Bear Hugs Alum’s Brand Offers Tasty Treats—Safe from Common Allergens Kimberle Lau ’01 runs Bake Me Healthy, whose cookies and mixes are free of eggs, dairy, nuts, wheat, and more “Bear Hugs” celebrates heartwarming stories of Cornellians on the Hill and around the world. Have an idea? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu! By Melissa Newcomb When Kimberle Lau ’01 wants to taste-test a new recipe for her line of allergen-free baking products, she has a convenient—and discerning—audience right in her own home: her two children. “Kids do not have filters,” the Human Ecology alum says with a laugh. “If I can get their stamp of approval that something tastes good—even when it doesn’t contain all of these ingredients—then it must really be good.” The missing ingredients Lau cites are those on the list of the nine most common food allergens: dairy, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish, and sesame. Lau’s company, Bake Me Healthy, specializes in baking mixes and prepared cookies that are not only allergy-safe, but also gluten-free and vegan. Packaged chocolate chip cookies are Lau’s latest offering. She currently offers mixes for brownies, banana bread/muffins, pancakes/waffles, and—her best seller—carrot cake. Each mix (which requires the addition of only water and oil) is priced around $13, with discounts for multiple packages. Her premade soft chocolate chip cookies come in four-packs, with prices starting at around $30 for 10. “Baking should be inclusive,” says Lau, who majored in policy analysis and management on the Hill, where she was a member of Alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority. “Anyone should be able to enjoy a cookie or brownie without fear of what it will do to their body.” Baking should be inclusive. Anyone should be able to enjoy a cookie or brownie without fear of what it will do to their body. Lau was inspired to found the business by her own experiences with food issues. About 14 years ago, while she was expecting her first child, she became intolerant to lactose and eggs. Then, several years later, she learned she was at high risk for breast cancer—and followed her oncologist’s advice to remove soy from her diet. She launched Bake Me Healthy in 2023, basing her recipes on sunflower protein flour, a byproduct of sunflower oil production. Promoting her brand—with help from her family. “Not only are we fighting food allergies, but we’re also on a mission to fight food waste,” she says, “so all our products use upcycled ingredients—which would normally go to the landfill.” Bake Me Healthy sells primarily on its website and on Amazon, but its wares can also be found in a few NYC stores, including Fairway. Not only are we fighting food allergies, but we’re also on a mission to fight food waste. Lau, who is based in NYC, hand-makes all her mixes and cookies—with help from her mom—in a commercial kitchen in Long Island City. In developing her products, Lau has collaborated with CALS’ Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture as well as the Cornell Food Venture Center. Graduating from a Big Red food certificate program in summer 2025, and baking with her mom. She’s now tapping their expertise as she works to extend shelf life beyond the current four months, while continuing to eschew artificial preservatives; meanwhile, she’s formulating some new flavors. “There’s no recipe for success,” Lau says. “As a plant-based baker, I like to say that you just have to plant a bunch of seeds and water them, and some will grow and blossom.” (All photos provided.) Published August 13, 2025 Comments Irene Hendricks, Class of 1986 29 Aug, 2025 I’m an allergy mom and former Girl Scout troop leader. Coordinating snacks was always a challenge – this is fantastic! Good luck with your venture. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Chime In How Naval ROTC Shaped My Years on the Hill, and Beyond Quizzes & Puzzles November / December ’24 Trivia Roundup In the President’s Words ‘Experience the Breadth of Cornell and Ithaca’