Let’s be honest: gluten-free foods have historically been lacking. For all of the stomach troubles that wheat can cause, the grain has a lot of qualities that can’t be replicated by celiac-friendly alternatives. But as technology improves and demand grows, the gluten-free food industry is turning the tide—and that's especially true in the snack aisle.
A lot of our favorite snacks are naturally gluten-free, but brands have been expanding their offerings to include wheat-free renditions of treats that would be otherwise unavailable to people who avoid gluten. Some are adapted versions from the same brand as the original, while others are convincing dupes from other brands. Our team can confidently say that there's never been a better time to be a gluten-free snacker.
We set out on a journey to try different gluten-free snacks to find the absolute best of the best. And we reached a conclusion we never thought possible: some of them were just as good, if not better, than the real thing. Here are the absolute best gluten-free versions of our favorite snacks that you should add to your cart on your next grocery trip.
From The Ground Up Cauliflower Cheddar Crackers
All snacks have a special place in our heart, but Cheez-Its are among the best of the best. With the original recipe setting such a high bar, it would take a lot for a gluten-free alternative to win us over. And the Cauliflower Cheddar Crackers made by From The Ground Up rose to the occasion.
These gluten-free dupes aren't the same as a classic Cheez It, but we love them for what they are. The cauliflower flavor is prominent, but instead of hurting the flavor like it does in other low-carb foods, the vegetable makes it even better. Cauliflower and cheese are naturally a match made in heaven, and it works especially well in this crispy, toasty cracker.
Nature's Bakery Fig Bars
Nature's Bakery has our favorite fig bars on the market thanks to their variety of fruit fillings (hello, Peach Apricot!). And as if their product lineup wasn't robust enough, the brand also offers gluten-free versions of some of their most popular flavors.
It's worth noting that they're not entirely identical in terms of texture. The blend of rice flour with several ancient grains has a softer, smoother consistency than the robust whole wheat in the original recipe. It's why we could see younger kids in particular preferring the gluten-free fig bars.
Snyder's Pretzels
Whether you want to dip them in chocolate, use them as the base of a tart, or just enjoy them on their own, there's no reason why our gluten-free friends shouldn't enjoy high quality pretzels. Thankfully, Snyder's of Hanover came to the rescue by developing their own gluten-free version of their traditional recipe with potato starch and tapioca starch.
It might be controversial, but we might just prefer the gluten-free pretzels over the original. They have a crunchier snap that makes for a more satisfying snacking experience.
Tate's Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tate's cookies are a prime candidate for a gluten-free recipe. The thin, crisp texture is easier to mimic without wheat than it would be with a soft and chewy cookie. And if you were to do a blind taste test of both formulations, you likely wouldn't be able to identify the gluten-free version made with rice flour.
The only visual difference we noticed was that the gluten-free cookie is slightly paler in color (but not enough to deter us from eating it). We feel confident that every Tate's fan will enjoy these cookies.
Oreos
If the words "gluten free" weren't stamped on each cookie, we honestly wouldn't be able to tell the difference between these Oreos from the original. The color? Identical. The snap? The same. The flavor? Completely indistinguishable.
We're not sure what sorcery is happening at the Nabisco factory, but we think everybody should try a gluten-free Oreo—whether they have dietary restrictions or not.
