I love cookies. Seriously – cookie monster has got nothing on me. So when I had a chance to taste test some cookies from Home Free, I was more than happy to help! Home Free are a special kind of cookie designed for those with food allergies. They are peanut, egg, tree nut, and dairy free, created in a special bakery where great steps are taken to ensure the absence of potential allergens – click here to read all about the Home Free kitchen.
I may not have food allergies, but I don’t discriminate – I’ll try any cookie once. But I knew these would have to be pretty good to rate as anything more than just a “health food cookie”. The first one I tried was the Organic Chocolate Chip Cookie. This cookie has a very distinct flavor from the whole barley flour that it’s made from. It might be surprising if you’re expecting a traditional chocolate chip cookie, but it’s not bad – just different. If you’re not fond of barley, this might taste a little too health food-y for you. However, I quite enjoyed it over my morning cup of coffee. (Yes, I had a cookie for breakfast. You think I could get a box of cookies in the mail and not tear right into them?!) The only thing I would suggest is possibly adding even more of the yummy chocolate chips – a “chocolate chunk” variety would be so delicious!
Next up was the Organic Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies. These were my absolute favorite! These are sooo good – since they’re small, the barley flour was less apparant and they tasted more like a traditional chocolate chip cookie. They’re crisp and delicious, reminding me a little of Cookie Crisp cereal. Jai noticed more of a “healthy” taste than I did – but he didn’t get much of a chance to try them, because I polished off half the box as soon as I opened it!
The last flavor we tried was the Organic Oatmeal. Now, I have a confession to make – I don’t really like oatmeal cookies. I don’t know why, I’ve just never cared for them. So I broke off a little piece to taste and gave the rest to Jai (a longtime oatmeal cookie fan). You know what? It was very tasty! This cookie was really soft and moist – like a cake. The flavor was really good and actually tasted better to me than most oatmeal cookies. Jai also said it was very good, and agreed with me that the soft texture was almost like eating a fresh muffin. So this got two thumbs-up from the oatmeal cookie hater as well as the oatmeal cookie devotee!
If you’re looking for a new way to satisfy your cookie cravings, you might want to check out Home Free. Of course, it goes without saying that anyone with a food allergy will adore these; finally, you can eat treats again! These are also dairy-free, so they may also be a good option for vegans – click here to check out their product listings and read the full list of ingredients. But I also enjoyed these cookies, and I have no special dietary needs – so they’re not just an acquired taste.
That’s awesome! I have a nephew with nut and egg allergies. It’s good to know he can have cookies like his brother thanks to Home Free.
That is very cool – We have a boy up the street who is allergic to almost everything! I will have to send her the link to this!!!
Suzanne and Katie, that’s so neat! I can’t imagine how hard it must be for kids with food allergies.