The Way The Cookie Crumbles: Are People With Allergies Really Missing Out?
Food allergies are an increasing problem in America. It is estimated that over 32 million Americans have food allergies; within that, there are around 5.6 million food-allergic children in America, and about 40% of them aren’t just allergic to one food. Allergies can be incredibly inconvenient as they are considered to limit a major life activity. In addition to the physical issues, they also come with lots of social consequences that leave people with them feeling like they’re missing out.
I tested this question with the common comfort dessert of chocolate chip cookies. I made 4 different recipes, one nut-free, one dairy-free, one gluten-free, and one egg-free (vegan).* These allergens are all a part of the top 8 list identified by the FDA.Since it’s chocolate chip cookies, they are also all free from shellfish and fish, as well as peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and legumes for my personal safety.
As someone who has to be dairy-free for my health, these dairy-free cookies will definitely be made again. However, they baked slightly more greasy than I would have liked since oil replaces the butter that a normal cookie would have. My first batch of these cookies was also a bit underdone, but that was easily fixed with a few more minutes in the oven for my second batch. After two days in an airtight container, they are pretty crunchy but still maintain a good chew in the middle. I combined these with some oat ice cream and rainbow sprinkles and, boom, a perfect dairy-free ice cream sandwich. All in all, though the recipe made a thinner, crunchy cookie, it was still delicious. A 9/10 in my book; I will be making these again soon.
Again, with the same problem as the dairy-free cookies, these cookies were pretty greasy. I was also disappointed that they fell flat, physically, after they came out of the oven. Though they were definitely a flatter, more flexible texture, they were delicious nonetheless. I think it definitely took a bit of getting used to, but it didn’t stop me and my family from eating them hot out of the oven. They maintained the perfect cookie taste which is great considering they are missing both eggs and butter. Despite the lack of classic ingredients, these cookies perfectly satisfy a chocolate chip cookie craving. I’d give these a 7.5/10.
Since all cookies had to be nut-free for my safety, I was slightly limited on the gluten-free possibilities, as many alternative flours utilize nuts. So, these cookies are made with oat flour. I was expecting the cookies to be a lot grainier and have more of an oat taste, but I really didn’t find any of that unless I sat down and scoured the cookie to find it. Though they aren’t going to be made again in my house, as they have dairy, I think it is a great gluten-free cookie recipe. 7/10 for me.
Many people with allergies also feel that they’re missing out on the most popular, trendy food. For cookies, those are the Levain cookies in New York. Since they aren’t the safest for food allergic people, I found a copy-cat recipe for myself. Since I’ve never had the real thing myself, I have to trust that my boyfriend was telling me the truth when he said they are pretty similar. These cookies are huge and phenomenal. Like, bigger-than-my-hand kind of huge. They also fully satisfied my love for thick, gooey cookies. However, though they were much more gooey on day one, the flavor really develops more for the next day. Delicious! I fully recommend adding in the optional vanilla for more of a classic cookie taste, but it doesn’t need it. Not exactly my perfect cookie, but pretty damn close. Solid 8.5/10 for me. If only they were dairy free, too!
Not only did I test these cookies, but my family did as well. And I can confidently say that with the positive opinion of a picky 10 year old on my side, these cookies pass the test. So, overall, I’d say that people with allergies aren’t really missing out. While these may all taste and look different, they are all great. Nobody is missing out on a chocolate chip cookie opportunity here. So while allergies are one tough cookie, they may not be that crumb-y.
By Samantha Weiner