Is Sheila G's, Brownie Brittle, Chocolate Chip Cookies Gluten Free?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I always look at the ingredient list hierarchy. Ingredients are listed by weight, meaning the first few items make up the bulk of the product. In Sheila G's Brownie Brittle Chocolate Chip Cookies, the very first ingredient is enriched wheat flour. This is a direct red flag for anyone avoiding gluten. This specific flour is fortified with vitamins like niacin and iron, but it is derived from wheat, making the product inherently unsafe for a gluten-free diet.

Another ingredient of note is palm kernel and palm oil. These are used to create that signature 'brittle' snap and mouthfeel. While they provide the texture, they are highly processed saturated fats. Additionally, the product contains corn syrup solids and dextrose. These are concentrated forms of sugar that contribute to the sweetness and help bind the cookie, but they offer little nutritional value beyond calories.

Finally, we see soy lecithin and nonfat dry milk. The soy lecithin acts as an emulsifier, helping the cocoa and oils mix smoothly. The nonfat dry milk confirms that this is a dairy-containing product. There are no oats or alternative flours listed that would suggest a gluten-free formulation; the wheat flour is the structural base.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, these cookies are designed as an indulgent treat rather than a health food. A standard serving contains a significant amount of sugar, derived from both sugar and powdered sugar. This high sugar content provides a quick energy spike but can lead to a crash later.

The fat content comes primarily from palm oil and soybean oil. While fat is necessary for the body, these are processed vegetable oils. If you are monitoring your caloric intake, portion control is essential here; it is very easy to overeat these because of their light, crispy texture. However, they do provide a small amount of protein from the dry egg whites and nonfat dry milk.