About Us

J. Crawford Fine Desserts was born during what was arguably the worst year for humanity in recent history, 2020. I know what you’re thinking – “Why on earth would anyone start a business in the middle of a pandemic that is taking down hundreds of thousands of small businesses just like yours?” To put it simply, when one door closes, another one opens.

The inspiration for J. Crawford goes back to my fifteen year-old self refusing to accept that celiac disease and a milk allergy would stop me from being able to bake like Buddy Valastro from Cake Boss. If you haven’t already guessed, I was obsessed with the show.

At the time, the gluten and dairy-free options that existed tasted like cardboard and crumbled in my hands. Or, they would turn into hockey pucks. There was no in-between, even with recipes from reputable food and beverage magazines. I’m sure those that baked gluten-free before it was trendy know what I’m talking about! Eventually, I came to find one brand of chocolate cake mix that worked pretty well and a dairy-free buttercream recipe that didn’t immediately separate. That first cake wasn’t pretty, but it worked.

DON’T WORRY, IT GOT BETTER.

I’m happy to say that my desserts have gotten much better since that first cake. Not only are there plenty of new and improved substitute ingredients on the market, but I have had the opportunity to work in professional allergen-friendly bakeries and study the chemistry of baking. I realized that the skeptics are right – gluten and dairy-free baking doesn’t work… if you use conventional baking methods. You can’t simply replace regular flour with gluten-free flour, or milk with coconut milk and call it a day. Baking is a chemical phenomenon, and without the staple ingredients of wheat and dairy, “normal” recipes fall apart. Through trial and error, I came up with my own ratios and methods of allergen-friendly baking, along with a bunch of recipes that made me feel like I could truly enjoy dessert again.

When the pandemic hit, society was suddenly flung 5 years into the future. While adapting to curbside pickup and delivery was difficult for retail-based operations, the sky was the limit with an e-commerce based businesses. When I realized that customers could also save money, time, and retail food waste with this model, I was sold. In the next five years, with the help of an incredible team, my mission is to make gluten free treats accessible, taste amazing, convenient, and sustainable. We want everyone to be able to thoroughly enjoy the desserts they once loved, or never had the chance to try. People with food allergies still deserve to indulge their cravings once in a while. They deserve J. Crawford Fine Desserts.