After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease, 3 years ago, my doctor provided a long list of delicious foods–which contained wheat, barley, and rye–that I couldn’t eat. *Cue the gluten-free tears.*
Shockingly, 97% of Celiac Disease cases go undiagnosed. So, with more and more people being diagnosed with Celiac, gluten intolerance, IBS, or simply seeking a healthier lifestyle each day, brands have worked to “certify” that their products are gluten-free. If certified, the food must contain less than 10ppm of gluten.
So, in hopes of expanding their snack audience, big-name businesses have risen to the challenge to create comparable gluten-free products. Popcorn and GF pretzels are my love language, and there are some excellent ice cream brands, chips, and dips. Actually, some of America’s iconic unhealthy snacks like Doritos, Fritos, Lays Chips, and Cheetos are naturally gluten-free. However, the cookie department has seriously been lacking.
But, in early January of 2021, Nabisco released a Gluten-Free Oreo–my initial reaction was one of complete denial. Seemingly too good to be true, I laughed at the thought of a gluten-free Oreo.
Sexy light blue packaging pictures of this modern Oreo floated around Instagram, but I assumed it was sheer gluten-free fan fiction. My pessimistic feelings persisted until I noticed that you could pre-order a pack through Walmart’s website. I clicked “complete purchase” with zero expectations. Every gluten-free grocery store cookie I’ve tried has been gritty, stale, or mealy.
Three weeks later, the Fed-Ex man appeared like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, delivering a personal Oreo package to my siblings and me. Racing inside, we assembled around my kitchen island. My brother Daniel sprinted for glasses and milk.
We all took a deep breath, peeled open the plastic, and grabbed an Oreo. My little sister Elizabeth went right for the bite. Instantly, sugar-induced fireworks played inside her eyes. Daniel had already downed 5 by the time I whipped out my phone to record this monumental event. The two little ones looked at the camera with euphoric gluten-free smiles, saying, “they literally taste like the real ones.” Now, these two are my harshest gluten critics. They do not have any gluten intolerance or any desire to eat gluten-free. So, I did not take this news lightly.
I posted their authentic taste test reactions to my Instagram. Instantly, a crowd of gluten-free followers asked how I got my hands on the coveted Oreos and if they were palatable. Sold out everywhere, I felt pretty privileged to have these cookies.
So, do the gluten-free Oreos stand a chance next to the OG, addictive and irresistibly sweet Oreo?
I put them to the test for you to find out.
After having my non-gluten-free friend taste them blindfolded (as an unbiased source ), it was virtually impossible to tell them apart. She did discover a discrepancy in cookie widths– the original, gluttonous one was thicker. However, my friend concluded she had the same delicious experience on both bites!
I gave her 4 categories to rank for the gluten-free Oreo on a scale of 5: appearance, texture, taste, and “dunkability.”
She sent me this:
Appearance: 4
Texture: 5
Taste: 5
Dunkability: 5
Overall, the gluten-free Oreo averages a 4.75-star rating. Nabisco promised a “comparable snacking experience to the original recipe,” and they surpassed comparable. Plus, if you eat too many you can vouch that they are gluten-free, so healthy-ish (?). After Nabisco set the bar so high, I hope other brands will take this as a sign to reinvent their classics (Goldfish and Cheez Its, I’m looking at you!).