Comparing Woolworths vs. Coles for Gluten Free Treat and Cake Options
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Hey Gluten Free Fam,
We thought to run a little in-house experiment at A Gluten Free Family given the latest new release from Woolworths with their Gluten Free Mud Cake.
We know Woolworths have an official ‘Free From Gluten’ range that the Chocolate Mud Cake falls under, but if we were to drop into our local Woolworths and Coles supermarkets here in regional NSW on a random weeknight, what would we find for value when it came to their cakes and dessert options?
Assessing Coles Gluten Free Cake and Treat Selections
The first port of call was the Coles gluten free cakes and treats section. Now we encourage you to visit your nearest store to see what they have on offer, because it will be different depending on your location and the time of day or night you drop in.
We review Coles’ GF cakes and cupcakes
What we could find was fairly extensive given what the supermarket advertises for in this range:
Coles Nature’s Kitchen Vegan Chocolate Cupcake 2 Pack ($4.40)
The Little Bakery Co. Vegan Chocolate Macaroons 6 Pack ($4.25)
While I was thankful to find a series of gluten free cakes and treats during a weeknight, the only two items I would be happy to come back and purchase from this entire collection would be the Chocolate Cupcake 2 Pack, which had delicious icing sugar, and the Macaroons, which go lovely with a cup of tea or coffee.
It must be said, the rest of the offerings are very dry and fairly bland, and while they’re accessible and mostly reasonably priced, they struggle to deliver any real incentive to be a return customer.
How Does Woolworths Compare to Coles for Gluten Free Treat Quality?
Woolworths do advertise a broader ‘Free From Gluten’ range that covers an array of grocery categories and types. However, the headline act for 2026 has clearly been their Gluten Free Chocolate Mud Cake release which had a huge amount of hype and conversation surrounding it with the coeliac and gluten free community.
What did we think of it? Well you can read our blog, watch our socials and listen to our podcast to see our honest verdict. Ben and I had a taste of the real thing to see if it lived up the anticipation, and it opened up a broader conversation about what our opinion says about the general offerings from major Aussie supermarket chains when it comes to gluten free cakes and treats.
What I came across in the aisles for Woolworths:
Woolworths gluten free treat under the microscope
Now what’s fascinating about the rest of the findings here is that Woolworths don’t appear to advertise the other items I found in-store through their online shop, including their gluten free choc chip muffins. Curious.
I came across The Brownie of Your Dreams brand with a very yummy but rich large slice of chocolate brownie, but survey their store and you will come across other options instead.
This includes the Free From Gluten Brownie Mix with Dark Chock Chips ($4.20), the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix ($8.00), and Kez’s Kitchen Fudge Chocolate Flourless Brownies ($8.30).
It’s a shame there isn’t a direct link here for the pre-made gluten free brownie, because it definitely trumps the rest of the options for taste, texture and general quality.
My general impression after a check of our local Coles and Woolworths here in the Southern Highlands of NSW showed me that Coles had more products in their gluten free cake, treat and dessert category, but Woolies trumped them for quality by a small margin.
The benefit of Coles is that their gluten free offerings much more aligned with their online shop selection, which makes it a lot easier for the customer to navigate. If I find something I love at Woolies but can’t find where to buy online, or how to recommend to anyone else, then what’s the point?
We’d LOVE to get your feedback on your gluten free experience across Woolworths and Coles. In fact, if you have strong suggestions one way or the other for ALDI, IGA, Harris Farm or other supermarkets and outlets across Australia, send us a DM via our socials or email hello@aglutenfreefamily.com.au to let the community know what you’re recommending, or what we need to avoid!
Why Independent Local Outlets Remain Your Best GF Treat Option
There are two competing schools of thought that are at play when reviewing gluten free dessert and treat options from major Australian supermarket chains. Given the sheer size and reach of these grocery monopolies, especially with the scope of their resources and accumulation of profit and market dominance, it can only serve in the gluten free community’s benefit to have them partner with GF chefs and creators to deliver more value.
Independent local outlets continue to deliver the best GF treats; image credits: Sebastien Sans Gluten, Hudson’s Bakery, Helen Tzouganatos, Celia Gercovich
But we’ve just had an assessment of their options to date, and their quality ventures from decent to under par.
Now, it’s no hidden secret where the actual quality is found with gluten free cakes, desserts and treats. It’s through independent local outlets and chefs who provide amazing homemade recipes. These operators are either gluten free and coeliacs themselves, or inherently understand the benefits and protocols of preparing gluten free food.
Four of them come to mind if you’re seeking the best of the best with coeliac-safe, gluten free treats:
These are just some of the independent small business experts who continue to showcase why they deserve support and investment from the gluten free community. We will highlight their qualities and spotlight others in this space.
If you’re preparing a birthday cake, an after dinner dessert for guests, want to bring something along to a party or event, or simply want to indulge your sweet tooth, this is where you’ll discover incredible delights or recipe ideas you can make at home.
Of course people’s budget and finances is a consideration here. If you can find a cheap GF treat at Woolies or Coles, why not settle for that? Especially if there’s time constraints, this may a better short-term option. The cost of gluten free food remains an ongoing conversation.
The fact remains that these dessert and treat options are not an everyday purchase, so if there’s a limit to your consumption of these treats, why not make it the best possible experience?
If your judgement is based on quality, taste and assurances around cross-contamination, you cannot look beyond people like Seb, Sandra, Helen and Celia for what they continue to provide.
The more we continue to back and support independent creators, then the message sent to the supermarket monopolies is clear: the gluten free community is fiercely loyal, committed and adamant that standards have to be better. There is no longer an acceptance that near enough is good enough.
For more local gluten free options that span other states, territories and countries, take note of our series A Gluten Free Guide that showcases local recommendations. There are some delicious finds that these writers have discovered, covering everywhere from Perth to Dunedin, Wollongong, Canberra, The Blue Mountains, Fiji, Sydney’s Northern Beaches and my own guide to the Whitsundays and Airlie Beach.
If you’re out and about and want to find some great gluten free desserts and treats on your travels, download the Find Me Gluten Free app to see user reviews and ratings. Use code gffam to save on your own premium subscription.
Thank you for reading these stories at A Gluten Free Family. If you would like to support the show and help us continue our work to improve awareness, education and make change in the world for coeliac disease and the gluten free diet, subscribe to our Buzzsprout.
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