Is there anything more comforting than dunking your favorite cookie into a hot cup of tea or milk? Samesies. But what happens when you eat that cookie and suddenly experience bloating and terrible cramping? You may have developed an intolerance to gluten.
So what cookies are gluten-free, and where can you buy them?
Surprisingly, there are plenty of gluten-free cookies available, both online and in-store. Some of the best gluten-free cookie brands include Simple Mills, Tate’s Bake Shop, Pamela’s, Kinnikinnick, and Walkers. You can also make your own easy-to-bake-at-home gluten-free cookies.
If you love cookies and are tired of eating the same old sugar cookies due to your gluten intolerance, this guide will provide you with all the gluten-free cookie brands you’ll love.
What Is Gluten in Cookies?
Gluten in cookies comes from ingredients such as wheat, rye, and barley. Once water is added to the wheat, the proteins (glutenin and gliadin) combine, and then gluten is formed.
As you mix the cookie dough, the amount of gluten increases.
The gluten in cookie dough keeps the sugar and melted butter together, giving the cookie dough a firm and stretchy texture.
A cookie that’s made with gluten has a soft and chewy texture and is more moist.
The gluten in the dough also gives the cookies their brownish color once it’s baked.
Did you know? Gluten is known to trigger migraines and headaches. Gluten reacts negatively with the body’s immune cells and triggers them to release antibodies to destroy substances the body sees as threatening.
What Are Gluten-Free Cookies Made Out Of?
To make gluten-free cookies, you must substitute wheat, barley, or rye with gluten-free flour or an alternative.
You’d be surprised at how many people suffer from gluten intolerance. Luckily, several substitutes are available that aren’t too difficult to source.
Let’s take a look at some of the best gluten-free substitutes for wheat, barley, and rye:
- Sorghum flour
- Brown rice flour
- Almond flour
- Teff flour
- Coconut flour
- Potato starch
- Tapioca starch
Here’s a look at the ingredients list found in a popular gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe:
- Half a cup of melted butter (use plant butter for a dairy-free option)
- ¾ cup of brown sugar
- ¼ cup of white sugar
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon of milk (almond milk for a dairy-free option)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup of almond flour
- 2 teaspoons of table salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 cup of dark chocolate chips
Top Tip: Add a tablespoon of milk to the dough to keep your chocolate chip cookies moist and golden brown.
Without the gluten in the recipe, most of the moisture from the butter evaporates while baking so the milk adds some moisture to the cookies.
What Cookies Don’t Have Gluten?
Sometimes, it can be challenging to source tasty gluten-free cookies at your local grocery store, especially if you’re craving a specific type of cookie and not just a standard sugar cookie.
Fortunately, the internet is bursting with the most delicious gluten-free recipes you can make at home.
Let’s take a look at some of these delicious cookies that don’t have gluten:
- Gluten-free shortbread cookies
- Flourless creamy peanut butter cookies
- Decadent gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies
- Gluten-free fig-filling cookies
- Soft and chewy gluten-free and dairy-free cookies
- Gluten-free snowballs
- Flourless almond cookies
- Cashew butter cookies
- Gluten-free salted caramel cookies
- Gluten-free oatmeal cookies
Top Tip: When baking gluten-free cookies, use cold butter for the dough. This gives the cookie dough more elasticity and stops it from spreading too much.
List of Gluten-Free Cookie Brands
Let’s take a look at the best gluten-free cookie brands available:
1. Simple Mills Creamy Peanut Butter Nut Butter Stuffed Cookies
Wow, that cookie’s name certainly is a mouthful (and a delicious one too). If you enjoy peanut butter cookies, this Creamy Peanut Butter Nut Butter Stuffed Cookie by Simple Mills will get you hooked.
The cookies are made from nut flour and nut butter and are gluten-free.
These tasty cookies are available at outlets like Sprouts Farmers Market, Amazon, and select Walmart stores. The cookies have 120 calories per serving.
2. Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten-Free Ginger Zinger Cookies
Another fabulous gluten-free cookie brand is Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Ginger Zinger Cookies. These crispy and thin cookies are perfect for dunking in hot tea or coffee. They have the perfect amount of crunch with a yummy fresh ginger flavor.
Each cookie is jam-packed with chunks of candied ginger for an extra zinger of flavor. You can purchase these cookies at your local Walmart store or online from Amazon.
These cookies have 130 calories per serving.
3. Pamela’s Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pamela’s Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies have been around since 1988 and are still among the most popular gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. You can order them directly from Pamela’s online store or Amazon. These cookies make an excellent addition to school lunches.
Walmart also stocks this gluten-free cookie brand. These cookies have 180 calories per serving.
4. Kinnikinnick KinniToos Gluten-Free Cookies
If you or your kids enjoy Oreos, you will love the KinniToos Gluten-Free Cookies. This delightful sandwich cookie has a crunchy exterior with a hearty amount of chocolate or vanilla cream sandwiched between the two layers of the cookie.
Your kids won’t be able to tell the difference.
You can purchase this gluten-free cookie brand from most Walmart stores or online stores such as The Gluten Free Shoppe. The cookies have 180 calories per serving.
5. Walkers Gluten-Free Pure Butter Shortbread
The Walkers Gluten-Free Pure Butter Shortbread cookies are one of the best gluten-free shortbread cookies available. These cookies have the perfect amount of crumble and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
You’ll have a hard time trying to tell the difference between a regular cookie and this gluten-free masterpiece. These cookies are available online from Happy Tummies, Instacart, and Amazon. You can also check out your local Walmart.
Walkers Gluten-Free Pure Butter Shortbread cookies have 160 calories per serving.
Do Gluten-Free Cookies Taste Different?
Gluten-free cookies do taste different from traditional cookies that contain gluten. The gluten is what gives a cookie its texture and some of flavor.
Once the gluten is removed, the cookies taste different and aren’t as moist.
The flour you substitute the wheat with (such as coconut or almond flour) will also give the cookies a different taste.
My Last Foodie Thoughts
Having a gluten intolerance may feel like an absolute 360° change from your usual diet, but it can also be a good lifestyle choice.
Gluten can create (and worsen) existing conditions (such as irritable bowel syndrome) and is found in many foods today.
Luckily, there are plenty of recipes out there and cookie brands that accommodate a gluten-free diet.
Some of these cookies are so good that you won’t even notice they’re gluten-free, and that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
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