Is Snickerdoodle Crunchy Cookie Bites Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look past the marketing claims and go straight to the label. The ingredient list for Snickerdoodle Crunchy Cookie Bites is actually quite impressive regarding whole foods. You see a base of Organic Rice Flour and Organic Tapioca Starch, which provides the structure without gluten. The fat source is Organic Coconut Oil and Organic Sunflower Oil, both entirely plant-derived. Even the leavening agent is standard: Sodium Bicarbonate (baking soda) and Cream of Tartar, which is a byproduct of winemaking and is vegan.

However, the investigation hits a wall with the final ingredient: Cream. While the label does not specify 'dairy cream' or 'milk cream,' the presence of this ingredient immediately renders the product non-vegan. In the context of a cookie bite, 'cream' almost certainly refers to dairy cream or a dairy-based stabilizer used to bind the fats and sugars together. This is a common manufacturing shortcut to achieve a specific mouthfeel that oils alone cannot replicate.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, these cookie bites are a calorie-dense snack. The primary macronutrients are carbohydrates from the Organic Rice Flour and fats from the Organic Coconut Oil. Because they use Organic Cane Sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup, the glycemic index might be slightly lower, but they are still a sugary treat. The presence of Almond Meal and Organic Flax adds a small amount of fiber and protein, which helps slow down sugar absorption slightly. However, they should be viewed as an indulgence rather than a health food. They fit within a standard diet as a treat, but they are not suitable for strict low-carb or low-sugar diets.