Nut-Free Bakery in Lynnfield Adds Ice Cream, Sundaes and More

For the first time in at least several years, a local business in Lynnfield is offering ice cream, sundaes, banana splits, and other summertime treats - and it also happens to be a place that those with nut allergies can enjoy too.

Jeanne Barbaro, owner of Jeanne's Bakeshop in the Centre Court shops across from the Old Meeting House on Main Street, reports that she added the soft-serve ice cream machine and other items, including iced coffee and unsweetened iced tea, last week.

The standard three flavors of soft serve - chocolate, vanilla and strawberry - are available, reports Barbaro, plus eight more "flavor burst" varieties that can be added in. Other ice cream-related options include brownie sundaes, banana splits, a chocolate chip cookie sundae, milkshakes, and frappes.

Barbaro's son has a nut allergy, "and he really can't get an ice cream almost anywhere," she said.

With that in mind, Jeanne's Bakeshop also offers "Twisters," or soft serve ice cream with various bits of nut-free candy mixed in. She explained that those with serious nut allergies typically don't even eat M+Ms because of the chance of peanut residue being on them.

Barbaro reports that instead of M+Ms, she's using "Skippers," which are made by the Vermont Nut-Free chocolate company. A similar substitute for Reese's peanut butter cups, Sunflower Cups, will be available shortly, she added.

"People seem to be very excited about" the new ice cream offerings, nut-free or not, said Barbaro, and she's even expanded the hours at the Bakeshop until 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Friday-Saturday to accommodate customers more inclined to crave ice cream later in the day.