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Gluten-Free Oreos are here! Actually, they’ve been here for about half a year now, so we’ve had ample time to try them out as they’ve become available on more and more grocery store shelves.
Oreos have already been vegan for quite some time now. They used to be made with lard, and more recently they contained whey protein*, but they were able to swap out those ingredients without too much trouble. But for someone with dairy, egg, and wheat allergies, they were still off the menu — until now.
They’re not the first to think of this, of course. We’ve previously enjoyed a few different allergy-friendly “sandwich cookies” in lieu of Oreos. So here’s our shout-out to K-Toos and Glutino, who stepped up to the plate and did their part early on.
But much like the great Hydrox-Oreo wars of old… regardless of who was first to the party, there’s just something different about Oreos. There’s a unique texture to them which is probably the secret to their outsized popularity and success. The other brands certainly have their adherents; just not nearly as many.
So I can only imagine that when deciding to offer a gluten-free option, they expended a lot of effort on getting it right. Texture is the hardest thing to duplicate in any gluten-free baking, but it’s so important here. They couldn’t just offer a substitute; they had to actually taste and feel like Oreos, otherwise there would be no point.
Well, we’re happy to report that they nailed it. In fact, Gluten-Free Oreos taste so much like the originals that I wouldn’t even mind if they replaced them altogether.
Gluten-Free Oreos come in both standard and Double Stuf varieties. I can’t remember the last time I had a regular Double Stuf Oreo — I do try to maintain a somewhat healthy diet, after all — so I’m not sure how those compare. But just comparing the two GF versions to each other, I definitely prefer the non-Doubles. I just think it’s a more pleasant ratio. Also, while you’d think the thicker cream would better mask whatever differences exist between the GF cookies and the regular ones, it actually seems to accentuate them. It leaves the cookies further out on their own, without support, awaiting judgment. But when there’s a normal-sized cream layer, each bite brings everything together in a perfect medley of flavors and textures.
As far as we can tell, Gluten-Free Oreos are available basically anywhere Oreos are sold, so go ahead and try them out. Just try not to eat them all at once.
* For those like me who are still on the outskirts of this whole “vegan” thing, let me explain. Lard is derived from animals, and so it’s incompatible with a vegan lifestyle, although it presents no allergy concerns for us. Whey protein, meanwhile, is derived from milk, which of course is also derived from animals. Although we’ve never done a test to see if whey protein would trigger an allergic reaction in our children, the research indicates that it’s generally not a good idea.
