Photos courtesy of Alexa Cutrer
Walk into Power of the Almond, and you’ll catch the aroma of caramel and chocolate first — then the sight of poundcakes, brownies, bars and biscuits that look almost too decadent to be keto, gluten free and sugar free. It feels a little like a magic trick. And for many Coast families, it’s also a relief.
View this post on Instagram
BORN OF NECESSITY
Founder and head baker Kirk Hutchinson didn’t set out to start a bakery empire; he set out to solve a problem. After being diagnosed with diabetes and dumping syndrome, he realized that his body simply couldn’t process sugar. The treats he once loved were now off limits. Then, COVID-19 hit, and he lost his bartending job.
So, he went into the kitchen and started testing. Immediately he knew he had created something special. During the 2020 shutdown, cottage food rules made it easier to bake from home and sell online, so Hutchinson posted a few items on Facebook in Tupelo — and orders poured in.
Today, Power of the Almond ships nationwide, maintains a production facility in Starkville and has planted real roots on the Coast with a new storefront in downtown Gulfport. Hutchinson moved here about five months ago, and on grand opening day, TikTok turned curiosity into a crowd; there was a line down the block and the biggest sales day they’d ever seen.
CLOSING THE GAP
In the South, dessert is a love language. But for people with diabetes, celiac disease or other dietary restrictions, the choices can be slim and, frankly, disappointing. Power of the Almond aims to close that gap. The bakery leans on a few key pillars: almond flour for structure and a lower glycemic impact, monk fruit for sweetness without the insulin spike or the “diet” aftertaste and Lily’s chocolate for rich flavor.
You’ll still see calories (the brownie clocks around 350, a Bundt slice around 190), but the point here isn’t diet food; it’s better ingredients, fewer insulin spikes and treats that fit real dietary needs. For people who’ve been told, “You can’t have that,” this bakery says, “You can.”
Because almond flour doesn’t behave like wheat, Hutchinson builds texture carefully. Cream cheese shows up as a kind of secret hero, helping batters hold together and stay moist. The result is a denser crumb than a traditional cake — but dense in a good way: fudgy brownies, sturdy pound cakes and cookies you can actually bite into.
“We make it as close as possible to the real thing,” Hutchinson says. “I enjoy the recipe curation most.” He grins as he says this, and you can taste the tinkering in every bite.
A CASE FULL OF HAPPY ACCIDENTS
There isn’t a fixed menu. The case rotates constantly, and custom orders are welcome. Still, a few stars keep returning because the regulars ask for them by name.
The top seller is the lemon blueberry poundcake: a picture-perfect coffee-table slice. There’s also “sex in a pan,” a layered bar with just the right snap and creaminess, and the brand-new Butterfinger bar, which started as an accident. Someone grabbed cheesecake flavor instead of vanilla and created a better version by mistake.
“We’ve had a lot of happy accidents that we keep,” Kirk says with a laugh. I love that about this place. The process is alive, and the best ideas stick.”
Breakfast is a hit here. The sausage, egg and cheese bagel breakfast sandwich uses a fat-head dough (cheese-based) that’s at its best when eaten hot. The sausage-cheddar biscuits, made with almond and coconut flours, won’t mimic a fluffy buttermilk biscuit, and they don’t try to. They’re different, yes, but warmed up, they’re deeply satisfying. For holiday time (and sometimes in the freezer after), you might luck into chicken dressing —comfort food that fits the program.
WHAT ELSE WE TRIED (AND LOVED)
I visited with two friends: one with a gluten allergy, and one who avoids sugar. Then there’s me — someone who eats everything but can’t afford an energy crash. We ordered like we meant it.
- Cheesecake fluff cup: Cookie dough base, billows of cream and a caramel drizzle. It scratched the cookie-dough itch perfectly.
- Magic bar: Pecans, walnuts, coconut, caramel and chocolate chips — a classic, reimagined.
- Cranberry orange bundt: My mother-in-law tried a slice and had no idea it was gluten and sugar free.
- Buckeye brownie (warmed): We took a bite, looked at each other and said, “How is there no sugar in this?”
- Banana bread pound cake: Kid-approved at our houses
- Caramel cake slice: Tastes like pancakes and syrup on a Saturday morning!
WHY IT MATTERS
Food joy shouldn’t be off limits because of an ingredient list. Power of the Almond isn’t a compromise; it’s a reclamation. It’s the banana bread your kids love, the breakfast sandwich you can eat and still feel steady, and the brownie you warm up at 3 p.m. without needing a nap at 3:30. It’s a local business built on persistence, curiosity and the belief that everyone deserves a slice.
IF YOU GO
Power of the Almond
1920 25th Ave., Gulfport
Open Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Instagram and TikTok: @powerofthealmond