The Ultimate Guide to Allergy-Friendly Homemade Oreos: Gluten-Free, Vegan & Top 8 Allergen-Free

A delightful treat for any time of year, but truly exceptional during the holidays, these thick, soft, and richly chocolatey cookies, generously filled with a creamy vegan cream cheese frosting, are perfect for sharing with neighbors or gracing any goodie plate. Designed to be a crowd-pleaser, they offer the ideal balance of deep chocolate flavor and tender texture. What makes them even more special is their carefully crafted recipe, free from common allergens including gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, and tree nuts, making them entirely vegan with an additional soy-free frosting option available.

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Growing up, my mom was a fantastic baker, but when it came to holiday goodie plates, she usually kept things simple, focusing on one signature treat for our neighbors. While her creations were always delicious, my world of holiday baking expanded significantly when I was in high school. I remember being invited to my friend Kayla’s house during the festive season, and she asked if I wanted to help her family assemble their annual goodie plates. The sheer variety and generous assortment of homemade delights they had prepared left me utterly spellbound.

It was a sugar junkie’s paradise, a baker enthusiast’s dream come true! I vividly recall the awe I felt seeing plates overflowing with different cookies, bars, and candies. That experience sparked a new tradition in our home. I went home that day and enthusiastically declared that we absolutely *had* to start making goodie plates just like Kayla’s family. And so, a new holiday tradition was born, bringing with it the joy of variety and the satisfaction of sharing an abundance of homemade sweets with those around us.

Ever since that memorable high school experience, I’ve cherished the tradition of creating a diverse spread of treats for our neighbors during the holidays. There’s something incredibly satisfying about offering a selection of different sweets, allowing everyone to pick their favorites. Among our cherished holiday rotation cookies, homemade sandwich cookies—affectionately known as homemade Oreos—have secured a top spot. Almost everyone has a soft spot for the classic store-bought Oreos, so imagine elevating that beloved cookie to a whole new level: soft, thick, freshly baked, and ten times more delicious. The best part? They are completely allergy-friendly, ensuring that more people can enjoy this iconic treat without worry.

These homemade versions are, in my humble opinion, infinitely superior to their often stale, store-bought counterparts. For starters, they are at least double the height, offering much more to love in every bite, and their tender texture means you won’t risk breaking a tooth. Furthermore, making them yourself gives you complete control over the filling. And trust me when I say, I absolutely *slather* on that luscious vegan cream cheese frosting! The ability to customize the sweetness and creaminess of the filling to your exact preference is a game-changer, turning a simple cookie into an extraordinary indulgence.

Engaging the whole family in holiday baking truly amplifies the festive spirit. If you have children, like my boys, they absolutely love getting involved. My kids find immense joy in helping me scoop and release the cookie batter using our favorite cookie scooper. Once the cookies are baked and frosted, they take great pride in carefully sandwiching them together. It’s a wonderful way to create lasting memories and teach them about the joy of making and sharing. Add to that a really good Christmas Pandora music station blaring in the background, and you have the perfect recipe for a heartwarming and memorable holiday baking session.

Beyond the delicious taste and the joy of family involvement, these cookies offer another delightful perk: you get to eat two cookies and still confidently say you’ve “only” had one Oreo! It’s a small, fun justification that adds to the enjoyment of these wonderful sandwich cookies.

These cookies are also fantastic for a bit of playful bribery with the kids. My oldest enthusiastically devours them whole, savoring every crumb. My youngest, however, has a distinct method: she loves to meticulously lick the frosting from the edges first, a habit she also enjoys with my Oreo cupcake recipe. No matter the preferred eating strategy, one thing is certain: these cookies are a guaranteed hit with everyone!

When embarking on this recipe, please pay close attention to the instructions as I offer two distinct options for the fat component (butter/oil) in the cookie dough. Each option yields slightly different results, so you can choose based on your preference for texture and ease of handling. AND: for those who need to avoid soy, which is typically found in vegan cream cheese brands, you have a fantastic alternative! You can easily substitute the vegan cream cheese frosting with The Best Dairy-free Vanilla Frosting, ensuring these cookies remain truly top 8 allergen-free and accessible to even more dietary needs. This flexibility ensures that everyone can enjoy these delicious treats, regardless of their specific dietary restrictions.

Why Allergy-Friendly Baking Matters

Creating allergy-friendly recipes like these homemade Oreos goes beyond just dietary restrictions; it’s about fostering inclusivity and ensuring everyone can partake in the joy of shared treats. For families managing food allergies, finding safe and delicious options can often be a challenge, especially during festive seasons when baked goods are abundant. These cookies eliminate the guesswork and worry, offering a safe indulgence that doesn’t compromise on flavor or texture. Knowing that a treat is free from gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts provides immense peace of mind, allowing individuals with allergies to enjoy a classic cookie experience without fear of adverse reactions. It transforms a simple dessert into a powerful statement of care and consideration, making every goodie plate a little more welcoming and every celebration a little more joyful for all.

Tips for Perfect Homemade Sandwich Cookies

Achieving the perfect homemade sandwich cookie requires a few key considerations. Firstly, regarding the choice between canola oil and vegan butter (like Earth Balance) for the cookie base: canola oil will produce cookies with slightly crispier edges and a dough that is a bit greasier but easier to work with and less prone to sticking. The cookies in the photos, for instance, were made with canola oil. If you opt for Earth Balance, your dough will be stickier, requiring you to grease your hands, cookie scooper, and baking sheet. However, Earth Balance now offers soy-free versions, expanding your options. I’ve had success with both methods, so choose what best suits your baking style and dietary needs. Secondly, proper baking time is crucial. These cookies bake quickly, typically 7-9 minutes at 325°F. Overbaking will dry them out, so keep a close watch. They might seem slightly soft when removed from the oven, but they will firm up as they cool to that perfect tender texture. Finally, for beautifully flat cookies ideal for sandwiching, gently press them down with a flat-bottomed cup immediately after baking while they’re still warm. This simple trick creates a perfect surface for frosting and stacking.

As you gather your ingredients and begin assembling your goodie plates this holiday season, I truly hope you find immense joy in the process and even greater pleasure in giving these homemade treasures away. May your build-up to Christmas be filled with cheer, brightness, and a wonderful sense of safety and inclusivity for everyone at your table. These cookies are a small way to ensure that joy is shared by all.

Oh–and PS–do you follow me on Instagram? I’ve recently started doing Instagram stories, and I shared a detailed tutorial on how to perfectly flatten these cookies for stacking, ensuring they look as good as they taste. Be sure to follow me there for more tips and allergy-friendly recipes! 🙂

Allergy-Friendly Homemade Oreos (Gluten, dairy, egg, peanut & tree nut free; top 8 free; vegan)

Yield:
18 sandwich cookies

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
7 minutes

Total Time:
37 minutes

A favorite cookie all year round, but especially at Christmas, these thick, soft cookies filled with a vegan cream cheese make for the best neighbor treats or goodie plates. Thick, soft and the perfect amount of chocolate these are crowd pleasers. These are also free of: gluten, dairy, egg, peanut & tree nuts; as well as vegan too!

Ingredients

COOKIE:
2 and 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix
1 and 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil (or Earth Balance–see below*)
2/3 cup Vanilla Rice Milk (recipe calls for original, but I think you can never have enough vanilla)
VEGAN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
(If you cannot do soy, use this frosting)
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (such as Tofutti or Daiya)
1/3 cup vegan butter, softened (such as Earth Balance butter sticks)
2 and 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

(*I understand not everyone will want to use canola oil in their cookies. It will make the edges a bit crispy, and makes the dough a little greasy to work with. The perk is that it’s cheaper, easier to find, and does not stick! The ones in these photos, used canola oil.
If you’d rather use Earth Balance, the dough will be quite sticky (you’ll need to grease your hands and cookie scooper, as well as the cookie sheet.) They do now have soy-free version, so you have lots of options that way. I’ve done it both ways and been happy with either results, I just wanted to give options!)
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a baking sheet, if you’re using the Earth Balance.
In a stand mixer, combine the flour mix, cocoa, xanthan, baking soda, cream of tartar, sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly, being sure to work out any lumps of cocoa powder.
Next, add the wet ingredients: canola oil (or Earth Balance) and rice milk. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Scoop out the dough and place on cooking sheets. I like to use my cookie scooper, so that they’re all uniform since you’ll be making the sandwiches and want them to fit together.
Baker at the center of the oven for 7-9 minutes. Do NOT overcook, as they will dry easily. If you start to smell them, run for the oven! I know this seems like a small amount of time, but they really don’t need longer. They may be a tad bit soft when you pull them out, so you’ll need to be careful moving them to a cooling wrack, but as they cool, they will end up being the perfect temperature!
If they are a bit raised/rounded on the top, I simply take a large cup and lightly press them down, to make sure that they’re nice and flat, which makes for easier stacking and frosting before I move them off the pan.
While they cool, make the frosting.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the vegan butter and vegan cream cheese until well blended. Add the vanilla. Slowly add the powdered sugar until it reaches the thickness that you want.
Once the cookies have cooled, spread a generous amount of frosting on one cookie, and then top it with another.
Keep any cookies you don’t inhale in an air-tight container.

This cookie recipe is inspired by my Double Choco Chip Cookies, and the delicious frosting recipe is slightly adapted from Minimalist Baker. These foundations ensure a robust flavor profile and a texture that rivals the best.

Don’t forget to pin this recipe so you can easily find it later! PLUS: Be sure to check out my other allergy-friendly PINTEREST BOARDS for more delicious and safe baking ideas.