Endia FontanezArizona Republic
I will never forget the first time I had a gluten-free Oreo cookie.
It was 2021, and I was living at home during college. My mom had just come back from the grocery store when she told me she had a surprise for me. I walked to the kitchen and couldn't believe my eyes — the words "gluten-free" and "Oreo" on the same packaging. I had to read it three more times to make sure.
So, you can imagine my delight when in December 2023, Oreo announced it would be adding another gluten-free flavor to its lineup — gluten-free golden Oreos would officially hit grocery store shelves in January.
Are Oreos gluten free?
The brand made the initial announcement in the form of a TikTok stitch with popular gluten-free influencer @PhilHatesGluten.
In the video, Phil says, "This is a message to Oreo." He then displays a photo of a box of golden Oreos and says, "Make it gluten-free. I don't want to ask too much, but I mean ... do it again?" The stitch then cuts to a shot of the new product with the words, "Guess what? We did it again."
In a follow-up video, Phil said, "I'm not going to say that this video I made caused Oreo to make the gluten-free Oreo. But I will tell you, in an email they told me my videos 'have not gone unnoticed.' I just think it's cool that a brand like Oreo actually listens and is coming out with more than one gluten-free flavor."
While it is unclear whether Oreo actually bases their new product decisions on requests from TikTok influencers, the brand has certainly garnered plenty of praise from the gluten-free community for its willingness to provide new snack options for those of us with Celiac disease or other medical diagnoses.
In an email to The Republic, a representative for Oreo wrote, “The OREO brand is always looking to expand our product portfolio to meet the needs of our fans, provide alternatives to our consumers, and welcome more people to enjoy the playfulness of OREO cookies. With the addition of this new flavor, the OREO brand invites snackers who choose gluten-free for medical reasons or simply as a preference to enjoy our Golden cookies too, while preserving the unique OREO cookies experience and quality fans love."
I, for one, am extremely excited to make gluten-free golden Oreos a regular item on my grocery list.
Here's everything to know about the new cookies.
What do gluten free golden Oreos taste like?
If you've tried regular golden Oreos before, the gluten-free version tastes the same. Seriously. There's a stereotype that all gluten-free food tastes bad or dry, but as someone who remembers eating regular Oreos before my Celiac diagnosis, I couldn't tell a difference between the two.
If you've never tried a golden Oreo, or if you've simply been gluten-free for so many years that you forgot the taste, then imagine a much more subtle Oreo taste than the chocolate you are used to.
Golden Oreos have a vanilla cookie on either end, which makes it easier to taste the cream on the inside layer and overall makes for a snack that is sweet without being overwhelming.
Where to get gluten free golden Oreos
Gluten free golden Oreos are sold at all retailers that carry Oreos, including most grocery stores. The company said the new flavor is a permanent addition to Oreo's product portfolio.
Which Oreos are gluten free?
In addition to the new gluten-free golden Oreos, other previously existing gluten-free flavors include classic, Double Stuf and mint.
No additional gluten-free Oreo flavors have been announced at this time. But Oreo, if you're reading this, please do lemon next.
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Reach the reporter atendia.fontanez@gannett.com. Follow@EndiaFontanezon X, formerly known as Twitter.
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