Chocolate is commonly used for self-therapy, to celebrate occasions, and as a special treat for oneself or others.
However, the desire to indulge in chocolate may clash with the goal of leading a healthier lifestyle. Let’s be honest: only so much of Ben & Jerry’s “Chocolate Therapy” ice cream can be consumed. Personally, I haven’t found that limit yet, but I’ve heard it exists.
What if you could get all the scrumptious yumminess of chocolate but made from the highest-quality ingredients, such as almond flour, organic coconut sugar, cage-free eggs, olive oil, pure vanilla extract, sea salt, coconut sugar-sweetened chocolate chips, black cocoa powder, and organic unsweetened applesauce?
Influencer and food-brand founder Addison LaBonte has done just that, creating Dallas-based “better for you” delectable chocolate treats with the launching of Sweet Addison’s.
Free of grains, dairy, soy, refined sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives, LaBonte is on a mission “to bake desserts that are so indulgent and delicious it’s hard to believe they are better for you.”
The Dallas Express met with LaBonte to discover more about Sweet Addison’s and what inspired her to revolutionize how we enjoy chocolate.
In her early 20s, LaBonte, a former Division 1 soccer player at the University of Maine, wanted to stay in shape after college, so she took up running. However, she soon realized that something was off, even though she was in excellent physical condition.
“I noticed that after a few miles, I would start to get a sharp, shooting pain in my legs — then my legs would start to get tingly… if I kept running, I would lose all feeling in my legs,” said LaBonte.
“I had been an athlete my whole life and had never dealt with this issue or any serious injury,” she explained.
LaBonte attempted various remedies, such as yoga, compression socks, and different types of sneakers, in addition to consulting a sports specialist who analyzed her running technique, but nothing helped. As a result, LaBonte sought assistance from a physical therapist and a sports specialist.
The doctor told her, “You might not ever be able to run again normally. You have what’s called Compartment Syndrome. The muscle fibers in your legs don’t expand when you run … the blood flow is restricted … and you lose feeling.”
LaBonte said the doctor told her she had two options: quit running or get a fasciotomy on both of her legs. If she chose the surgery, the doctor informed her “that there is no guarantee that it will work, and it is a six-month recovery for each leg, so you would be out of all exercise for a year.”
She decided there had to be a better way, so she did not choose either of the doctor’s proposals. Instead, she took advice from her aunt, who suggested she try going gluten-free.
LaBonte admitted that she “was so desperate to feel normal” that she went gluten-free despite thinking “it had nothing to do with why [her] legs would go numb.”
In July of 2016, LaBonte quit gluten full-stop.
“Within three days, I could run normally again,” she said.
LaBonte had a one-month follow-up with her doctor, during which she told him, “I solved the issue. I became gluten-free, and I can run again.”
Her doctor said, “That doesn’t make sense. Going gluten-free has nothing to do with your running,” and recommended that she still get the surgery.
Despite the doctor’s disregard for LaBonte’s ability to heal herself holistically, LaBonte moved forward, becoming “very interested in how food affects the way that we feel, the way we look, and how we can perform.”
After learning as much as she could about adopting this new lifestyle, LaBonte realized she needed to share what she had learned with others. In 2018, she started an Instagram account called “Organically Addison,” which has over 190,000 followers today.
“I started posting about all the gluten-free recipes I was making. People loved it, and it really took off, especially during COVID when everyone was at home baking and looking for healthier options,” said LaBonte.
During this time, she worked remotely in hedge fund analysis. In 2021, she moved to Dallas and was “ready for something new,” she explained.
In August 2023, LaBonte began testing recipes to launch a dessert business. After seeing her healthy baking options on Instagram, followers reached out, saying, “This looks so good, I would pay you to ship it to me.”
In September 2023, LaBonte was laid off from her finance position in corporate America. She then moved full-time into recipe testing and focused on launching her business.
“It was definitely a curveball, but absolutely a blessing in disguise,” explained LaBonte. “There is no way I could have balanced both businesses.”
In January 2024, LaBonte officially launched her online business, Sweet Addison’s.
Sweet Addison’s offers an array of gluten- and dairy-free treats: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Triple Chocolate Cookies, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fudge Brownies, and the newly introduced Lemon Cookies – with more flavors on the way.
Can’t decide which treat to choose? Sweet Addison’s offers a Signature Collection in a 4- or 12-pack. Additionally, customers receive free nationwide delivery on orders over $50.
LaBonte said that her “biggest hope and dream for this company is that everyone, whether you are gluten-free, dairy-free, or have no food allergies, that you can enjoy my treats, and they bring you joy and happiness — and you are able to share them with family and friends.”
Sweet Addison’s products can be found online and in several retailers, such as Total Nutrition, Bahn Shop, and Statler Hotel. They are also available at the Saint Michael’s Farmers Market every Saturday. LaBonte hopes to open a brick-and-mortar Sweet Addison’s location in Dallas.