Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

When I first started baking gluten-free, about 11 years ago, I never would have imagined that gluten-free eaters would be including oats in their diets. Boy have things changed! Now gluten-free oats are available and companies are starting to use oats in gluten-free products.

During the recent Price Chopper event in Lake George, one of the vendors handed me a box of "Glenny's Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin" cookies and said, "Try these I think you will like them."

It always makes me a little nervous when people "think" I will like something because, honestly, folks often misjudge what foods I'll like.

I accepted the box of cookies and threw it into my bag.

When I got home and unpacked, I noticed that the box said, "Moist and Chewy" on the front. Packaged moist and chewy gluten-free cookies are really, really hard to come by. The only moist cookies I've tried have been from Enjoy Life and I wouldn't call their cookies "chewy."

As I opened the box, I noticed that the tray of gluten-free cookies looked like wheat-filled oatmeal raisin cookies only a bite smaller. I sniffed. They smelled good! I read the ingredients. Interestingly, the ingredients list did not contain butter. These cookies have canola oil as the fat. I think this, and the oatmeal, contribute to their chewiness. (I can't call these cookies "Dairy Free" because they carry a "may contain" warning that milk protein might be present.)

I took a bite. It was soft. And chewy. And spicy. And really, really good! Shockingly good, in fact. For a cookie that is gluten-free and uses organic ingredients it manages to avoid a "funky" flavor. These cookies are pure oatmeal raisin goodness.

As with many gluten-free foods, the downside is price. As I mentioned above, I didn't pay for these cookies. When I scooted over to the Glenny's web site, I noticed that the cookies are $6.00 a box. You only get 10 cookies in a box for Pete's sake!!! Are they worth $6.00 a box? Honestly, I don't know. I really, really loved these cookies. But they were cookies--good cookies, but cookies. I really don't know if I would pay $6.00 for 10 oatmeal raisin cookies.

I will, as always, let you make up your mind on this one. The cookies are great but the price is high!

Summary: Great gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies. Really expensive. Grade: A for taste; D for price.