Is Break & Bake Style Cookie Dough Cookies Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

When analyzing the ingredients list for these cookies, the vegan status becomes clear very quickly. While the base ingredients like enriched bleached flour, sugar, and vegetable oil are generally plant-derived, the specific additives used for texture and flavor are not.

The most obvious culprits are found in the chocolate chips and the dough itself. The chocolate chips contain milk fat and skim milk. Dairy is a staple in traditional chocolate chips to create a creamier mouthfeel, but it is strictly off-limits for vegans. Additionally, the ingredient list explicitly states the presence of eggs and skim milk within the dough mixture.

Furthermore, the natural and artificial flavors can sometimes be a gray area, but in this context, they are likely paired with the dairy already present. Even if you were to pick out the chocolate chips, the dough itself contains animal by-products, making the entire cookie non-vegan.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, these cookies are designed as an indulgence rather than a health food. A single serving contains a significant amount of sugar and calories derived primarily from the sugar and enriched flour. The vegetable oils (palm, soybean, and/or cottonseed) contribute to the fat content, specifically saturated fats found in the palm oil and milk fat.

While they provide a quick source of energy due to the carbohydrates, they lack substantial fiber or protein. For those monitoring their sugar intake or following a strict whole-food diet, these cookies would not fit the limits. However, as an occasional treat within a balanced diet, they fit the standard nutritional profile of a classic chocolate chip cookie.