When Life Gives You Gluten, Bake A Better Cookie with Carolyn Haeler

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A bad cookie changed everything. When our guest, Mightylicious founder and CEO Carolyn Haeler, was blindsided by celiac disease, she didn’t just swap pasta for salad—she rebuilt how gluten free cookies are made, from flour particle size to protein balance. What started as a health crisis became a masterclass in food science and a blueprint for turning frustration into a beloved national brand.

We dig into the diagnosis that flipped her life overnight and the hidden gluten that trips up even careful eaters: caramel color in sodas and vinegar, cross-contaminated spices, fermented sauces, and preservatives in deli meats. Carolyn breaks down why so many gluten free products disappoint—grit from rice milled for cooking, bitter aftertastes from ancient grains, pale bakes with no caramelization—and how a custom milled rice flour and whole milk powder restored structure, browning, and flavor without the telltale “GF” compromise. Her brown butter chocolate chip opened doors at Whole Foods, but the real story is what it took to scale consistent quality in a certified gluten free world where one mistake can send 600 pounds of dough to the bin.

If you’re navigating celiac or gluten intolerance, you’ll get practical strategies for eating well at home and on the road, plus a candid look at the tradeoffs behind price and ingredients. If you’re a builder at heart, you’ll hear how Carolyn financed growth, sourced scarce inputs through droughts and cocoa spikes, and found the right manufacturing partners to keep standards high. We also spotlight the product lineup—seven flavors, with the vegan, non-GMO oatmeal coconut winning fans who never expected to prefer it to chocolate chip.

Press play to learn how science, persistence, and taste buds can coexist—and why solving your own problem might just serve thousands more. If this story resonates, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who loves a good cookie comeback.

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