I don't know if you remember, but a while back, I fell in love with a cookie company. That cookie company was called Mr. Nelson's Cookies, and they (well, he, because there is in fact a Mr. Nelson who makes the cookies) make cookies that are freaking to die for. They're perfect in all the classic ways, but not so fancy as to be unrecognizable as a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Oh, and they're huge. It's a mouthful and more of cookie. Some people say "I can't finish one!" but I'm not one of those people. If I want a cookie, I can finish one in one sitting, no problem.
Now, normally when a company reaches out to me and says "we're going gluten-free!" I will confess to you, I get kind of bored and stop listening all the way pretty much instantly.
But when Mr. Nelson told me he was making a gluten-free version of his cookies and would I like to try them, I was all "well, this is worth my time."
After all, part of what impressed me about the company was the attention to detail, the beautiful construction of the cookies, and the gorgeous, thoughtful packaging. Mr. Nelson knows how to make his cookies an event.
So, I was willing to go for a gluten-free detour with Mr. Nelson.
The cookies arrived, and just as before, the packaging was beyond beautiful. My sense of anticipation rose as I opened the parcel and slid the box open to reveal a treasure trove of cookies.
Gosh, they looked good.
They didn't look weird or lumpy or in any way like they suffered from the lack of gluten. They were beautiful.
So how did they taste?
I don't mean this to sound like a back-handed compliment, but they didn't taste gluten-free.
If you had served me this cookie and you said "guess the secret ingredient" I would not say "gluten-free flour". I would say "ground flax seeds" or "wheat germ" or "something healthy". Because the cookies did vaguely taste like they contained something healthy. But it was a whisper, not a scream.
I'll tell you the truth, if I wasn't tasting slowly and mindfully, if I had just jammed the cookie in my mouth, I never would have even known it was gluten-free.
That having been said, the flavor was subtly different from the "regular" cookies. That nuttiness that I detected--I an only assume that was something in the flour mix that Mr. Nelson chose.
Porkchop tried to get me to give him a bite, but he didn't get one. After all, they might not have gluten, but they still contained plenty of chocolate. No-go, pug!
The cookies were a bit more crumbly than their gluten-containing counterparts, but not unreasonably so. Given that they lacked gluten, I am impressed that they weren't more crumbly.
But all things considered, all gluten removed, Mr. Nelson still makes a very fine cookie. Between you and I, I think I will probably stick to the classic because I can, but if you're gluten-free or have tummy troubles with too much gluten, this variety is the perfect way for you to have your cookie and retain your health and sanity, too.