Goldilocks and the Vegan – Gluten-free Cookies

Tested: Mary’s Organic Crackers-Love Cookies–Double Chocolate

I’m more of a savory than a sweet person, so when it comes to cookies I can be quite the Goldilocks. They’re either too hard, too cake-y, too chocolate-y, or just not flavorful enough. They taste too healthy, or too sweet, or they commit the ultimate sin of having too many nuts. So when I saw that my beloved Mary’s Gone Crackers had come out with a line of cookies, I bought a couple of boxes but didn’t have high hopes. I love Mary’s crackers and their Sticks & Twigs, but creating a cookie that will satisfy me – not to mention one that’s also vegan and gluten-free – seemed like pretty much an impossible proposition.

Imagine my total and utter surprise when cookie Goldilocks took a bite of Double Chocolate cookie and my mouth declared, “This one is juuuuust right!”

I’m so dumbfounded at how much I like these cookies that I’ve had to eat three boxes of them, just to make sure that first terrific bite wasn’t a fluke. I’ve tried the Double Chocolate and Ginger Snap flavors, and then the Double Chocolate again. Each box comes with two cellophane packets of cookies, which is a good thing because I keep eating an entire packet in one sitting. I’d hate to see what would happen if all the cookies were in a single pack.

I think it’s the texture that keeps me coming back for more. The cookies are on the crisp side, but also have a bit of softness to them. They hold together well when you bite into them, and feel just generally pleasant to consume. The flavor is great, too. The ginger cookies are strong and a bit fiery. The chocolate cookies have a nice rich flavor that isn’t overpowering. Because I’m not that into sweet stuff, I’m guessing they’d be on the less-sweet side for most folks, but they definitely don’t veer into “health-food” territory, where cookies can taste cardboard-y or bland. Best of all, I feel awesome when I eat them. I don’t feel deprived, like I’m eating some sad, gluten-free shadow of a cookie. And I don’t feel sick and heavy like I would if I were eating a cookie made with wheat. (Although I really do need to stop eating six cookies in a single go.)

According to the package, the cookies have a lot of other neat stuff going for them – low glycemic sweeteners, chia seeds, etc. – but I personally don’t really care if they’re good for me (or less bad for me). For me, the most important part is that they really feel like a treat. And as someone who has basically had to bake her own treats for the last five years while everyone around me was stuffing themselves gleefully with vegan cupcakes, it’s a pretty sweet deal to be able to just open a box and know that something tasty is awaiting me inside.

Mary’s Gone Crackers “Love Cookies.” Flavors: Double Chocolate, Ginger Snap, N’Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip. Around $4/box at my local food co-op.

Reviewed by Scrumptious