brown sugar cinnamon version is a known Saturday target. Showing up close to opening gives you the best shot at one.
Scones are the other headliner. They come up again and again whenever people talk about this bakery, and lemon treats earn plenty of love as well.
Cinnamon rolls rotate in different styles, and pecan rolls have made appearances too. Chocolate babka, coffee cake and apple galettes have all taken turns in the case.
The apple galette pairs a crisp crust with softly cooked apples that aren’t buried in sugar. Coffee cake goes the opposite direction, sweeter, with browned edges and a moist middle.
Then there are Kat’s triple-chocolate brownies and gigantic cookies, plus puppy chow for anyone craving a nostalgic snack. Carrot Bundt cake shows up for the carrot cake crowd.
With a menu that shifts weekly, choosing becomes a happy problem. Good luck walking out with only one thing, especially if the kids are along and eyeing the cookies.
Soups, Quiche And A Savory Side Most People Miss
Sweets grab the spotlight, yet the savory lineup quietly earns its own fans. Gratitude Cafe & Bakery describes its cafe menu as fresh and always seasonal.
Vegetarian soups, sandwiches and salads rotate with the seasons. That means the menu follows what makes sense for the time of year rather than one fixed list.
Savory pastries are a standout for anyone who wants breakfast without a sugar rush. An autumn quiche has been a weekend favorite when cooler weather rolls around.
To drink, there’s fair-trade roasted coffee and organic teas. A warm cup next to a flaky scone makes a pretty strong argument for slowing down your Saturday.
This savory side is handy for mixed groups. One person grabs a cinnamon roll while another picks quiche, and nobody feels shortchanged.
It also helps the gluten-free crowd in a big way. Finding safe soup and savory baking is often harder than finding a safe cookie, so having both under one roof in Nebraska is a genuine win.
Custom Cakes That Steal The Whole Party
Kitchen Sink Carrot Cake might be the most fitting name on the order list. It’s big and tall, packed with carrot, nuts, spices and coconut in every bite.
Special orders are a huge part of what Kat does, and the flavor range is wide. Moist chocolate with peanut butter buttercream and a bright Triple Lemon Punch are two of her listed favorites.
Custom requests stretch even further. A three-layer key lime cake with tart, zest-flecked frosting and key lime pie filling became an Easter centerpiece for one family.
Pineapple upside-down cake, raspberry white chocolate and even a keto cake have all come out of this kitchen. Kat is known for working with short notice when she can.
Weddings are on the table too. Several dozen cupcakes in funfetti, chocolate-covered strawberry, snickerdoodle and carrot turned one couple’s dessert into a conversation starter.
For gluten-free families, this matters enormously. Birthdays and anniversaries no longer require a separate safe cake, because the main cake already is one.
The guest of honor simply gets the best slice on the table.
A Neighborhood Counter Where Names Get Remembered
Being greeted by name at a bakery feels almost old-fashioned now. At this counter, Kat is known for knowing her customers and keeping up with what’s happening in their lives.
The cafe calls itself a homespun neighborhood spot. Its stated goal is simple: a positive space for delicious food, good conversations and community.
An art wall showcases local talent, giving the room a homegrown personality. The bakery has also hosted live music and writers’ nights over the years.
Vegan customers get the same warm welcome. Kat has invited people to email her with cravings so she can try adding them to the weekly menu.
It suits a lot of people at once. Families looking for a Saturday treat, neighbors on their weekly stock-up, and anyone with food restrictions who is tired of feeling like an afterthought all fit right in.
Gratitude Cafe & Bakery feels less like a shop and more like a weekly check-in. The pastries pull you in, but the friendly counter is what makes Saturday mornings in this corner of Nebraska feel personal.
One Morning A Week, So Plan Like A Pro
Saturday is the only day the public doors open, and only for a few morning hours. Mark the calendar, because a Tuesday craving will have to wait.
You’ll find Gratitude Cafe & Bakery at 1551 N Cotner Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68505. It sits in Historic Bethany on Lincoln’s northeast side, an easy drive from much of the city.
Arriving early is the smart move. The most popular items, especially pop tarts and big cookies, tend to go fast once the weekly crowd arrives.
Special orders are always welcome, and they’re the best route for larger quantities or specific vegan and gluten-free requests. Planning ahead gives Kat time to make exactly what you need.
Brownies and bars have even been delivered for special orders. Pickups outside normal hours have been arranged in some cases, though that depends on Kat’s schedule.
Check the bakery’s current posts before heading over, since the menu rotates weekly. That way you’ll know what’s waiting and can decide whether to bring a bigger box.
Hint: bring the bigger box.
Why Gluten-Free Nebraskans Deserve This Saturday Ritual
Ordering without asking a single question is a small thing for most people. For gluten-free Nebraskans, it can feel like a minor miracle.
Gratitude Cafe & Bakery delivers that feeling every Saturday morning. The case is full, the choices are real, and the person behind the counter likely knows your name by your second visit.
Add in rotating seasonal soups, fair-trade coffee and cakes built for big moments, and the appeal goes well beyond one diet. Plenty of people come simply because the baking is that good.
The story behind it gives the experience extra heart. A farmers market baker grew a corner shop in Historic Bethany, then kept it rooted in community and care.
It’s worth a trip for Lincoln locals and a fun detour for anyone visiting the capital city. Pair it with a lazy weekend morning and you’ve got an easy little tradition in the making.
Just remember the Saturday-only rule and get there early. Those pop tarts aren’t going to wait around, and honestly, neither should you.
