Starbucks Gluten-Free Survival Guide: Avoiding Gluten Like a Pro

Q: Does Starbucks offer any gluten-free menu items?

Starbucks doesn't operate a certified gluten-free kitchen, so there will be cross-contamination, but there are a handful of pre-packaged snacks that don't contain gluten and wheat, and their massive drinks menu - coffee, tea, or blended beverages - are mostly gluten-free, too.

Q: Are Starbucks' drinks safe for celiacs or for anyone with severe gluten allergies?

All of Starbucks' brewed coffees, espressos, teas, refreshers, lemonades, and blended drinks, if they don't come with cookie or pastry mix-ins, typically contain no wheat or gluten ingredients. However, be wary of cross-contact via shared steam wands, syrup pumps, and blenders.

Q: Which food items can celiacs order at Starbucks?

Their selection of Egg Bites dishes, in addition to most of their pre-packaged snacks, as well as the Avocado Spread, is generally safe for celiacs or anyone suffering from severe allergies to gluten. Everything else, however, like their selection of sandwiches, wraps, baked goods, or in-store pastries, is all made from wheat flour and isn't safe for celiacs.

Q: Are Starbucks' breakfast and bakery items gluten-free?

No. All of Starbucks' sandwiches, wraps, bagels, croissants, Danishes, loaves, muffins, scones, and cookies use wheat-flour dough and share ovens and prep surfaces. Even the oatmeal and Potato Bakes are also prepped on shared equipment, posing a pretty high cross-contact risk.

Q: How can I minimize gluten cross-contact at Starbucks?

First off, make sure you let the barista know that you have celiac disease, and you can also ask for fresh gloves, clean equipment and utensils, as well as clean prep stations. When ordering a drink, it might also be worth asking your barista to use new cups, wipe down the steam wands, and clean the syrup pumps, which ought to further reduce any cross-contact risks.

Published by Becky | Last updated 26th May, 2025

Explore Starbucks gluten-free menu options, including safe drinks and snacks, with tips to avoid hidden gluten.

While celiacs and folks with gluten intolerances typically get the short end of the stick when it comes to most restaurants and eateries, cafés and coffee shops tend to be somewhat safe! ☕

Of course, you should avoid their baked breads, buns, and doughnuts like the plague, but a hot cup of Joe or a chilly cold brew isn’t likely going to stir up your gluten allergies. 🍩🥯🥪

starbucks gluten-free

Not only is your typical Starbucks café environment super comfy, but best of all for celiacs such as myself, their handcrafted drinks – lattes, teas, and refreshers – are naturally free of gluten.

More than that, they even have loads of wheat-free and gluten-friendly snacks, candy bars, fruit slices, and oatmeal cups, ensuring that you still have something to eat while you’re there! 🥣

However, while that sounds great, the usual Starbucks kitchen uses shared blenders, toasters, and prep stations, meaning that cross-contact is always something to take a second look at. 🍞

So, to help you figure out what you can or can’t safely eat, whether you have celiac disease, or if you have gluten allergies or intolerances, our Starbucks gluten-free menu guide is here to help!

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

Now, it’s worth bearing in mind that Starbucks doesn’t operate a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, so there’s a risk of cross-contamination that you should think twice about before ordering. ❗

All of their drinks and unpackaged food items are prepped on shared equipment, such as steam wands, blenders, panini presses, and counters, which also handle wheat-based items. 🌾

Alas, as much as I’m salivating at the thought of biting into Starbucks’ massive variety of bakery items, as well as their breakfast or lunch sandwiches, and paninis, they’re made with wheat!

So, while Starbucks’ packaged snacks and drinks don’t technically contain any gluten by recipe or ingredients, Starbucks doesn’t test any menu item to meet the FDA’s <20 ppm threshold.

This means that even those ‘safe’ menu items might have a chance to pick up trace gluten and wheat during preparation, including other things you need to look out for; i.e., barley and rye.

For the purposes of our Starbucks gluten-free guide, then, since they do not have any ‘certified’ gluten-free items, you really should treat these more like gluten-friendly or gluten-sensitive.

For celiacs like me, I need to be extra careful with these, but depending on how severe your gluten allergy or intolerance might be, you might want to approach these with caution, too! ⚠️

Starbucks Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

Unlike the many other restaurants, fast food chains, bakeries, casual dining eateries, and cafés that I’ve looked at in the past, Starbucks doesn’t have a dedicated nutrition or allergen guide.

Their website does have a couple of interesting PDFs, including this ‘Food Health Wellness Fact Sheet’ PDF file, which lists a handful of gluten-free menu items at Starbucks locations. 🍫

However, without a dedicated webpage or a huge list that shows the nutritional info as well as allergens for every single menu item, your only option is to check each item one by one. ✍📝

So, that is exactly what I did. You’re welcome…

When checking out any specific menu item on the official Starbucks Menu page – be it drinks or foods – scroll down a bit to find the ‘Full Nutrition & Ingredients List’, below a short overview.

Clicking that button opens up a new page, where you can find a pretty useful breakdown of the following:

An ingredients list, where Starbucks would list down every single ingredient used for that menu item, including stuff like wheat flour, which is what celiacs or folks with gluten allergies need to look out for. You could also filter down this ingredients list for any other allergens, as well!
Additionally, below the ingredients list, there is a handy allergens section, where Starbucks will list down whether this specific menu item that you’re checking out contains any of the 9 major allergens that are classified by the FDA, including wheat, which is a no-no for celiacs like me.
Next to that is a detailed nutrition list, which is less helpful if you’re a celiac or if you’re allergic to gluten, but I still think it’s nice to read the nutritional info for what I’m ordering, like protein, fat, carbs, calories, cholesterol, sugar, fiber, caffeine, and loads more for you to consider.

Anyway, with that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at our Starbucks gluten-free menu to figure out what celiacs and folks with gluten allergies can safely order at Starbucks!

Hot Coffee

We’re starting off our Starbucks gluten-free guide strong, quite literally, not just with the most commonplace stuff you could order from Starbucks, and they’re all gluten-free, too! ☕🍵

Okay, I’ll quit the puns!

Starbucks’ hot coffee line-up offers you a strong dose of caffeine, and they are naturally free of any gluten ingredients, with no wheat, barley, or rye to hide inside these tasty brews. 🌾🚫

✅ Blonde Roast – Sunsera
✅ Medium Roast – Pike Place Roast
✅ Dark Roast – Sumatra
✅ Dark Roast – Caffè Verona
✅ Decaf Roast – Pike Place Roast
✅ Caffè Misto
✅ Caffè Americano
✅ Caffè Latte
✅ Cinnamon Dolce Latte
✅ Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte
✅ Lavender Oatmilk Latte
✅ Cappuccino
✅ Caffè Mocha
✅ White Chocolate Mocha
✅ Espresso Macchiato
✅ Caramel Macchiato
✅ Flat White
✅ Cortado
✅ Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado
✅ Espresso
✅ Espresso Con Panna

For a bit of context, let’s break down each of these hot coffee beverages to figure out how they stack up in our Starbucks gluten-free shortlist:

Blonde Roast – Sunsera / Medium Roast – Pike Place Roast / Dark Roast – Sumatra / Dark Roast – Caffè Verona / Decaf Pike Place Roast: These are just 100% Arabica beans and water, and they contain no gluten by recipe, though the beans and grounds rest near pastry cases.

Caffè Misto: Half-brewed coffee, half-steamed milk, and the dairy is the only allergen, though ensure that the steam wand is wiped, just to be extra safe.

Caffè Americano: Espresso shots topped with hot water, and though you won’t find any gluten ingredients here, the portafilter handles all espresso drinks.

Caffè Latte / Cinnamon Dolce Latte / Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte / Lavender Oatmilk Latte: Espresso plus steamed dairy or oat milk (and syrups), but do bear in mind that the syrup pumps sit near to other flavor pumps, so consider asking your barista for a clean pump.

Cappuccino: Equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam, but watch out for the steam wand, and make sure it’s cleaned after foamier drinks, in case you’re concerned about cross-contact.

Caffè Mocha / White Chocolate Mocha: Espresso with mocha or white chocolate sauce made from cocoa and sugar, and while there are no gluten ingredients, the pumps are shared.

Espresso Macchiato: Espresso marked with milk foam, but the same cross-contact risks at the steam wand carry over from earlier, so be on the lookout if you’re extremely sensitive to wheat or gluten.

Caramel Macchiato: Espresso, milk, and caramel drizzle, though the caramel sauce may pick up pastry residue from shared pumps. It’s one other thing to be worried about if you’re a celiac, or if you’re highly allergic and intolerant to gluten.

Flat White: Ristretto shots with steamed whole milk, and while there are no gluten ingredients naturally included, the same steam wand cross-contact risk applies here, too.

Cortado / Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado: Equal parts espresso and steamed milk or oatmilk with brown sugar syrup, and while that brown sugar syrup is gluten-free, the pump’s close proximity to other syrups warrants at least some caution.

Espresso / Espresso Con Panna: Straight shots or topped with whipped cream, though the whipped cream nozzle is used for other toppings, so ask for a fresh dipper, especially if you have celiacs or if you have severe gluten allergies.

However, it’s worth remembering that each handcrafted hot coffee drink is made using shared steam wands, espresso machines, and counters, which might’ve handled wheat before that.

This might include anything from handling flavored syrups to pastry dust and bread, so there’s a decent risk of cross-contamination that you’ll have to think about before ordering! 🍪🍔🥪

Cold Coffee

Alternatively, if you’re up for something a bit chillier to cool you down on a hot summer’s day, but still give you that kick of caffeine, the Starbucks gluten-free menu has cold coffee, too! ❄️

Best of all, at least for celiacs like me or for anyone out there with gluten allergies, the entire Starbucks cold coffee selection is completely gluten-free by recipe and ingredients. ☕🧊

✅ Cold Brew
✅ Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
✅ Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
✅ Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
✅ Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
✅ Nondairy Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
✅ Cold Brew with Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
✅ Nondairy Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
✅ Nitro Cold Brew
✅ Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew
✅ Iced Coffee
✅ Iced Coffee Clover Vertical
✅ Iced Shaken Espresso
✅ Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
✅ Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
✅ Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
✅ Iced Espresso
✅ Iced Caffè Americano
✅ Iced Caffè Latte
✅ Iced Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Latte
✅ Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte
✅ Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte
✅ Iced Caffè Mocha
✅ Iced White Chocolate Mocha
✅ Iced Caramel Macchiato
✅ Iced Flat White

As we did with their hot coffees, let’s break apart these cold coffee drinks to see why they’re a good match for our Starbucks gluten-free shortlist:

Cold Brew / Nitro Cold Brew: Slow-steeped coffee served over ice (or nitrogen-infused), with no gluten ingredients mentioned, though they are served from dedicated taps near the other cold drinks – watch out for cross-contamination here!

Sweet & Cream Variants (Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Chocolate): Cold Brew topped with flavored cream, but the syrup and cream dispensers share space with other flavorings, so request clean pumps from your barista, in case you’re concerned about cross-contamination.

Nondairy Versions: It’s the same recipes with oat milk or plant-based cream, and equally, you won’t find any gluten in the plant milks, but the stirrers and the pitchers are shared, and this may pose a cross-contamination risk.

Iced Coffee / Iced Coffee Clover Vertical: Brewed coffee over ice, and it’s just coffee and water, while the Clover version is hand-pulled, but it shares ice scoops (a tiny bit of cross-contact risk there).

Iced Shaken Espresso & Flavored Shaken Espressos: Espresso shots shaken with ice, water, and any flavored syrup, though let me remind you that the syrup pumps are shared, so be sure you ask for a clean pump from the barista.

Iced Espresso / Americano / Latte / Caffè Mocha / White Chocolate Mocha / Caramel Macchiato: These espresso-based drinks come with milk and/or syrup, and while there are no gluten ingredients here, just watch the pitcher and pump for any cross-contact.

Iced Flat White / Blonde Vanilla / Cinnamon Dolce / Lavender Oatmilk Lattes: Espresso combined with milk or oat milk and flavored syrups, though it comes with the same cross-contact precautions at the steam and the pump stations.

Most of these cold coffees contain only Arabica beans, water, milk, oat milk, and syrups, but remember that cross-contamination might still occur, just like the hot coffees from earlier. 🥤

Every cold drink is built at stations near pastry cases, and they use shared pitchers, pumps, and shakers, so stay vigilant for any cross-contamination with wheat or gluten-filled items. 🌾🥐

Hot Tea

On the other hand, if coffee has a bit too much caffeine for you or if it might not suit your taste buds, the Starbucks gluten-free menu has a nice variety of hot tea and tea latte offerings! 🍵

Plus, these hot tea drinks don’t contain gluten by ingredients or by recipe, as they are basically just tea leaves or powders, some water, and dairy or plant milk, with no wheat, barley, or rye.

✅ Chai Latte
✅ Matcha Latte
✅ London Fog Latte
✅ Honey Citrus Mint Tea
✅ Royal English Breakfast Tea
✅ Emperor’s Clouds & Mist Tea
✅ Mint Majesty Tea
✅ Earl Grey Tea
✅ Chamomile Mint Blossom Tea

To figure out what these teas are made of and to figure out how they compare in our Starbucks gluten-free menu, let’s take a closer look at each one:

Chai Latte: Black tea concentrate, steamed milk, and foam, with no gluten ingredients, though steam wand cross-contact is possible, and something worth being careful about.

Matcha Latte: Ceremonial-grade matcha powder whisked with steamed milk, and while there’s no wheat or gluten here, the pitcher may touch dairy-based foam, in case you’re allergic to any dairy.

London Fog Latte: Earl Grey tea concentrate with vanilla syrup and steamed milk, though the vanilla syrup pumps sit near other flavor pumps, some of which may contain wheat or gluten.

Honey Citrus Mint Tea: A tisane blend of mint, lemon verbena, and honey, which is brewed in tea kettles near the other drinks, so it might be worth being extra cautious, particularly if you are highly sensitive to gluten.

Royal English Breakfast Tea / Earl Grey Tea / Emperor’s Clouds & Mist Tea / Mint Majesty Tea / Chamomile Mint Blossom Tea: Loose-leaf or bagged teas brewed in hot water, with no gluten ingredients, but the infusers and the tongs share space with other bakery items.

As much as you might be tempted to order Starbucks gluten-free hot teas without a second thought, do remember to be on the lookout for any cross-contamination, just like the other drinks here.

Every hot tea drink is prepped on shared steam wands, kettles, and counters near pastry cases, so cross-contact with wheat and gluten-containing menu items might still happen. 🥯🥧🌾

Cold Tea

Ah, and if you’re not in the mood for hot tea, the Starbucks gluten-free menu has a pretty nice variety of cold tea drinks; everything from iced tea to tea-latte mixes, and they’re celiac-safe!

These are just tea, water, milk or oatmilk, and syrups, with no wheat or gluten ingredients, but cross-contamination – as I mentioned earlier – should be something to bear in mind. 🍵🧊❄️

✅ Iced Chai Latte
✅ Iced Matcha Latte
✅ Iced London Fog Latte
✅ Iced Cherry Chai Latte
✅ Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha
✅ Iced Black Tea
✅ Iced Black Tea Lemonade
✅ Iced Green Tea
✅ Iced Green Tea Lemonade
✅ Iced Peach Green Tea
✅ Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade
✅ Iced Passion Tango Tea
✅ Iced Passion Tango Tea Lemonade
✅ Matcha Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage

Let’s take a closer peek at each of these cold teas to see how they compare in the Starbucks gluten-free menu:

Iced Chai Latte: Black tea concentrate, chai spices, shaken with ice and milk, with no gluten ingredients, but the syrup pumps are shared, so be sure to request a clean pump from your barista, especially if you’re super-sensitive to gluten.

Iced Matcha Latte: Stone-ground matcha whisked and shaken over ice with milk or oatmilk, and while there’s no gluten here, the pitcher and the shaker are shared.

Iced London Fog Latte: Earl Grey tea concentrate, vanilla syrup, and milk over ice, but these vanilla pumps sit near other syrups, so ask for a clean pump from the barista, particularly if you’re a celiac or if you’re highly intolerant to gluten.

Iced Cherry Chai Latte: Chai concentrate mixed with cherry syrup, ice, and milk, and both the concentrates are gluten-free, yet cross-contact with the pump is possible.

Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha: Matcha, lavender syrup, and oatmilk shaken over ice, and there are no wheat ingredients, but watch out for the syrup station for contamination.

Iced Black / Green / Peach Green / Passion Tango Teas (and their Lemonades): Brewed tea blended with ice, water, and some optional lemonade, and there are no gluten ingredients, though confirm the cleanliness of the ice scoop.

Matcha Crème Frappuccino: Matcha blend, milk, and ice puréed in a shared blender, and while there’s no gluten in the ingredients, the blender cross-contact with cookie-based Frappé flavors is likely, and might pose a problem for celiacs or anyone who’s highly intolerant of gluten.

Remember, these Starbucks gluten-free cold teas are mixed at stations near pastry cases, and they also use shared pitchers, pumps, shakers, and prep surfaces, with a risk of contamination. 🌾

Refreshers

For something a bit refreshing, the Refreshers in the Starbucks gluten-free menu have a massive selection of fruit juices, green coffee extract, and lemonade bases, and they’re gluten-free! 🥤

✅ Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Refresher
✅ Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher
✅ Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher
✅ Blackberry Sage Lemonade Refresher
✅ Pink Drink
✅ Summer Skies Drink
✅ Dragon Drink
✅ Midnight Drink
✅ Strawberry Açaí Refresher
✅ Summer-Berry Refresher
✅ Mango Dragonfruit Refresher
✅ Blackberry Sage Refresher

Let’s see what these Refreshers are made of, and why I’d comfortably fit them into my personal Starbucks gluten-free list:

Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Refresher: Strawberry açaí base, water, lemonade, and freeze-dried strawberries, with no gluten ingredients, though the pump handles share space with the other flavorings and shared equipment.

Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher: Kiwi starfruit base with lemonade, and the fruit powders and lemonade mix contain no wheat, but ensure that the scoop and the shaker are clean after use, especially if you’re highly sensitive to gluten.

Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher: Mango dragon fruit base plus lemonade, and there’s no gluten in the recipe or ingredients, but the powder dispensers sit near other powders, which might contain trace gluten or wheat.

Blackberry Sage Lemonade Refresher: Blackberry sage base with lemonade, and the herb and fruit extracts contain no gluten, yet shared dispensers pose at least some cross-contact risk.

Pink Drink: Strawberry açaí base shaken with coconut milk, with no gluten ingredients, but the coconut milk pitcher may touch dairy-based lines, so watch out if you’re allergic to dairy!

Summer Skies Drink: Mango dragon fruit base shaken with lemonade and coconut milk, with no wheat here either, but the same cross-contact concerns with the shaker still apply.

Dragon Drink: Mango dragon fruit base with coconut milk, and while there are no gluten and wheat ingredients, ensure that the shaker is wiped clean to minimize cross-contamination.

Midnight Drink: Dragonfruit and blueberry flavors with coconut milk, and there’s no gluten in the base, but watch for any cross-contact at the ice station.

Strawberry Açaí / Summer-Berry / Mango Dragonfruit / Blackberry Sage Refreshers: Fruit-based drinks shaken with water, with no gluten ingredients, but the pump and the shaker might pose some risk of cross-contamination.

Of course, do remember that as with any Starbucks drink, these Refreshers are mixed at drinks stations that sit near syrups and blenders, so watch out for cross-contamination! 🍓🍋🥭

Frappuccino Blended Beverage

While much of the Starbucks gluten-free drinks menu is already decadent enough, just wait till you try out their Frappuccino blend coffee or crème bases with ice, milk, and mix-ins. 🍦🍨🍧

⚠️Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino Blended Beverage
❌ Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Caramel Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Mocha Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Coffee Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème
✅ Strawberry Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Matcha Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage
✅ Lavender Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage

With that out of the way, let’s see why most of these drinks are a superb fit for our Starbucks gluten-free shortlist:

Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino: Coffee Frappé base with layers of dark caramel sauce and crunchy caramel sugar topping, though the blender cross-contact with cookie blends is high, so celiacs and folks with severe gluten allergies should ideally avoid it.

Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino: Coffee Frappé base with mocha sauce and Oreo cookie pieces, making this the only drink here that’s 100% unsafe for celiacs, as these cookie pieces contain wheat flour and are added via shared blenders, too.

Caramel Frappuccino: Coffee Frappé base with caramel syrup swirled throughout, and while there are no gluten ingredients, the caramel syrup pumps share space with other flavorings.

Mocha Frappuccino: Coffee Frappé base blended with mocha sauce, and the mocha sauce is gluten-free by recipe, yet the blenders are shared.

Coffee Frappuccino: Coffee, milk, and ice, also with no gluten ingredients, though the blender and container still share some cross-contamination risk.

Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino: Vanilla bean–powder blend, milk, and ice, and once again, there are no wheat ingredients, but since they use the same shared blender, cross-contact is possible.

Strawberry Crème Frappuccino: Strawberry puree and crème base with ice, and the puree and the base contain no gluten either, though blender cross-contact is possible.

Matcha Crème Frappuccino: Matcha green tea powder, milk, and ice, and while there are no gluten ingredients, watch out for the blender for contamination.

Lavender Crème Frappuccino: Lavender syrup, milk, and ice, and while the syrup is gluten-free by recipe, blender cross-contact applies here, too, sadly.

And, great news – almost all of these blends contain no gluten ingredients, but they’re whipped up in shared blenders with cookies or cake-based Frappé flavors, so cross-contact is likely! 🍪

Hot Chocolate, Lemonade & More

If neither tea nor coffee is something your taste buds desire, the Starbucks gluten-free menu is filled with a ton of other drinks, from hot chocolate to lemonade and just plain milk. ☕🍫🍋

On the bright side, these are made from gluten-free ingredients, including cocoa powder, milk, fruit juices, and syrups, making them a great choice for celiacs and folks allergic to gluten! 🥛

✅ Hot Chocolate
✅ Lemonade
✅ Blended Strawberry Lemonade
✅ Cold Milk
✅ Steamed Milk
✅ Vanilla Crème
✅ Steamed Apple Juice
✅ Caramel Apple Spice

To be extra sure these are safe and a good pick for the Starbucks gluten-free menu, let’s take a look at what each one is made of:

Hot Chocolate: Steamed milk blended with cocoa powder and mocha sauce, topped with some whipped cream, and it comes with no gluten ingredients, but the whipped cream nozzle might touch other toppings.

Lemonade: Fresh-squeezed lemonade, with no gluten here, yet the dispenser sits alongside the tea and Refresher stations, so there might be some cross-contamination there.

Blended Strawberry Lemonade: Lemonade purée blended with ice and strawberry puree, with no wheat ingredients, but once again, blender cross-contact is possible here, too.

Cold Milk / Steamed Milk: Plain dairy milk, hot or cold, and it’s naturally gluten-free, but the steam wand and the pitcher might come with some cross-contact risk with flavored drinks.

Vanilla Crème: Steamed milk with vanilla syrup, and remember that the syrup pumps share space with other flavored pumps, posing another cross-contamination risk.

Steamed Apple Juice: Heated apple juice, with no gluten ingredients, but the kettle sits near other hot drinks, so be on the watch if you’re allergic to anything there.

Caramel Apple Spice: Steamed apple juice with cinnamon syrup and caramel drizzle, but the drizzle pump sits near other sauce pumps, so bear that in mind.

As always, let this be a reminder that every drink here is steamed, blended, or poured at drinks stations near pastry cases and syrup pumps, with a tiny risk of cross-contamination. 🍪🍫🥛

Bottled Beverages

Oh, and if you need something to drink while you’re on the go, you can quickly fetch a few nice bottled drinks from the Starbucks gluten-free menu, and these are all celiac-safe, as well! 🥤

✅ Ethos Water
✅ Spindrift Lemon Sparkling Water
✅ Spindrift Raspberry Lime Sparkling Water
✅ DASANI Water
✅ Hawai‘i Volcanic Water
✅ Koia Cacao Bean Protein Shake
✅ Koia Vanilla Bean Protein Shake
✅ Horizon Organic Low-Fat Chocolate Milk
✅ Horizon Organic Low-Fat Milk
✅ Sol-ti GINGER SuperShot
✅ Sol-ti TURMERIC SuperShot
✅ Evolution Fresh Pure Orange
✅ Evolution Fresh Organic Defense Up
✅ Evolution Fresh Organic Super Fruit Greens
✅ Tree Top Organic Apple Juice
✅ Olipop Classic Root Beer
✅ Olipop Classic Grape
✅ Starbucks Iced Energy Blueberry Lemonade
✅ Starbucks Iced Energy Tropical Peach
✅ Starbucks Tripleshot Energy Rich Vanilla

Let’s break these down more to see why these are an awesomely safe choice for my Starbucks gluten-free list:

Ethos Water / DASANI Water / Hawai‘i Volcanic Water: Purified or spring water in sealed bottles, with no gluten, and there’s minimal handling, too.

Spindrift Sparkling Waters: Carbonated water with real fruit juice, with no gluten ingredients, and once again, it’s factory-sealed, with minimal cross-contact risks.

Koia Protein Shakes (Cacao & Vanilla Bean): Plant-based protein blended with almond milk and flavors, with no gluten ingredients, and they come in sealed bottles.

Horizon Organic Milks: Low-fat or chocolate, dairy-based, with no gluten ingredients, though verify that these are 100% gluten-free on the carton with the barista.

Sol-ti SuperShots (Ginger & Turmeric): Concentrated root extracts, with no gluten, and they come in factory-sealed glass bottles.

Evolution Fresh Juices (Pure Orange, Defense Up, Super Fruit Greens): 100% cold-pressed juices, with no gluten ingredients, and they also come with sealed bottles.

Tree Top Organic Apple Juice: Organic apple juice with no gluten comes inside a sealed carton with minimal risks of cross-contamination.

Olipop Sodas (Root Beer & Grape): Prebiotic sodas made with plant extracts, and once again, there are no gluten ingredients, and they come in sealed cans or bottles.

Starbucks Iced Energy & Tripleshot Energy: Ready-to-drink cold brew with B-vitamins, with no gluten ingredients, and it comes in factory-sealed cans.

Since Starbucks’ bottled drinks and grab-and-go juices are sealed at the factory, and there’s no on-site prep, these ought to be a lot safer for celiacs or anyone who’s allergic to gluten. 🌾🚫

Breakfast

Finally, we get to the delectable food sections of the Starbucks gluten-free menu, and it’s a bit more complicated here than their drinks, which, as we’ve looked at earlier, are generally safe.

Starbucks’ breakfast lineup is a mix of sandwiches, wraps, egg bites, bakes, and tasty oatmeal. However, every single sandwich and wrap here uses wheat-based bread or tortillas! 🥪🥙🌯

❌ Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich
❌ Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich
❌ Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich
❌ Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich
❌ Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich
❌ Impossible Breakfast Sandwich
✅ Avocado Spread
❌ Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap
❌ Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap
✅ Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites
✅ Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites
✅ Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites
⚠️ Potato, Cheddar & Chive Bakes
⚠️ Rolled & Steel-Cut Oatmeal
⚠️ Berry Trio Parfait

Let’s take a closer look at some of these breakfast staples to see why they didn’t make it into our Starbucks gluten-free menu:

Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich: Pesto, egg, and mozzarella on a ciabatta roll, which does contain wheat in the bread, and it’s then handled on shared toasters too, making it unsafe for celiacs or folks with severe gluten allergies.

Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich / Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich / Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich / Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich / Impossible Breakfast Sandwich: All of these use wheat-flour English muffins, croissants, or brioche buns, making them 100% completely unsafe for celiacs or anyone with severe gluten allergies.

Avocado Spread: Sliced avocado with lemon juice and seasonings, and there are no gluten ingredients in the recipe, though it’s scooped from a shared prep station, so watch out for any cross-contamination.

Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap / Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap: Flour tortilla–based wraps, and regardless of the individual ingredients inside, these are unsafe due to the wheat flour-based tortilla wraps.

Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites / Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites / Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites: Sous-vide egg-and-cheese bites made without wheat ingredients, and they’re also gluten-free by recipe, though these are prepared alongside other items on shared trays, so they might come with some cross-contamination risk.

Potato, Cheddar & Chive Bakes: Diced potatoes, cheddar, and chives are baked in oil, and there’s no wheat in the ingredients, but they’re cooked on shared baking sheets, so you may have to be a bit cautious when it comes to any cross-contamination.

Rolled & Steel-Cut Oatmeal: Oats, water or milk, and toppings, and while there are no added gluten ingredients, these are nevertheless dispensed from shared racks and scoops, so I am a bit worried about fairly excessive cross-contamination.

Berry Trio Parfait: Layers of yogurt, berry compote, and granola, though I would advise you to double-check the granola, as some of them may contain wheat flour, making these unsafe.

To be super clear, while some of the breakfast items here might be gluten-free by recipe, they are made using shared equipment, so watch out for any cross-contamination! 🥓🍳🧀🍄

Bakery

Unfortunately, while the Starbucks gluten-free pastry and bakery display might be tempting, every item here is made from enriched wheat flour and is baked alongside other gluten-containing pastries. 🌾

❌ Vanilla Bean Custard Danish
❌ Baked Apple Croissant
❌ Ham & Swiss Croissant
❌ Butter Croissant
❌ Chocolate Croissant
❌ Cheese Danish
❌ Turkey Sage Danish
❌ Banana, Walnut & Pecan Loaf
❌ Iced Lemon Loaf
❌ Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf
❌ Cinnamon Coffee Cake
❌ Blueberry Streusel Muffin
❌ Double Chocolate Brownie
❌ Petite Vanilla Bean Scone
❌ Plain Bagel
❌ Everything Bagel

While it’s a clear-cut conclusion, let’s break down these pastries and bakery dishes to figure out why they didn’t make it into the Starbucks gluten-free menu:

Vanilla Bean Custard Danish: Flaky wheat-based pastry filled with custard, baked in shared ovens with all other items, making this completely unsafe.

Baked Apple Croissant / Ham & Swiss Croissant / Butter Croissant / Chocolate Croissant: Laminated wheat doughs with various fillings or coatings, then baked on the same trays, making these, once again, unsafe for celiacs or if you’re highly allergic to gluten.

Cheese Danish / Turkey Sage Danish: Wheat flour–based Danishes flavored with cheese or sage, sharing prep surfaces, and it’s just as unsafe as the other pastries here.

Banana, Walnut & Pecan Loaf / Iced Lemon Loaf / Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf: Quick breads made from wheat flour and nuts or seeds, sliced on shared equipment.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake: Wheat-flour cake with cinnamon streusel, baked in communal pans, and once again, it’s hazardous for celiacs or anyone with severe gluten allergies.

Blueberry Streusel Muffin: Wheat muffin batter studded with berries and streusel topping, making this another dangerous landmine for celiacs.

Double Chocolate Brownie: Chocolate brownie square made with wheat flour and cocoa, handled alongside other baked goods, so it’s not safe for celiacs.

Petite Vanilla Bean Scone: Small wheat scone infused with vanilla bean, baked on shared trays, which, once more, makes this a no-go for celiacs.

Plain Bagel / Everything Bagel: Boiled and baked wheat bagels, which not only contain gluten and wheat, but in addition, they share bagel ovens and slicers, so they’re extra unsafe.

That said, even if you eliminate cross-contact completely, there’s not a single celiac-safe pastry here, so you’re better off walking across the street to find a gluten-free bakery! 🥐🥯🍞🧁

Lunch

Once you’re done with breakfast, you might want to check out the Starbucks gluten-free lunch menu, too! Sadly, the entire lunch menu is filled with tons of wheat and gluten! 🥪🍳

Starbucks’ lunch offerings span warm sandwiches and grab-and-go protein boxes, though each sandwich here uses wheat-based bread, and there are no gluten-free substitutes. 🍖🌶️

Meanwhile, all their protein boxes contain an assortment of mostly wheat-free and gluten-free items, but they also come with a side of wheat crackers or breads, so they’re not safe, either!

❌ Crispy Grilled Cheese on Sourdough
❌ Ham & Swiss on Baguette
❌ Turkey, Provolone & Pesto on Ciabatta
❌ Tomato & Mozzarella on Focaccia
❌ Spicy Falafel Pocket
❌ Jalapeño Chicken Pocket
❌ Eggs & Gouda Protein Box
❌ Cheese Trio Protein Box
❌ Cheddar & Uncured Salami Protein Box
❌ Eggs & Cheddar Protein Box
❌ Cheese & Fruit Protein Box

Let’s see why these didn’t make it into my Starbucks gluten-free shortlist, and why they’re not safe for celiacs:

Crispy Grilled Cheese on Sourdough: Melted cheddar on toasted sourdough, which contains wheat in the bread, and it also shares panini presses, posing a severe cross-contact risk.

Ham & Swiss on Baguette: Black forest ham and Swiss cheese in a wheat baguette, which is unsafe for celiacs and anyone allergic to gluten due to the bread and the shared slicers.

Turkey, Provolone & Pesto on Ciabatta: Oven-roasted turkey, provolone, and pesto on ciabatta roll, which contains wheat in the ingredients, and it likely shared ovens, too.

Tomato & Mozzarella on Focaccia: Fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil on focaccia bread, and it’s unsafe due to the wheat flour, making it hazardous if you’re highly allergic to gluten.

Spicy Falafel Pocket: Falafel and veggies tucked into a wheat pita pocket, which contains wheat and shared prep boards, which is otherwise a no-go for any celiac.

Jalapeño Chicken Pocket: Chicken, jalapeños, and cheese in a wheat pita pocket, and once again, it’s unsafe due to the inclusion of wheat and gluten in the ingredients.

Eggs & Gouda Protein Box: Hard-boiled eggs, Gouda cheese, nuts, and multigrain crackers, and while there’s no wheat in eggs or cheese, the crackers contain wheat and cross-contact risk.

Cheese Trio Protein Box: Three cheeses, nuts, and dried fruit, with no wheat in all of the main ingredients, yet they’re assembled on shared counters, and there’s that wheat cracker again.

Cheddar & Uncured Salami Protein Box: Cheddar, salami, nuts, and dried fruit, which contains no obvious wheat, but cross-contact and small bread or cracker pieces are included, too.

Eggs & Cheddar Protein Box: Egg, cheddar, nuts, and fruit, and while the ingredients are all gluten-free by recipe, they’re packaged near bakery items and may include a cracker.

Cheese & Fruit Protein Box: Assorted cheeses, fruit, and nuts, and as always, the ingredients lack wheat or gluten, but cross-contact is possible on shared prep surfaces, and it also comes with a cracker, as well.

Like the bakery stuff that we covered earlier, even if you somehow eliminate any cross-contact, the many crackers, buns, and bread here all contain wheat, with no celiac-safe alternatives.

Treats

For something sweet and savory, Starbucks’ tasty cake pops and cookies are sadly baked from wheat-based batters, so you won’t find a single one in the Starbucks gluten-free menu. 🍪🎂🍰

❌ Birthday Cake Pop
❌ Strawberries & Cream Cake Pop
❌ Chocolate Cake Pop
❌ Cookies & Cream Cake Pop
❌ Chocolate Chip Cookie

Just so we know why these didn’t make it into the Starbucks gluten-free menu, let’s break them apart to see what they’re made of:

Birthday Cake Pop: Vanilla cake and frosting on a stick, which contains enriched wheat flour, sugar, and a shared display case, with pretty significant cross-contact, regardless.

Strawberries & Cream Cake Pop: Strawberry-flavored cake and icing, which contains wheat flour and is stored with other gluten-containing pastries, making it unsafe for any celiac.

Chocolate Cake Pop: Chocolate cake center coated in cocoa drizzle, with wheat flour batter, and shared prep equipment, thus making this a hazard for anyone allergic to gluten.

Cookies & Cream Cake Pop: Vanilla cake with cookie bits, though the cake bits contain wheat flour, and the pieces are handled alongside other baked items, with lots of contamination.

Chocolate Chip Cookie: Soft-baked cookie loaded with chocolate chips, and since it has a wheat flour base, it’s not safe for celiacs, and it’s baked on shared trays in the pastry case.

Even if Starbucks offered wheat-free and gluten-friendly alternatives for these treats, they are placed in shared display cases with all the other pastries, with cross-contact aplenty! 🥯🥐

Snacks

Additionally, for anyone in a hurry, the Starbucks gluten-free menu has plenty of grab-and-go snacks, including gluten-free packaged items and bakery treats packed with wheat. 🍠🥔

✅ Perfect Bar – Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter
✅ All In Madagascar Vanilla, Honey & Almonds Bar
✅ Perfect Bar Peanut Butter
✅ KIND – Almond Coconut Cashew Chai
✅ KIND Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Nut Bar
✅ That’s It – Apple + Mango Bar
✅ That’s It – Apple + Blueberry Bar
✅ Siete Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
✅ Siete Lime Grain-Free Tortilla Chips
✅ Starbucks Butter Popcorn
❌ Country Archer – Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky
❌ Madeleines
❌ Vanilla Biscotti with Almonds
✅ Marshmallow Dream Bar
✅ SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Cocoa Almonds
✅ SkinnyDipped Lemon Bliss Almonds
✅ Organic Valley Stringles Mozzarella String Cheese
✅ Peter Rabbit Organics Strawberry Banana

That said, let’s see why a few of these snacks didn’t make it into our Starbucks gluten-free list:

Perfect Bar – Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter / Perfect Bar Peanut Butter: Refrigerated protein bars made with peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips. You won’t find wheat ingredients here, and it’s also factory-sealed.

All In Madagascar Vanilla, Honey & Almonds Bar: Nut-based bar sweetened with honey and vanilla, and there’s no gluten in the recipe, in addition to them coming in a sealed wrapper.

KIND Bars (Almond Coconut Cashew Chai / Salted Caramel & Dark Chocolate Nut): Nut-and-fruit bars with no wheat ingredients, and they’re factory-sealed with a ‘gluten-free’ label.

That’s It Bars (Apple + Mango / Apple + Blueberry): Fruit-and-fruit bars containing only apples and other fruit, with no gluten here, and they come in sealed packaging.

Siete Chips (Sea Salt Kettle / Lime Grain-Free Tortilla): Grain-free tortilla and kettle-style chips made with cassava and lime, with neither wheat nor gluten to be found.

Starbucks Butter Popcorn: Pre-popped, bagged popcorn with butter seasoning, and there are no gluten ingredients listed here either, making it safe for celiacs.

Country Archer – Hickory Smoke Turkey Jerky: Marinated jerky, though from what I’ve learned, it contains soy sauce (which has wheat) in the marinade, making it unsafe for celiacs.

Madeleines / Vanilla Biscotti with Almonds: Wheat-flour bakery treats, and they’re also baked on shared trays, making this another hazard to avoid if you’re allergic to gluten.

Marshmallow Dream Bar: Layered marshmallow and chocolate bar, with no wheat ingredients, and it’s factory-sealed for even more protection against cross-contamination.

SkinnyDipped Almonds (Dark Chocolate Cocoa / Lemon Bliss): Almonds dipped in chocolate or yogurt coating, with no gluten ingredients, and they’re also pre-packaged.

Organic Valley Stringles Mozzarella String Cheese: Individually wrapped mozzarella, and there’s nothing here but milk, cultures, and salt, so it’s generally safe for anyone allergic to gluten.

Peter Rabbit Organics Strawberry Banana: Fruit-and-vegetable pouch, with no grains or gluten ingredients, and it’s a relatively safe option for anyone who’s highly allergic to gluten.

So, aside from a few of these pre-packaged snacks, most of these snacks are friendly to celiacs, but I’d highly recommend sticking to sealed snacks to further reduce any cross-contamination.

To Sum Up

As a whole, Starbucks is a relatively bright spot for celiacs and people who are allergic to gluten, at least compared to most other huge corporate chains… With a few exceptions. ☕🍵🥤🥛

So long as you stick to the drinks – coffee, tea, blended drinks, or even bottled beverages – and the pre-packaged snacks, Starbucks offers a decently vast variety of gluten-free menu items.

On the other hand, their baked dishes are a complete no-go, except for a handful of breakfast items, but even then, the cross-contamination alone makes them quite dangerous for some.

That said, in short, as long as you’re aware of the level of cross-contamination at your local Starbucks chain, even when prepping the drinks, I’d totally visit Starbucks again! 🌾🚫

Granted, it’ll depend on how sensitive your gluten allergies are, but even for celiacs, it can be a viable choice. But taking some precautions before visiting Starbucks certainly won’t hurt.

And, while you’re here, you might also want to check out my other eating-out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes!

If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my other celiac-friendly, gluten-free dining-out guides to Panda Express, Taco Bell, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera Bread, Denny’s, Texas Roadhouse, Dunkin Donuts, Sonic, Popeyes, Five Guys, Chipotle and more! 🍔🍟🍗

Stay safe and gluten‑aware! 💖🥗

Frequently Asked Questions

While working on this Starbucks gluten-free guide, I’ve found a couple of interesting questions and queries, so here’s my attempt at answering them, for some added insight:

Does Starbucks offer any gluten-free menu items?

Starbucks doesn’t operate a certified gluten-free kitchen, so there will be cross-contamination, but there are a handful of pre-packaged snacks that don’t contain gluten and wheat, and their massive drinks menu – coffee, tea, or blended beverages – are mostly gluten-free, too.

Are Starbucks’ drinks safe for celiacs or for anyone with severe gluten allergies?

All of Starbucks’ brewed coffees, espressos, teas, refreshers, lemonades, and blended drinks, if they don’t come with cookie or pastry mix-ins, typically contain no wheat or gluten ingredients. However, be wary of cross-contact via shared steam wands, syrup pumps, and blenders.

Which food items can celiacs order at Starbucks?

Their selection of Egg Bites dishes, in addition to most of their pre-packaged snacks, as well as the Avocado Spread, is generally safe for celiacs or anyone suffering from severe allergies to gluten. Everything else, however, like their selection of sandwiches, wraps, baked goods, or in-store pastries, is all made from wheat flour and isn’t safe for celiacs.

Are Starbucks’ breakfast and bakery items gluten-free?

No. All of Starbucks’ sandwiches, wraps, bagels, croissants, Danishes, loaves, muffins, scones, and cookies use wheat-flour dough and share ovens and prep surfaces. Even the oatmeal and Potato Bakes are also prepped on shared equipment, posing a pretty high cross-contact risk.

How can I minimize gluten cross-contact at Starbucks?