Ballston Spa bakery offers sugar-free, grain-free treats

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Britt Young started The Sweetish Chef in 2020 by selling her sugar-free, grain-free, and low carb products online and at farmer’s markets. In December 2021, she opened a storefront at 76 Front Street in Ballston Spa.

Young started the business in honor of her mother who passed away in September 2018 after some health issues. Her mother taught her about cooking and baking, and she was often called “The Swedish Chef,” in reference to “The Muppets.”

“So many details of the shop are in her honor,” said Young. “The logo itself is what she’d look like as a cartoon. My siblings and I laugh about it often. The orange tables and chairs inside are for her; orange was her favorite color. Much of the decor and furniture in the shop are things that were in my childhood home. My friends say stepping inside is seeing the personification of my soul.”

Young does all the baking herself, but is looking for people who are interested in learning how it’s done. All of The Sweetish Chef’s baked goods have no wheat, corn, oats, rice, or soy. Young uses almond flour and/or coconut flour as a base. She uses a monkfruit/erythritol blend as a sweetener. The treats are all natural and have no added colors of preservatives.

“In terms of eating grain-free and sugar-free, I try to never push anything on anyone,” said Young. “We all have different lifestyles and therefore need different ways to fuel them. Grains and sugar tend to be inflammatory in general, so it’s not always just about being lower carb. Many people with immune disorders and even cancer can benefit from having less grains and sugar in their diet.”

The Sweetish Chef offers everything bagels, coffee cake, donuts, cookies, cupcakes, brownies and much more. You can keep up to date on the shop’s offerings on The Sweetish Chef Facebook page.

Business has been good since she opened, said Young. Many people come looking for gluten-free products, or want something that is low carb and sugar-free. “It’s wonderful to be able to hear so many positive stories from customers who have made changes to their diets,” said Young. “It really warms my heart to know I’m helping people somehow.”

Young is looking to have her products in more stores around the area. You can currently find the The Sweetish Chef products at The Green Grocer in Clifton Park and Life Made Simple Boutique in Burnt Hills. Young would eventually love to open a second location.