Kristen Gassel remembers the moment she shed her first tear over her vegan and allergen-friendly baked goods brand, Kris Miss. A few years ago, a little boy and his mother approached her booth at the Lake Saint Louis Farmers & Artists Market. The mom had a lot of questions: Was everything gluten-free? Did anything have soy? What were the allergen details on everything? After Gassel assured the pair that everything offered was safe for him to eat, the boy’s eyes got wide. “You mean I can have anything?” he said with a mix of surprise and pure joy.
“It was probably the first time he’d ever been able to pick out anything he wanted,” Gassel recalls. “That reaction is the best part of what I do.”
For six years now, Gassel has been spreading that type of joy through her baked goods venture. What began as a pandemic-era side project quickly evolved into a thriving home bakery, followed by a popular farmers market brand. Now, Gassel has taken the next step, opening Kris Miss Small Batch Bake Shop (11102 Veterans Memorial Parkway) in Lake St. Louis, where her goal is to create both a hub for her bakery business and a place for the community to gather.
“People always ask if I am passionate about baking, and I am—I’m very glad I have the skill,” Gassel says. “But really, my passion lies more with helping people. That’s what drives what I do.”
Kris Miss is currently open Fridays from 3–7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
Gassel prides herself in offering baked goods that are not only delicious but also vegan and allergen-friendly, so those with a wide range of dietary needs can enjoy a sweet treat without worry. Every one of her items is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, corn-free, dairy-free, and free of artificial flavors and dyes—the reason she began Kris Miss in the first place.
“My son could not have dyes when he was younger, and we found out how hard it was to find things when we were trying to buy cupcakes for his birthday,” Gassel says. “We went out to get just some chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing, thinking surely those would be safe, and we were shocked to find out that the cake had red dye in it.”
While food safety may be a key component of her brand, taste and quality are of the utmost importance. Many of her customers do not have any dietary restrictions, she notes; they simply enjoy her treats because they are delicious. Her signature cinnamon rolls are a prime example. The fluffy, icing-covered rolls have been a crowd-pleaser ever since she first started offering them and were her most popular offering when she was a vendor at the farmers market. They are a staple item at the new storefront on Saturdays and Sundays and tend to sell out.
Gassel also offers a rotating selection of scones that reflect the flavor of the season. (Recent flavors include peach and strawberry.) Sandwich cookies in such flavors as lemon graham and s’mores are quite popular, as are brookies (cookies baked into a brownie).
Gassel has also been incorporating alpha-gal-friendly items into her menu, as she’s seen more people express a need for such accommodations. (The syndrome is caused by ticks and can impact a person’s ability to process mammalian meat and dairy.) Everything in her bakery is considered safe for those with the syndrome to consume, with the exception of anything with vegan marshmallows. (The plant-based carrageenan can trigger a reaction.)
In addition to her baked goods, Gassel also offers lattes and café Americanos that also meet the same dietary standards as her pastries. She gets her beans from the St. Charles-based small-batch roaster Laney Roasting Company (their organic and responsible sourcing aligns with her business, Gassel notes). Lattes are made with a three-ingredient organic coconut milk, and she uses a pure maple syrup base for her natural flavorings.
The Atmosphere
Kris Miss Bake Shop is a small storefront, with a pastry case and order counter on one side of the room. A handful of bar-style seats line a small window ledge. Sage-green walls and light wood create a serene space.
Although there isn’t much seating, Gassel says it’s common for her customers to stay and linger over their treats for a bit—something she hopes to build upon as she expands the store’s capacity and hours.
The Backstory
A former nanny, Gassel found herself in need of a career pivot during the pandemic. At home with two small children, she began baking allergen-friendly goods after struggling to find sweet treats for her son. She realized there was a need for such products, so she started a Facebook page offering baked goods to a small group of people in exchange for reviews. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and she grew the business to include a booth at the Lake Saint Louis Farmers Market, where things continued to take off before opening the brick-and-mortar space in June.
Gassel is thrilled that her project is bringing joy to people, whether they struggle to find baked goods to fit their needs or they just want something delicious. Her mission is to make it so that no one has to choose.
“Everyone, whether they have a dietary restriction or not, appreciates the natural aspect,” Gassel says. “But really, the customers who need what I am offering are who make me emotional. They’ve gone through their entire lives having to ask eight questions before they can enjoy something. They don’t have to do that here, which means everything.”
Kris Miss Bake Shop
📍11102 Veterans Memorial Parkway, Lake Saint Louis
⏰3–7 p.m. Fri & Sat, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Sun
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