REVIEW Cybele’s Free To Eat Vegan & Gluten Free Cookies

I met so many awesome people at the GFAF San Fran expo a few weeks ago! I loved every minute of it – even the ones where I was slamming coffee at the blogger/author table waiting for caffeine to kick in so I could get my second wind! At our table where I spent most of my free time was the beautiful Cybele Pascal – the Allergy Friendly Cook (you can find all of her books here including her latest Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking). She was awesome to hang out with, and her books look amazing.

She also came out with Cybele’s Free to Eat allergy-friendly cookies. They are free of the top 8 allergens – and is certified gluten-free and vegan. They are also baked in a gluten-free facility. But most of all – they taste good.

Here’s her quote about the cookies from her press release, “Meet the modern cookie: full of the flavors you crave and free of the top eight allergens. They’re soft, so yummy, and irresistibly homemade tasting…We believe that no cookie lovers should ever be excluded!” 

They had a great premiere at Expo West last weekend (although I was sad to say I couldn’t even make it to their booth with my short time there). GoDairyFree.org listed it as the best cookie find there! I know that if I would have had a chance to make it to the booth it would have made my Expo West favorite list too. It’s even got nods from Prevention magazine! So why am I blogging about it? Well, first – Cybele gave me a few boxes – so of course I’m going to write about it – she rocks. But most importantly, THEY ARE GOOD. They are soft cookies – yes – soft, not crunchy. And I still can’t believe that they are vegan and GF. Man, she nailed these. 

Personally, I’m really impressed that with all three varieties are 130 calories or less for two cookies. However, I doubt that you can just eat two. They are that good.

Let’s talk about the three different varieties that she has available:

MY FAVORITE! C’mon I love chocolate – so how could the chocolate chunk brownie cookie. YUM. These were especially good with a cup of strong coffee to dip the cookies into. They’re like double chocolate chocolate chip cookies. Drool! We ate that whole box in a night.

INGREDIENTS: GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR (BROWN RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, TAPIOCA FLOUR), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHUNKS (EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, NON-ALCOHOLIC NATURAL CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, NON-DAIRY COCOA BUTTER), CANE SUGAR, RICE MILK, ORGANIC PALM OIL SHORTENING, BROWN RICE SYRUP, UNSWEETENED NATURAL COCOA POWDER, CANOLA OIL, GRAPE JUICE, RICE DEXTRIN, VANILLA EXTRACT, PREBIOTIC TAPIOCA FIBER, CREAM OF TARTAR, BAKING SODA, XANTHAN GUM, SEA SALT, CARROT FIBER, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN

My next favorite were the chocolate chip cookies – Non-GFBF’s favorite. Again, great for coffee dipping. But these guys were great and SOFT. They reminded us of the Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies that we can never ever have ever again. Again, can’t believe these are vegan.

INGREDIENTS: GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR (BROWN RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, TAPIOCA FLOUR), SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, NON-ALCOHOLIC NATURAL CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, NON-DAIRY COCOA BUTTER), ORGANIC PALM OIL SHORTENING, BROWN SUGAR, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, FRUCTOSE, BROWN RICE SYRUP, UNSULPHARED MOLASSES, WATER, GRAPE JUICE, RICE DEXTRIN, EGG REPLACER (POTATO STARCH, TAPIOCA FLOUR, LEAVENING {CALCIUM LACTATE*, CALCIUM CARBONATE, CITRIC ACID}, CELLULOSE GUM, CARBOHYDRATE GUM), PREBIOTIC TAPIOCA FIBER, VANILLA EXTRACT, BAKING SODA, SEA SALT, XANTHAN GUM, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN *CALCIUM LACTATE IS NOT DAIRY DERIVED, AND IT DOES NOT CONTAIN LACTOSE.

My least favorite, by no fault of theirs, is the oatmeal raisin. I hate raisins in cookies. I hate that they’re not chocolate chips – and sometimes if I close my eyes and hold my nose I pretend like it’s chocolate – well – it’s still not chocolate. They’re still raisins. I can’t give my seal of approval on raisin-involving cookies, but I know that you’ll enjoy it if you like soft oatmeal cookies! Yes, they are gluten-free oats too (a total necessity for celiacs).

INGREDIENTS: RAISINS, GLUTEN-FREE OATS, BROWN SUGAR, ORGANIC PALM OIL SHORTENING, GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR (BROWN RICE FLOUR, POTATO STARCH, TAPIOCA FLOUR), CANE SUGAR, WATER, FRUCTOSE, GOLDEN FLAXSEED, BROWN RICE SYRUP, GRAPE JUICE, RICE DEXTRIN, VANILLA EXTRACT, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, XANTHAN GUM, SEA SALT, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, CINNAMON

My rating for all but the oatmeal raisin (which is omitted because I despise raisin cookies – they’d be like a 2), are 4.5. I will give them a 5 when they are readily available in my Whole Foods and Sprouts!

[ratings wheat=”4.5″]

But where can I buy them? I know, that’s exactly what you’re thinking. They’re not quite on the market yet, but what you need to do is go to their website and sign up for their email list so you will be alerted when they’re available! Also, friend them on Facebook (maybe shoot them a note that Celiac and the Beast sent ya) and you’ll know as soon as they’re online. They’re going to run about $4.99-$5.69 a box – well worth it! **UPDATED: They’re available at ALL Whole Foods in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain areas! If you see them, you’re lucky – grab a box! 🙂