Are Oreos Vegan? You Never Knew These Facts!

Dipped in cold milk, a hypnotic pairing of chocolatey biscuits with heavenly soft velvety white filling, Oreos provide a satisfying crunch. For vegans, here arises the most commonly asked query, Are Oreos vegan?

The question about vegan Oreos has been under intense debate. Well, different flavors of Oreos contain different ingredients. Some of them are accidentally vegan, while others are certified vegan Oreos. 

Let’s break the mold today! 

Are Oreos Vegan? 

To your surprise, most flavors of Oreos are vegan and devoid of animal ingredients. They don’t even contain milk. Isn’t it good news for Oreo cookie lovers? 

Oreo has been the favorite snack for more than 111 years. 9 out of 10 people love this milk’s favorite cookie all around the world. 

Oreos were not vegan in the early days. Originally, it was a chocolate-flavored sandwich cookie filled with cream. The creamy part contained lard, which was not vegan-friendly. In 1998, the company removed lard from the milk’s favorite cookie and it turned to a vegan-friendly cookie.

The debate doesn’t end here. But the short answer is, most Oreos are vegan-friendly due to the absence of dairy and animal products. But- here comes a twist, they are not guaranteed to be dairy-free. Some ingredients may contain cross-contamination of dairy products. 

Let’s explain “Are Oreos vegan” further! 

Official Stance by Oreo

Is it good news or bad? Good news first. Oreos are indeed vegan-friendly, as we all know. They are suitable for both vegans and vegetarians as they are not made of animal byproducts as stated by Oreo’s official website. 

Here’s the twist, but relax, not as bad as you imagined. Oreo maintains the same statement that most ingredients of Oreo are vegan. Oreo officials also state that it contains a few ingredients that might cross-contact with milk products. In simple words, Oreos are produced in the same factory where other milk products are made. So, Oreos may cross-contact with those milk products during production but in trace amounts. 

Are Oreos Really Vegan after Cross Contamination? 

Vegan Society verifies several flavors of Oreo as vegan-friendly with the vegan trademark. It means the Vegan Society has officially certified it as a vegan snack completely devoid of animal products. 

Regarding cross-contact with milk products, trace amounts do not alter the vegan nature of Oreos. But ultimately, it’s a personal choice whether you’re a strict vegan, allergic to dairy products, or stay away from Oreos. 

If you’re allergic to milk products, try to stay on the safe side. A tiny amount of milk products may disturb your gut health and lead to potentially harmful effects. If you are not allergic, you can enjoy the delicious crunch of Oreos. 

In the end, it’s a personal choice. PETA has officially declared Oreo as vegan and vegetarian-friendly if you are comfortable with it. 

What are the Ingredients of Oreo? 

You may assume the white creamy part of Oreo contains butter, cheese, or milk cream. Surprisingly, Oreos are completely free of dairy products. 

Oreos are made of the following ingredients: 

• Wheat flour 
• Wheat starch
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Fructose syrup
• Emulsifiers
• Flavours (vanillin) 
• Raising agents like Ammonium hydrogen carbonate and potassium hydrogen carbonate
• Glucose syrup 
• Cocoa powder

Keep in mind that manufacturers may change the recipe of Oreos. It’s better to check the ingredients mentioned on the label. 

Is Sugar in Oreos Vegan? 

Sugar in Oreos is filtered and refined with a substance called bone char. This substance is used to convert sugar into crystalline white crystals from sugar cane. Bone char is derived from animal products. Due to this reason, some vegans may have rightful reservations. 

Related: Are Sour Patch kids vegan?

What is Creamy Filling of Oreos Made of? 

You might wonder what are the ingredients of the velvety part of Oreos hugged between chocolatey wafers. Well, although the following looks like butter and cheese but it doesn’t contain any of them. 

Creamy filling of Oreos consists of sugar, palm oil, soy lecithin, and vanillin. 

While there are different Oreo flavors, creamy filling may have different ingredients. Most of them are vegan. Let’s explore which Oreos are vegan? 

Which Oreos Are Vegan? 

Oreo comes with new redentions in flavored cookies, from double stuffed Oreos to golden or thin Oreos. Original Oreo is considered vegan, being a vegan you might also want to know about all vegan flavors of Oreos. 

Here’s a complete list of vegan Oreos You might find in markets: 

Oreo classics:

Seasonal Oreos:

Winter Joy

Halloween orange boo

Red, blue, and white 

Gingerbread

Thins Varieties: 

Thins coconut

Thins mint

Thins pistachio

Thins latte

Thins golden 

Brookie 

Tiramisu

Maple creme 

Peanut butter 

These Oreos flavours do not contain animal ingredients but sugar in these products is refined by char bone. 

Related: Is caramel vegan?

Which Oreo Flavours Are Not Vegan? 

A few Oreo flavors contain milk and dairy products. As a vegan, you might want to avoid them. These include the following flavors: 

• Fudge covered Oreos
• Oreo cakesters 
• Snowy enrobed Oreos
• Oreo Cadbury coated biscuits 

Oreo cakesters contain milk and eggs. Fudge covered Oreos contain milk, while Oreo Cadbury chocolate contains both milk and chocolate. These are not suitable for vegans. 

When Oreos Are Not Vegan?

Oreos are not vegan when they contain eggs, milk, dairy products, shellac (an ingredient of toffee crunch Oreos, obtained from beetles), gelatin, butter, and other animal-derived ingredients. You should also be concerned about sugar in Oreos. Sugar refined with bone char might be unsuitable for strict vegans.

Are Oreos Gluten Free? 

While there are many flavors of Oreo, some of them are gluten-free, while others contain gluten. In 2023, Oreo introduced completely gluten-free Oreos, which meet the FDA standard of gluten-free diet. That is, they contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. 

Gluten-free Oreos include the following flavors: 

• Double stuff
• Mint Oreos

What are Vegan Oreo Alternatives? 

If you feel like Oreos are not suitable for you due to the disparity of cross-contact with milk products, you might be thinking, which vegan Oreo alternatives are present in the Market?

Let’s explore! 

1- Gato Cookies ‘n’ Cream:

Chocolate vanilla flavored Gato cookies ‘n’ Cream is a delicious alternative to classic Oreos. They are vegan-friendly, gluten-free, enriched with dietary fibres, and contain less sugar compared to other cookies. 

2- Vegan Bakery Cookies ‘n Cream: 

Vegan bakery manufacturers Cookies ‘n Cream biscuits especially for vegans. These are also gluten-free and certified vegan-friendly by Vegan Society. 

Healthy Alternative to Vegan Oreos: 

Oreos and other baked cookies may harm your health. Baked stuff usually contains high fats, which can cause obesity and other diseases associated with obesity. If you want to snack healthy, the following are vegan alternatives to Oreos: 

• Fresh fruits 
• Fruit juices 
• Greek yogurt
• Banana ice cream
• Hummus
• Veggies 
• Home-made dark chocolate
• Vegan alkaline foods

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are Vanilla Oreos Vegan? 

Yes, vanilla Oreos are vegan. They are free of milk, dairy products, honey, and other animal by-products. 

Are double stuffed Oreos Vegan? 

Yes, double stuffed Oreos are totally vegan. They don’t contain milk, butter, or other animal by-products. 

Are Oreos dairy free? 

Creamy filling of Oreos like butter and milk, surprisingly, it’s free of milk and dairy products. Most oreo flavours are free of milk. A few Oreo cookies like Oreo cakesters and Oreo Cadbury chocolate contain milk. 

Are Gluten free Oreos vegan? 

Yes, gluten free Oreos are vegan. Remember that all Oreos are not gluten free as they contain wheat flour. Gluten free Oreos like double stuff are suitable for vegans. 

Are Oreos really Vegan in the US? 

Most varieties of Oreo are vegan in the US. At the same time, it is unclear for some reasons. Sugar in Oreos is filtered and refined by bone char. Bone char is an animal by-product. Due to cross-contact with animal products, some vegans might want to avoid them. 

Does Oreo contain eggs? 

Oreos do not contain egg in most flavors. They are free of eggs, gelatin, butter, and cheese. A few varieties of Oreo, like Oreo cakesters contain eggs that are not suitable for vegans. 

Are Golden Oreos vegan? 

Golden Oreos are vegan-friendly as they don’t contain milk, eggs, butter, and other animal products. Golden double stuffed Oreos are also vegan. However, sugar in golden Oreos is refined by bone char, which is an animal by-product. 

Are Mint Oreos Vegan?

Yes, mint Oreos are vegan. They contain high fructose corn syrup, palm oil, soybean oil, cocoa, baking powder, white rice flour and plant-derived vitamins.

Take Away!

A few varieties of Oreos are vegan, but not all Oreos are vegan in the US, UK, Canada, and Europe. When purchasing Oreos, check the ingredient list first. Make sure that the wrappers have “vegan” or “plant-derived” labels and that the ingredient list does not contain any non-vegan components. Keeping these instructions in mind, you can enjoy a carefree vegan lifestyle.

Also read related blogs:

Are Takis vegan?

Are Sour Patch Kids vegan?

Is Caramel Vegan?