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Gluten-Free Desserts

Azuki popscicle
Whether or not you have a sweet tooth, we all get that craving for something sugary from time to time. If you're like some of us, though, it feels like many dessert foods are just some version of flour and sugar that's then baked or fried and then painted with even more sugar. Don't get us wrong — those are super delicious — but sometimes this formula feels a bit… much. Especially for those of us who can't have gluten due to celiac disease! For both our gluten-free friends and those of us who sometimes just want a dessert that doesn't sit in our stomach like a cinder block, there's other choices.

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So, while eating only sweets for a day is a terrible idea that we at Uwajimaya in no way endorse, we can’t help but daydream about a day of feasting on just our favorite gluten-free desserts. Here’s how we’d do it:

If you’re a fan of donuts for breakfast, how about trading in those stodgy ones for Shirakiku Tofu Donuts. Even if you’re not usually a tofu fan, trust us here. They come in three flavors — sugar cane, matcha, and cinnamon — and unlike traditional donuts, aren’t so heavy where they’ll feel like a bag of rocks in your stomach afterward! Plus, since they’re made out of tofu, they actually have some nutritional value with protein and other minerals. They’re the perfect combination of light and sweet without being overpowering.

Shiarkiku Tofu Donuts

After the tofu donuts, we’d satisfy a mid-day sweetness mini-craving with Kibun Tropical Daifuku. Daifuku is a traditional Japanese sweet made of mochi stuffed with filling; Kibun’s tropical line comes in macadamia nut, mango, guava, kiwi, and pineapple flavors. While they might be an acquired texture at first if you’re unfamiliar, their chewy outside is oddly satisfying and the inside is a bite-sized burst of brightness.

Kibun Real Fruit Mochi

Then, if it’s a hot afternoon and you want something sweet and refreshing, we have Imuraya Azuki Bars. These are frozen treats that are like if popsicles were gourmet, creamy, and over-the-top delicious. For proof, this product is crazy popular. The Azuki Bar has been Japan’s best-selling frozen dessert for over 40 years! The Imuraya is ideal for those who gravitate towards the lightness of sweet red bean flavor.

Imuraya Azuki Bar

For your next dessert (your dessert’s dessert, if you will), we’d then go with Imuraya Yawamochi Ice, which we carry in original or matcha varieties. Similar to many of the above sweets, Yawamochi Ice makes something delicious out of mochi and sweetened red bean paste. It’s a fun parfait that layers those on top of the actual ice cream-y part. If you dip your spoon into just the top layers, it seems impossible that something frozen lives underneath. But, scooped out all together, it’s a mega-yummy trio. This combination fulfills your sweet tooth’s cravings and then goes a step further — it’s equal parts tasty flavor, satisfying texture, and refreshingly cool finish.

Imuraya Yawamochi Ice Cream

We’d end our gluten-free dessert feast day with Maeda-en Mochi Ice Cream. If you shop at Uwajimaya, we assume you already have eaten at least a million mochi ice creams in your life. Which, of course, means you know how great they are as a little treat whether by themselves or to top off a bigger meal. For that reason, we think they’d be the perfect ending to a whole day of desserts, like a boop on the nose of sweetness.

MaedaEn Mochi Ice Cream

And that’s how we’d do a glorious day of fresh desserts.